State

Lucknow, February 21, 2026: A couple from Banda, Junior Engineer Ram Bhavan and his wife Durgavati, who were sentenced to death for crimes against children, reportedly produced and distributed obscene videos of 34 minors to 47 countries, including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, and Bangladesh. The case came under the scrutiny of Interpol, which gathered crucial digital evidence and forwarded it to the CBI. Interpol compiled data including phone numbers, emails, videos, and photos connected to the accused. A pen drive containing 34 videos and 679 images of children was sent to the CBI, which subsequently registered an FIR against the couple on October 31, 2020. Storage of Abusive Material Ram Bhavan stored the illicit videos and photos on Gmail and Go...

Banda/Chitrakoot, February 21, 2026: In a landmark judgment, the Banda Court has sentenced Junior Engineer (JE) Rambhavan and his wife Durgavati to death for the sexual exploitation of 34 children across Banda, Chitrakoot, and Hamirpur districts. The Special POCSO Court also imposed fines of ₹6.45 lakh on Rambhavan and ₹5.40 lakh on Durgavati. The case, which dates back nearly five years, gained international attention due to the involvement of Interpol, which provided the CBI with a pen drive containing 79 videos and 679 photos documenting the abuse. Investigators described the case as reminiscent of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal in the United States. International Distribution of Child Pornography According to CBI officials, Rambhavan sold child pornography videos to buyers in Bra...

Lucknow: Despite repeated efforts through lotteries, auctions, and “First Come, First Serve” schemes, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has failed to achieve satisfactory sales and construction targets across multiple housing schemes. In several projects, only 11 percent to 50 percent of the properties were sold, while the authority could not even provide a clear record of the remaining unsold plots, flats, or commercial units. A recent audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed large-scale irregularities in plot and flat allotments, tender processes, and payment procedures within GDA between 2017 and 2022. EWS Housing Targets Missed by a Wide Margin The authority had set an ambitious target of constructing 25,000 houses for the Economically W...

Noida, February 21, 2026: In a major push to strengthen road connectivity in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has released ₹1,204 crore for the construction of a 74.3-kilometre-long link expressway connecting the Yamuna Expressway with the Ganga Expressway. The funds have been allocated to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) for land acquisition. A formal communication regarding the allocation was issued on February 17 by the state government. 740 Acres to Be Acquired Across 16 Villages For the construction of the Ganga Link Expressway, approximately 740 acres of land will be acquired from 16 villages in the YEIDA region. The land acquisition process has already begun following detailed surveys. Villages in Jewar, including Mehndipur Bangar, Bhaipu...