Daily Briefing: Latest on Bengal poll violence; what chargesheets against WFI chief Brij Bhushan and ex-ICICI chief Chanda Kochhar say; and more

In continuing violence in West Bengal, where at least 39 were killed in the run-up to the panchayat elections and during polling, six more persons have died since Tuesday night, including three in alleged police firing in Bhangar.

In Bhangar, relatives of those killed, of whom two were Indian Secular Front (ISF) supporters, alleged that TMC goons “came to the school in police uniform and started firing.”

The Calcutta High Court, meanwhile, said the panchayat elections in the state and the declaration of results “will be subject to” the “ultimate orders” that it may pass in connection with petitions filed on poll-related violence and “electoral malpractices”.

Only in Express

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar “intentionally aided” and “facilitated” WFI president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment by six top women wrestlers, the Delhi Police has said in its chargesheet.

Meanwhile, the Oversight Committee report that finds mention in the chargesheet, reviewed by The Indian Express, states that Singh has denied all allegations, citing yoga exercises as a reason to check breathing patterns.

Wrestlers during the hearing also pointed out the false promises made by the WFI, unpaid dues and non- existent contracts, with one of them telling the committee she wondered where the ‘sponsorship money promised to them went’.

From the Front Page

The CBI, in its chargesheet against Chanda Kochhar, has alleged that the accused “engineered a plan and design” in December 2008 to get loans sanctioned to “financially beleaguered” Videocon Group, after it was announced that she would be appointed as the MD and CEO of ICICI Bank.

A 67-year-old’s last wish was to be in her village when she died. With no motorable roads to the tiny village of Messing in Arunachal Pradesh, her family embarked on a treacherous journey. The video of her final journey has created a stir in the state, and the attention it has drawn has given hope to local residents that their village may get a road at long last.

Must Read

Several people have died in Himachal Pradesh as rains and floods wreaked havoc in the state. Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur came down heavily on the Congress-ruled state government in an interview with The Indian Express. “This year, no pre-monsoon meeting of the state government was held which shows the lack of seriousness on the part of the current dispensation.”

India’s third mission to the moon will take off on Friday at 2:35 pm. The mission aims to achieve what its predecessor could not — land softly on the lunar surface and explore it with a rover. Know more about the mission and how it’s different from Chandrayaan 2.

Goa isn’t too happy with the GST Council’s decision to levy a uniform 28% tax on “full face value” for online gaming, casinos and horse-racing. The State Transport Minister said the move will be a “negative factor” for the industry, hamper fresh investment and lead to decline in footfall at casinos. He blamed Uttar Pradesh for the Council’s failure to reach a consensus.

And Finally…

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi may have serendipitously found a new home – former Delhi Chief Minister and late Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit’s Nizamuddin (east) residence. Sources say current occupants of the house, Dikshit’s son Sandeep and his family, are planning to move out.

DMK Rajya Sabha member P Wilson has a unique way of deciding the issues to raise in Parliament. He makes public posts on various social media platforms before every session and asks people what they want raised during that session. What issue did he raise this time? Find out in today’s Delhi Confidential.

🎧 In today’s episode of ‘3 Things’, we discuss Congress’s plan to expand its base in Maharashtra, TIPRA Motha’s stance against the BJP and a school-visit in a Tribal dominated district of Gujarat.

Until next time,

Sonal Gupta