Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested for smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. Subsequent DRI searches at her residence uncovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash, bringing the total seizure to Rs 17.29 crore. The actress, stepdaughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, has been remanded to judicial custody as investigations continue into the smuggling racket.
Related news
India has pledged its support to the UN in condemning religious intolerance against Muslims and emphasized the need to address discrimination affecting all religions. India's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted the importance of equal respect for all faiths to ensure global unity and stability.
The Delhi high court has issued a notice to the NIA regarding a plea by jailed J&K MP Engineer Rashid to attend the ongoing Parliament session. Rashid, arrested in 2019 on terror funding charges, seeks permission to fulfill his legislative duties. The court had earlier rejected his custody parole request, with a bail decision expected soon.
The Vande Bharat sleeper trains will retain their original design with three toilets per coach and no pantry car, resolving a delay in the Rs 55,000 crore project, according to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Manufacturing will proceed without cost revision. Additionally, procurement issues with Japan for bullet trains on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor have been resolved.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) enhances its forecast accuracy by leveraging CubeSats, crowdsourcing, and IoT data, as well as traditional satellite data. IMD has launched a dedicated meteorological satellite and a high-power computing system, aiming for a 6 km resolution ensemble prediction system and research testbeds to improve understanding of weather dynamics.
Bangladesh is awaiting India's response regarding the appointment of a new high commissioner to India, with a typical timeframe of three to four months. The Bangladeshi foreign ministry has no information on former PM Sheikh Hasina's citizenship status in India. Reports on bilateral agreements have been made public.
By Saturday evening, ISRO's SpaDeX satellites achieved a 230m distance from 1.5km. The space agency stated spacecraft health is normal and all sensors are being evaluated. The docking attempt has been postponed twice due to required validations and unexpected drifts. ISRO continues preparations for this complex process, aiming to achieve docking in space soon.
Over 650 weapons have been surrendered in Manipur following Governor Ajay Bhalla's appeal to turn in illegal arms. The deadline for voluntary surrender has been extended to March 6, with village heads mediating the handover to ensure anonymity and mitigate legal repercussions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized focusing on improving infrastructure, amenities, and transportation networks in naturally growing urban zones. He suggests prioritizing vertical development over creating new cities to better manage growth and decongestion. The housing ministry aims to develop a framework for transit-oriented development while collaborating with states.
Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief J P Nadda, and other BJP leaders wished veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on his 91st birthday, recognizing his contributions to the 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' and his lifelong dedication to public service and national ideology.