India

Ahmedabad, Oct 25 (PTI) BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Thursday said CBI Director Alok Verma is an "upright officer" who was doing a "good job" to check corruption and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider action taken against him.

Swamy said he has full faith in the prime minister but claimed that those "around him" are trying to "harm the interests" of Modi as well as the BJP.

Verma and CBI's Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who were at loggerheads, were divested of all powers and sent on leave by the government on Tuesday night.

Nalbari, Oct 25 (PTI) A married woman was allegedly raped by five men in lower Assam's Nalbari district, police said Thursday.

The woman was on her way to a market in Nathkuchi village on Wednesday evening when the five men forcibly pulled her into their car and sped away to Korkabari area of Tihu town, police said quoting the woman's FIR.

They allegedly raped the woman in two separate places and then dumped her near the forest area with her hands and legs tied, said the woman in her FIR filed at Tihu police station.

Kolkata, Oct 25 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership Thursday mocked at "corrupt" BJP for trying to "rein in corruption" in the CBI and said the recent turn of events in the investigating agency proves that it is being controlled by the saffron party to serve its political purpose.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said forcing CBI director Alok Verma to go on indefinite leave was "illegal" and alleged that it was done as the government panicked over the possibility of him investigating the Rafale jet deal.

Addressing a press conference here, he claimed that Verma's removal was an "insult" to the Constitution, the chief justice of India and the leader of the opposition.

The move was "illegal", the Congress chief said.

Srinagar, Oct 25 (PTI) Two militants were killed Thursday in a gunbattle with security forces in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kreeri area in the early hours following information about presence of militants there. Militants opened fire towards security forces, and two ultras were killed in the ensuing gunbattle, a police official said.

"The encounter at Kreeri in Baramulla is over. Two militants have been killed," the official said.

Hyderabad, Oct 25 (PTI) Leaders cutting across political affiliations condemned the attack Thursday on YSR congress leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was injured when he was attacked by a man with a small knife at the airport lounge here.

Telangana minister for IT and Industries KT Rama Rao strongly condemned the incident and demanded the culprits be punished.

"I wish him a speedy recovery," he tweeted.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanded a probe on any possible security lapses at Visakhapatnam Airport.

KANPUR: Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association will host three matches of Ranji Trophy in Kanpur. Giving this information, its media in-charge A A Talib said that a total of three matches will be played at the popular Green Park stadium here.

GANASHAKTI: The Left parties will organise a public hearing on the Rafale deal in the national capital Wednesday with a view to take forward their demand for a probe by the joint parliamentary committee in the issue.

Legal, policy experts and Left leaders will speak on the matter and the public will also participate in the deliberations, according to Left leaders.

CPI leader D Raja said the Left parties will raise the demand for a JPC probe into the alleged scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal and will evolve their strategy to take on the government on the issue.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Opposition parties Wednesday slammed the government for CBI Director Alok Verma's removal amid an escalating feud between him and his deputy Rakesh Asthana, with the Congress dubbing it the "last nail" in the agency's independence and the CPI(M) calling it illegal.

Adding its voice to the debate, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asked the reasons for sending the CBI director on leave.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) The CBI has overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana, bringing in completely new faces, officials said Wednesday.

There have been changes from the investigation officer to supervisory levels, they said.

M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, who took over the duties and functions of CBI director late last night, appointed Satish Dagar as Superintendent of Police to probe the case, they said.