Delhi News Live Updates Today: Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav Monday pleaded 'not guilty' as a Delhi court directed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy, and cheating to be framed in the IRCTC 'scam' case. Prasad and his family are accused in a case pertaining to alleged corruption dating back to the former Bihar CM's tenure as Railway Minister. He is accused of favouring a private company in awarding operation and maintenance contracts for two IRCTC hotels in lieu of prime land in Patna. The CBI had filed a charge sheet against Prasad, Rabri, and their son Tejashwi, former Deputy CM of Bihar, in 2018. Delhi's AQI to remain moderate: The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi remained in the 'moderate' category, recording an AQI of 185, according to private air quality monitor and forecaster AQI.in. The Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, however, pegged the AQI slightly lower at 166. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the air quality will remain in the moderate category on October 14. A dip in wind speed coupled with an increase in farm fires in flood-hit Punjab is expected to drive Delhi’s air quality to the poor category by the middle of this week, forecasts have stated. The AQI will deteriorate to ‘poor’ category on October 15, as per the IMD. Drivers of Delhi's uncharacteristically clean air: Delhi recorded 199 days where the air quality has been below the poor range, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Sunday. An overactive monsoon and rains continuing well into October have been the biggest drivers of better AQI this year, with the city receiving above normal rainfall between July and October so far. In most areas in Punjab and Haryana, fields are either still waterlogged or the crop is damp, pushing the harvest further by at least a week. Punjab recorded one of the most devastating floods in several decades this September.
