KCR's Daughter K Kavitha Wants Questioning In Liquor Policy Case Postponed

K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has written to the Enforcement Directorate seeking that her questioning in the alleged liquor scam case, due tomorrow, be postponed. The agency is to give fresh date of summons tomorrow evening.

Ms Kavitha has cited prior commitments to seek that her questioning be deferred. Tomorrow, she is expected to join a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar regarding the Women's Reservation Bill.

"As a law-abiding citizen, I will fully cooperate with the investigation agencies. However, due to the Dharna and prefixed appointments, I'll seek legal opinions on the date of attending it," she had said earlier in a statement.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in Hyderabad for over seven hours on December 12.

The CBI contends that liquor companies were involved in framing of the 2021 excise policy of Delhi, for which kickbacks to the tune of Rs 30 crore were paid by a liquor lobby it dubbed the "South Cartel".

The Central investigation agencies have alleged that Ms Kavitha is part of the "South Cartel" that benefited from the kickbacks in the now withdrawn liquor policy of Delhi, in which Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has been arrested.

She has been called so that she can be confronted with Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai, an alleged frontman of the "South Cartel," who was arrested by the ED earlier this week, reported news agency Press Trust of India, quoting sources. Ms Kavitha's former accountant has been arrested in the case.

The state BJP has hit out at Ms Kavitha, accusing her of evading questioning.  

"Aap chronology Samjiye (please understand the chronology)… KCR government didn't have a single woman in its cabinet from 2014-2018, for obvious reasons of Ms Kavitha's hegemony in the party, who was an MP from Nizamabad then," BJP MP Arvind Dharampuri tweeted.

Aap chronology Samjiye…

KCR govt. didn't have a single woman in his cabinet from 2014-2018, for obvious reasons of Ms Kavitha's hegemony in the party, who was an MP from Nizamabad then.

After losing to @BJP4India candidate in 2019 General Elections, subsequently becoming MLC… https://t.co/GbxyL1sTD9 pic.twitter.com/uNBC0c9e0D

— Arvind Dharmapuri (@Arvindharmapuri) March 8, 2023

"After losing to @BJP4India candidate in 2019 General Elections, subsequently becoming MLC in Nepotism quota & now evolving as a key conspirator in #DelhiLiquorScam, her sudden epiphany to fight for Women's Reservation bill is just her futile attempt to divert people's attention," he added in a tweet.

"Your community represents not more than 1% of Telangana population but represents more than 22% of the Telangana cabinet. Kindly convince your father to accommodate 33% women in his cabinet to gain tiny sanctity to your farce agitation on Women Reservation Bill," read a second tweet from the MP.

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Indian-Origin UK Home Minister Proposes New Crackdown On Illegal Migrants

Britain's Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, on Tuesday announced a new Illegal Migration Bill that will mean migrants arriving in the UK illegally on small boats will be "removed swiftly".

The minister, whose father is of Goan heritage and mother of Tamil heritage, referenced her own migrant roots during her statement in the House of Commons to lay out details of the new "robust approach" against illegal migration.

"They will not stop coming here until the world knows that if you enter Britain illegally you will be detained and swiftly removed back to your country, if it is safe, or a safe third country such as Rwanda," Ms Braverman.

"And that is precisely what this bill will do. That is how we will stop the boats," she said.

The Home Secretary said the new bill will mean last-minute judicial reviews "conducted late at night with no chance to make our case or even appeal decisions" are no longer allowed.

"Now, the United Kingdom must always support the world's most vulnerable. Since 2015, we have given sanctuary to nearly half a million people. These include 150,000 people from Hong Kong, 160,000 people from Ukraine, 25,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban."

"Indeed, my own parents decades ago found security and opportunity in this country, something for which my family is eternally grateful," said Ms Braverman.

"For a government not to respond to waves of illegal migrants breaching our borders would be to betray the will of the people we were elected to serve," she said.

Under the new law, it will be her duty as Home Secretary "to remove" those entering the UK via illegal routes. This will take legal precedence over someone's right to claim asylum - although there will be exemptions for under-18s, those with serious medical conditions, and some "at real risk of serious and irreversible harm".

Any other asylum claims will be heard remotely after removal. The bill allows for the detention of illegal arrivals without bail or judicial review within the first 28 days of detention, until they can be removed.

Besides a crackdown on unsafe boats crossing over from the French sea border, Suella Braverman also revealed plans for an annual Parliament-set cap on migrants granted asylum in the UK through safe routes.

