Tuesday, December 23

DELHI (national capital territory)

Supreme Court to Hear Delhi Police’s Arguments Against Bail in 2020 Riots Case Today
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Supreme Court to Hear Delhi Police’s Arguments Against Bail in 2020 Riots Case Today

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday will continue hearing the Delhi Police’s arguments opposing bail for student leaders accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case. During the previous hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, told the court that the 2020 violence was not an abrupt communal clash, but a “deliberate, coordinated and pre-planned conspiracy aimed at attacking India’s national sovereignty.” SC Bench to Hear Police Arguments According to the Supreme Court’s cause list, a Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N.V. Anjaria will hear the police submissions today as the matter involves bail pleas filed by student activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fati...
Delhi Blast Probe Uncovers Plot to Use Long-Range Drones for Major Attacks
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Delhi Blast Probe Uncovers Plot to Use Long-Range Drones for Major Attacks

New Delhi: The investigation into the suicide car blast near the Red Fort has revealed an even more dangerous terror conspiracy. According to intelligence sources, Pakistani handlers were preparing to send a large consignment of long-range attack drones into India through an export company based in a third country. The drones—capable of carrying up to 10 kg of explosive payload—were to be shipped in parts to evade detection. Once inside India, the arrested operatives were supposed to assemble these drones and arm them with explosives for high-intensity terror strikes across major cities. The plot was foiled after the recent busting of a terror module in Faridabad, where several suspects were detained. Second Arm of the Network Also Identified Investigators have traced the other...
AIIMS Cancer Centre to Get ₹20-Crore Robotic Surgery System; Thousands of Patients to Benefit
DELHI (national capital territory), State

AIIMS Cancer Centre to Get ₹20-Crore Robotic Surgery System; Thousands of Patients to Benefit

New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is set to further expand its advanced robotic surgery programme at the Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH). The first robotic system, installed earlier this year, has already transformed cancer care at AIIMS by providing free robotic surgeries to 20–25 patients every month. Second Robotic Machine to Be Procured for ₹19.75 Crore Encouraged by the excellent clinical outcomes, AIIMS has begun the process of acquiring a second robotic surgery machine worth ₹19.75 crore. According to a senior doctor, the first machine—installed in February—has already facilitated over 150 surgeries. Most procedures have been performed for cancers of the intestine, oesophagus, pancreas, urology-related cancers, and gynaecological maligna...
Gavai Regrets Lack of Consensus on Woman Judge for Supreme Court During His Tenure
DELHI (national capital territory), Politics, State

Gavai Regrets Lack of Consensus on Woman Judge for Supreme Court During His Tenure

New Delhi: India’s outgoing Chief Justice B.R. Gavai on Sunday expressed regret that no woman judge could be recommended to the Supreme Court during his tenure. He clarified that although several women candidates were considered, the collegium could not reach a consensus on any of the names. Responding to a question, Justice Gavai strongly rejected allegations of nepotism within the collegium system, calling such claims “misplaced and incorrect.” “No Pressure From the Executive” Justice Gavai emphasized that he never faced pressure from the executive at any point.He noted that several decisions during his term went against the government, including his very first judgment related to the extension of the ED Director’s tenure. “The government appears as a party before the court,”...
Delhi’s VVIP Zones to Bloom With Dutch Tulips Again; Over Half a Million Bulbs Being Imported
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Delhi’s VVIP Zones to Bloom With Dutch Tulips Again; Over Half a Million Bulbs Being Imported

New Delhi: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is once again set to adorn the capital’s most prestigious avenues—Chanakyapuri, Shanti Path and other VVIP zones—with vibrant tulips this winter. To bring this spectacular floral display to life, NDMC will import 5.17 lakh tulip bulbs from the Netherlands, at an estimated cost of ₹1.30 crore to ₹1.55 crore. Dutch Bulbs for VVIP Roads, Indigenous Bulbs for Wider Coverage Of the imported bulbs, roughly 1.92 lakh tulip bulbs will also be shared with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for plantation in designated areas.Alongside the imported flowers, NDMC will plant thousands of indigenous tulip bulbs as well, adding a homegrown touch to the city’s seasonal beauty. Tulip planting is scheduled to begin after December 15. Slight Re...
Will Reduced Traffic Lower Delhi’s Pollution? GRAP Revisions Give Residents Fresh Hope
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Will Reduced Traffic Lower Delhi’s Pollution? GRAP Revisions Give Residents Fresh Hope

