Delhi

By Sanjeev Chopra

New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said Narendra Modi could have succeeded as prime minister because he often got his diagnosis right but "failed" on account of poor prescriptions.

It is time for Modi to go, he said, highlighting a range of contradictions in the prime minister's style of working over the last four and a half years.

New Delhi, Oct 27 :  Delhi's air quality remained very poor for the fourth day Saturday with five areas of the national capital recording severe pollution levels, as authorities warned the situation may deteriorate further next week due to localised emissions during festival and stubble burning.

The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the overall  Air Quality Index of Delhi at 341. The highest AQI of this season was recorded on Friday at 361.

New Delhi, Oct 26; PTI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Friday moved a special court here to get declared the owners of Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech group, charged in an alleged Rs 8,100-crore bank loan fraud case, as fugitive economic offenders under a new law, the agency said.

New Delhi, Oct 26; PTU: Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" Thursday even as parts of the massive Bhalswa landfill site continued to smoulder.

As the air quality showed no signs of improvement, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to act against burning of leaves and garbage.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 331 in the evening, the worst in the season so far.

By Abhishek Anshu, Manohar Lal & Sanjeev Kumar

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday set a deadline of two weeks for the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to complete the inquiry against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma, who has been divested of his duties and sent on leave in view of feud between him and Special Director Rakesh Asthana.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The CBI has booked self-styled preacher Daati Maharaj, who runs a temple in South Delhi, for allegedly raping and having unnatural sex with an inmate of his ashram, officials said Friday.

The agency had taken over investigation in the case on the instructions of the Delhi High Court, they said.

On a complaint by a woman disciple, a case of rape and unnatural sex was filed against Daati Maharaj, his three brothers and a woman at Fatehpur Beri Police Station in South Delhi.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Friday welcomed the "intervention" by the Supreme Court in the turmoil at the CBI and hoped the institutional integrity of the investigating agency will be upheld.

His reaction came after the Supreme Court asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into allegations against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma and barred interim director M Nageswara Rao from taking any major policy decision.

"Welcome intervention by the hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the CBI matter.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) An umbrella body of 260 farmers organisations will hold a 'kisan march' to Delhi next month to protest against the central government's "apathetic attitude" in solving problems of their community, leaders of the farmers committee said Thursday.

Leaders of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) claimed that the planned 'kisan march' to Delhi, beginning November 28, would be larger than the farmers' march organised at Boat Club under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Tikait, founder of the Bharatiya Kisan Union in 1988.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday led a protest march to demand the reinstatement of CBI Director Alok Verma, who has been divested of his powers and sent on leave, and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress has termed the move against Verma "illegal and unconstitutional".

Top Congress leaders took part in the march that culminated in a demonstration outside the CBI headquarters. Leaders of other parties also joined the protest as a mark of solidarity.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) President Ramnath Kovind is learnt to have dismissed a plea to disqualify 27 ruling Aam Admi Party MLAs of Delhi for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various city hospitals.

The President signed the order dismissing the plea based on an opinion given by the Election Commission (EC) in July, a senior poll panel functionary said Thursday.

The EC had found no merit in the plea.