The bill, the full details of which are yet to be published in Parliament, comes after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak indicated plans for a tough new law over the weekend.

"Make no mistake, if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay," Rishi Sunak told the 'Sunday Express' newspaper.

Refugee charities and human rights groups have warned of the legal implications for vulnerable asylum seekers.

"Of course, the UK will always seek to uphold international law and I am confident that this bill is compatible with international obligations," Ms Braverman insisted in the Commons.

The Opposition Labour party has raised doubts about the legality and feasibility of the bill and the Liberal Democrats said ministers had drawn up "another half-baked plan".

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"8 Years Of Pain": Old Photo Of Elon Musk Fighting A Sumo Wrestler Goes Viral

Billionaire Elon Musk has been making headlines ever since he took control of Twitter. However, this time around, an old photo of Mr Musk fighting a sumo wrestler went viral online. The throwback post has left the fans and supporters of Mr Musk in awe of his physical strength. 

The picture was shared on the microblogging site by a user who identifies by the name DogeDesigner. "Elon Musk fighting a sumo wrestler. @elonmusk," reads the caption of the post.

Responding to the same, the Tesla Chief said, "-8 years of pain from a crushed disc". Since being shared, his tweet has been viewed five million times.

~8 years of pain from a crushed disc

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2023

"Wow! This too? So what kind of adventure have you not gone on?" asked a user.

"And yet you've managed to climb on top of the world... truly inspiring." added another person.

Originally, Mr Musk posted the photograph last year in response to Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao's question on whether the billionaire had the ability to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin who is a former KGB agent. "Brother, I wish for you to win of course, but the reality is I haven't seen your kong fu video," he wrote. 

brother, I wish for you to win of course, but the reality is ... 😂

I haven't seen your kong fu videos.

— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) March 14, 2022

The Tesla billionaire responded along with the photograph, "Managed to throw him, but it cost me smashing my c5-c6 disc & 8 years of mega back pain! Finally, fixed with c5-c6 disc fusion." 

Binance's CEO was clearly impressed and stated, "Damn, respect! Didn't know this aspect of you. I also went through a minor back surgeries recently. Still exercising to strengthening my back. Rooting for ya. Please kick ass."

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No Caste Discrimination Involved In IIT Bombay Student Death: Committee

The inquiry committee set up by Indian Institute of Technology Bombay after the death of its student Darshan Solanki last month allegedly by suicide has ruled out caste-based discrimination and hinted at deteriorating academic performance as a possible cause.

Originally from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, 18-year-old Darshan Solanki, a first-year student of B.Tech (Chemical) course, died on February 12 after allegedly jumping off the seventh floor of his hostel on the campus in Powai.

His family had claimed he was facing discrimination since he belonged to a Scheduled Caste.

Authorities at the prestigious IITB had set up a 12-member inquiry committee under Professor Nand Kishore, head of the chemistry department, in connection with the death and allegations surrounding the incident.

Late last month, the police had said the Maharashtra government had formed a special investigation team to conduct a probe into Solanki's death.

The incident hit national headlines, with students group in several cities of the country holding protests denouncing caste-based discrimination in educational institutions.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Invited To King Charles' Coronation: Report

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markel have been invited to King Charles III's landmark coronation in May but are yet to decide whether to attend, reports said Sunday.

The California-based couple, who quit the British monarchy in 2020 amid growing internal tensions, "recently received email correspondence from His Majesty's office regarding the coronation", a spokesperson for them told Britain's Sunday Times.

"An immediate decision on whether the Duke and Duchess [of Sussex] will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time," their representative added, using their formal titles.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

The report comes with Harry, 38, increasingly estranged from his father, brother Prince William and the rest of the family, after exposing the extent of their fractured relations in a book, Netflix documentary and numerous interviews.

In his latest public comments, the prince reportedly told a trauma expert on Saturday that he has long felt "slightly different" to other British royals, came from a "broken home" and was trying not to pass "trauma" onto his children.

In his explosive memoir published in January, he claimed William attacked him during an argument about Meghan.

Meanwhile in last December's six-hour docuseries the couple again aired various grievances, having previously accused the royal family of racism over comments made about the skin tone of their unborn son.

It emerged this week that they are being evicted from their home on the family's Windsor estate, leaving them without a UK base from later this year.

The couple have made infrequent visits to the country since relocating to the United States, making a rare joint appearance in Britain following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September.