New Delhi: With Delhi once again shrouded in a dense layer of smog, the revised guidelines under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have renewed hopes of relief—provided they are implemented strictly across sectors. One of the key recommendations is for private companies to allow 50% of their employees to work from home, a move expected to significantly reduce peak-hour congestion and vehicular emissions. Government Issues Advisory to Private Sector Following the CAQM’s updated GRAP measures announced on Saturday, the government swiftly issued an advisory urging private offices to adopt remote working for half their workforce.Former CPCB Air Lab Head Dipankar Saha emphasized that if all offices comply, vehicle density during peak hours will reduce substantially. This would also e...
Delhi: What Is ‘Operation Crystal’? NCB Busts ₹262 Crore International Drug Syndicate
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Delhi: What Is ‘Operation Crystal’? NCB Busts ₹262 Crore International Drug Syndicate

In one of the biggest crackdowns on synthetic narcotics in recent years, the Narcotics Control Bureau (OPS Branch), in coordination with the Delhi Police Special Cell (CI), seized 328.54 kg of high-quality methamphetamine from a residence in Chhattarpur on November 20. The international market value of the seized drugs is estimated at ₹262 crore. The operation, code-named “Crystal Fortress”, was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering, surveillance, and technical intercepts targeting a trans-national synthetic drug cartel. Two Arrested; International Links Exposed The NCB has arrested two accused so far, including a woman from Nagaland, identified as Esther Kinimi. The first breakthrough came with the arrest of Shane Waris (25), a resident of Mangrauli village in Amroh...
Delhi: Relief Ahead for Air Travellers as India Shifts to Advanced AMH System; Flight Delays and Cancellations to Reduce
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Delhi: Relief Ahead for Air Travellers as India Shifts to Advanced AMH System; Flight Delays and Cancellations to Reduce

New Delhi: Recent disruptions at Delhi’s IGI Airport—caused by the failure of the Air Traffic Control’s Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS)—led to large-scale flight delays and cancellations, exposing critical gaps in India’s aviation communication infrastructure. In response, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has accelerated efforts to replace the decade-old AMSS with the far more advanced Aeronautical Message Handling System (AMHS). According to senior officials, nationwide transition to AMHS is expected to be completed by March next year, with trial operations scheduled to begin in February 2026. Once implemented, passenger flights across India will operate using the new, globally adopted system. AMSS to AMHS: A Major Technological Upgrade Sources in the Civil Aviation Minis...
‘Divorce Is Not a Victory, Only the End of Expectations’: Delhi High Court’s Remark While Granting Divorce
DELHI (national capital territory), State

‘Divorce Is Not a Victory, Only the End of Expectations’: Delhi High Court’s Remark While Granting Divorce

The Delhi High Court has expressed concern over the rising bitterness in matrimonial disputes, stating that the dissolution of a marriage is not a triumph for either spouse but merely a legal acknowledgement that the relationship has reached a point of no return. Court Observes: Matrimonial Litigation Leaves Deep Emotional Scars While allowing a man’s plea for divorce on the grounds of mental cruelty, the court noted that matrimonial cases often inflict “deep emotional wounds” on both sides. “A broken marriage is not a victory of one party over the other. It is simply a legal recognition that the relationship cannot be revived,” the bench remarked, urging both parties to maintain dignity in all future interactions and proceedings. Background: Marriage Beyond Repair The divis...
Delhi High Court Rejects Plea of Red Fort Blast Accused Seeking Meeting With Lawyer at NIA HQ
DELHI (national capital territory), State

Delhi High Court Rejects Plea of Red Fort Blast Accused Seeking Meeting With Lawyer at NIA HQ

The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to pass an immediate order allowing Jaseer Bilal Wani, a co-accused in the Red Fort blast case, to meet his lawyer inside the National Investigation Agency (NIA) headquarters. Court: “Accused Is Not a Special Person; Procedure Must Be Followed” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma refused to entertain the plea after observing that the accused had failed to produce any trial court order rejecting his request.The court emphasised that Wani is not a special individual entitled to bypass established legal procedures. “There is a constitutional process that all of us must adhere to. If there is no rejection order, why are you before me? First, the trial court must pass a written order, then you may challenge it here,” Justice Sharma remarked when Wani’s ...