Daily Briefing: Latest on the killing of Atiq Ahmed; Mallikarjun Kharge at Idea Exchange; Kejriwal quizzed by CBI for nine hours; and more

🔴 According to police, the three youths hail from families not so well-off and at least two of them have a criminal track record. The families of all three claimed that they had not been in touch for a long time.

🔴 The killings of Atiq and his brother are likely to haunt the UP police for a long time. From stopping the police vehicles carrying the duo right outside the hospital gate, though the premises had enough parking space, to their inability to keep the hospital visit a secret, there were tell-tale signs of lapses on the part of the cops.

🔴 Meanwhile, the Opposition has unleashed a no-holds-barred attack on the UP government over “brazen anarchy in the state”. While the Congress said that subverting or violating the rule of law was dangerous for democracy, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the UP government had a role in the killings.

Only in the Express

In the latest edition of Idea Exchange, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge talks about elections in Karnataka, working towards Opposition unity and his autonomy in the grand old party.

From the Front Page

The CBI questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for nine hours in connection with the excise policy case. “They asked me several questions. I believe that this case is completely false… They don’t have even a shred of evidence,” the AAP chief told the media later.

At least 11 people died and 20 others were hospitalised after suffering from dehydration and heatstroke while attending a Maharashtra government event at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai yesterday. BJP office-bearers said more than 10 lakh people attended the event, while nearly 300 people complained of dehydration, high blood pressure and exhaustion and medical help was provided to them.

Must Read

In an ideal world, how much effort should it take to get information on hereditary disorders such as sickle cell anaemia included in school and college curriculum? Well, in the real world, it took Dr Ramesh Katre, working in Maharashtra’s tribal-dominated Gadchiroli, more than 1,000 letters and emails to officers across 15 states and almost two years.

Returning to Karnataka’s Kolar for the first time since his contentious 2019 speech which ultimately led to his disqualification as an MP last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday demanded that the BJP-led Union government release the caste census report commissioned by his party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2011.

In our Opinion section today, Ashok Gulati writes on how food inflation can be handled keeping El Nino in mind: “Food inflation can be contained even below 5 per cent in FY24 provided India uses trade policy wisely and well in time. Knee jerk reaction when prices flare up does more harm than good.”

Last week, Congress leader Jagdish Tytler appeared before the CBI to submit samples of his voice as part of the investigation into his alleged role in three murders in Delhi’s Pul Bangash area by a mob during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The CBI said it had fresh evidence in the case, for which Tytler’s voice had to be corroborated with a speech he made 39 years ago. But how is a voice sample taken? Is it legal, and how does it aid the investigation? We explain.

And Finally…

In a battle of powerhouses between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals, it came down to who blinks first. On an evening when both camps traded punches, Gujarat were short on answers for the heavy blows that Shimron Hetmyer landed.

Karnataka BJP strongmen Jagadish Shettar, who quit as MLA after being denied a ticket for the state Assembly polls, is in talks with the Congress and could join it soon. Sources say senior Karnataka Congress leaders MB Patil and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who have close ties with Shettar, are in touch with the leader. Don’t miss today’s Delhi Confidential for more!

🎧 In the latest episode of ‘3 things’ podcast, we speak to Narayan Chetanram Chaudhary, a man who spent 30 years in prison, out of which 25 were on the death row – about his time in prison, what led to his release, and what his case says about our justice system.

Until tomorrow,

Ayesha Jain and Anandu Suresh