New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside a Rajasthan High Court order that had suspended the sentence of a man convicted of raping a minor, and directed him to surrender by August 30 before the special Pocso court in the state’s Karauli. A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and K.V. Viswanathan allowed the appeal filed by the minor victim’s father, holding that the Rajasthan High Court’s reasoning “fell far short of the parameters required for enlarging a convict, pu…

Bengaluru, Aug 6 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Wednesday in its official statement that the autorickshaw blast which took place in communally-sensitive Mangaluru city in Karnataka was a part of the plan of the terrorist organisation ISIS. The Enforcement Directorate initiated an investigation into the blast case on the basis of the FIR registered by the Kankanady police station in Mangaluru on the complaint of K. Purushottama, an autorickshaw driver, relating to the expl…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan at Kartavya Path, New Delhi, calling it a major step towards transforming India’s administrative infrastructure into a 21st-century system that is cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally conscious. Highlighting a significant point, the Prime Minister said that the government has been spending nearly Rs 1,500 crore every year on office rentals for ministries and departments functioning out of sc…

Washington, Aug 6 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he has signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India, citing the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil.The White House said the decision is aimed at strengthening measures taken under earlier sanctions against Russia following its actions in Ukraine. The US President had announced a 25 per cent tariff on India last week.The order states that India is directly or indi…

Chandigarh, Aug 6 (IANS) Haryana is set to host the prestigious 18th Urban Mobility India (UMI) conference-cum-exhibition in Gurugram from November 7 to 9, government officials said on Wednesday. The preparations for the event were reviewed at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi here. The conference is a flagship annual event organised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and serves as a globally recognised platform for stakeholders to deliberate on emerging issues,…

Mumbai, Aug 6 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday demanded that the voting in the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra be held using the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) to ensure transparency. If voting through VVPAT takes time, then, the Congress said, the elections should be held on a ballot.Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar took strong objection to the statement by the State Election Commissioner (SEC) Dinesh Waghmare’s statement made on Tuesday that VVPAT m…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) In the wake of the devastating cloudburst in the Harshil region of Uttarkashi town of Uttarakhand, which triggered flash floods and widespread destruction, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been at the forefront of rescue and relief operations. Barinderjit Singh, Deputy Inspector General (Operations), ITBP, spoke exclusively to IANS about the ongoing efforts, challenges, and ground realities of the rescue mission being carried out in treacherous weather conditions…

Jamnagar, Aug 6 (IANS) In a significant catch, Dhrol police in Jamnagar district of Gujarat recovered 481 bottles of Indian‑Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from an abandoned car on the Dhrol–Jodiya road. The total value of the seized contraband goods, including the vehicle, is estimated at Rs 12.46 lakh, police officials shared on Wednesday.Acting on a tip-off about a consignment of liquor being transported illegally, the Dhrol police launched an operation. Upon reaching the location, they discov…

Belagavi, Aug 6 (IANS) A 22-year-old Moulvi was arrested by the Karnataka Police in connection with the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl in the state’s Belagavi district, police said on Wednesday. The police said that the incident, which took place in 2023, came to light after the CCTV footage went viral on social media.The police were able to identify the Moulvi and the girl’s parents, leading to the accused’s arrest. A case has been registered at the Muragod police station, and the accused…

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 6 (IANS) Ahead of the forthcoming crucial elections — local body (December) and Assembly (April/May 2026) — the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government on Wednesday approved the second phase of the Medisep medical insurance scheme for state government employees and pensioners.There are about one million families which will now avail this new facility.The scheme will see significant enhancements in insurance coverage and treatment options.Under the new phase, basic insura…