New Delhi: A huge setback for the Gujarat government. The Supreme Court blocked the promotion of 68 judicial officers, including the magistrate who punished Rahul Gandhi. A bench of justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar will hear the proceedings. The stay was based on the recommendation of the High Court and the notification issued by the Gujarat government.

The Supreme Court pointed out that the recommendation and notification are illegal. The interim stay of the court is on a petition challenging the appointment. The promotion of Harish Hashmukh Bhai Verma, who passed the verdict that disqualified Rahul Gandhi, was earlier controversial.
The Supreme Court also mentioned that promotion should be done based on merit and seniority.

Punjab: Delhi Police arrested 3 people who smuggled drugs from Pakistan through a drone. Malhit Singh, Dharmendra Singh, and Harral Singh, natives of Punjab, were arrested. The operation was based on the information received by the Counter Intelligence Unit of the Delhi Police.

The Delhi Police informed that the leaders of the drug smuggling gang from Pakistan have been arrested. They used to distribute drugs smuggled from Pakistan to various states. The money transfer to Pakistan was done through a Hawala transaction.

Mobile numbers in the USA and Philippines were also found from them. The police said that they had received instructions from these numbers to collect drugs from Pakistan and that they have been distributing drugs in the country since 2010.

Srinagar: NIA raids 11 locations in Kashmir Valley. The National Investigation Agency’s probe is related to the Jamaat-e-Islami terror funding cases. The NIA raids were conducted in Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Pulwama.

The NIA on Wednesday seized the properties of three persons found to be involved in militancy-related activities in the Kashmir Valley.
The central agency has attached six shops in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and one house in Kupwara. It also includes a two-room building in Shopian. The assets were confiscated on the orders of a special NIA court in Jammu.

Chennai: Police have arrested Satish Kumar, son-in-law of Tamil Nadu Devaswom minister PK Shekhar Babu, in a molestation complaint. The lady had lodged a complaint alleging that she had been raped by a promise of marriage. The arrest was based on a complaint lodged by the woman at the Otteri police station in 2018, alleging that she had a 4-year relationship with Satish Kumar and that he had cheated on her.

Satish has been absconding since May 2022. Later, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. The police said that Satish is included in the list of regular criminals.
Meanwhile, Satish’s wife and Shekharbabu’s daughter Jayakalyani came forward alleging that the police filed a case against her husband on her father’s instructions. She also said that Shekhar Babu was opposed to her love affair with Satish.

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has filed a defamation case against BJP state president K Annamalai. The City Public Prosecutor accused Annamalai of defaming Chief Minister MK Stalin. The BJP leader had recently alleged that MK Stalin had paid Rs. 200 crore in 2011 to secure the Chennai Metro contract. Annamalai claimed that leaders of Stalin’s party, DMK, acquired assets worth Rs 1.34 lakh crore through corruption and alleged that the chief minister’s family members were directors of a Dubai company investing in the state.

A notice was sent to Annamalai asking him to apologize and withdraw the allegations, but he refused. Following that, the case was filed.
Minister Udayanidhi and MP Kanimozhi had also sent notices demanding compensation against Annamalai.