Charles, who ascended to the throne upon his mother's passing, will be formally crowned king in a pomp-filled ceremony on May 6 to be attended by dignitaries from around the world and watched by billions.

The celebrations will feature a star-studded concert, nationwide "big lunch" and volunteering initiative, as well as the traditional ceremony and royal processions.

The main May 6 coronation day also happens to be the fourth birthday of Harry and Meghan's son, Archie.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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No Opposition In Nagaland? What The Numbers Say

Despite having one of the highest number of political parties, the new Nagaland government is heading towards an opposition-less government with almost all parties extending unconditional support to the NDPP-BJP alliance which won the polls held last month.

In the state Assembly elections, for which results were declared on March 2, the pre-poll alliance partners - NDPP-BJP won 25 and 12 seats respectively, totaling 37 in the 60-member House.

Other political parties, including NCP have won 7 seats, NPP - 5, LJP (Ram Vilas), Naga People's Front (NPF) & RPI (Athawale) - 2 each, JD(U) - 1 and Independents - 4. This is the first time that Nagaland is witnessing the victory of so many political parties in the state Assembly elections. LJP(RV) and RPI (Athawale) are newbies in the State politics.

While the NDPP-BJP is yet to stake a claim for government formation, they have received unconditional support from other political parties to continue their second innings.

LJP (Ram Vilas), RPI (Athawale), JD(U) have already submitted letters of support to the alliance partners, sources said.

NCP, which is the third single largest party, submitted a letter extending 'unconditional' support on Saturday to the Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP, newly elected NCP MLA Y Mhonbemo Humtsoe told PTI on Sunday.

Similarly, NPF general secretary Achumbemo Kikon, who is also one of the newly elected MLA, said that though a final decision has not been taken, the party, which has two members, is "likely to extend support to the government".

With all the political parties supporting the winning NDPP-BJP alliance, Nagaland will have another all-party government.

In the past, in 2015 and 2021 opposition-less governments were formed during the ongoing term of a government, but this would be the first ever Assembly which is set to be an opposition-less one even before the House has been sworn in.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Regrettable": US City Scraps Agreement With Nithyananda's 'Kailasa'

Nithyananda's 'Kailasa', a fictional country, has been in the news since its representatives attended a UN meet. The controversial godman and his team are trying hard to get a recognition from the international community, as well as the UN, but their efforts have been futile. Nithyananda's representative Vijayapriya used the UN meeting to speak about the so-called country and demand protection for the self-styled godman, but officials dismissed the remarks. And now, the US city of Newark has ended an agreement with 'Kailasa' terming the incident as "regrettable".

Nithyananda had posted several photos of his representatives meeting officials from Newark and signing an agreement on his official Facebook page. The sister-city agreement between Newark and the so-called 'Kailasa' was entered into on January 12 this year and the signing ceremony took place at City Hall in Newark.

Also Read | What Nithyananda's 'Kailasa' Has Been Up To In Past Few Years

But press secretary in the Department of Communications, City of Newark, Susan Garofalo told news agency that as soon as "we learned about the circumstances surrounding Kailasa, the City of Newark immediately took action and rescinded the sister city agreement on January 18".

"Based on deception, the ceremony was groundless and void...Although this was a regrettable incident, the City of Newark remains committed to partnering with people from diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, support, and mutual respect," Ms Garofalo said.

Newark Councilman at Large Luis Quintana sponsored the motion to rescind the agreement. He said during official proceedings that going forward any city entering into a sister city agreement "has to be in good standards of human rights.

"We cannot bring Sister Cities International into an issue where there is controversy. This is an oversight, cannot happen any longer," he said adding that Newark cannot put itself in a situation where there is a sister city that has no human rights.

'Kailasa' has always intrigued people, who want to know how a rape accused was able to set up his own country. Nithyananda believed to have set up the fictional country on one of the islands near Ecuador, but its photos are very hard to find.

Also Read | Where Is 'Kailasa'? Is It A Recognised Country? All You Need To Know

However, on social media, the self-proclaimed godman and his followers keep posting videos and photos of sermons and their interaction reportedly with diplomats from around the world.

On February 24, the representatives of 'Kailasa' attended a general discussion on General Comment on economic, social and cultural rights and sustainable development, hosted by Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).

'Kailasa' is named after Mount Kailash in Tibet, considered sacred by Hindus. It also has a website, which says the place has been "created for and offers a safe haven to all the world's practicing, aspiring or persecuted Hindus".

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