The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will continue to probe the sexual assault and land-grabbing charges against Sandeshkhali strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides as the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a challenge by the West Bengal government.

A bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan also sought to know from the Mamata Banerjee government why the state was interested in protecting an individual.

Shahjahan was arrested by the CBI in February after a dramatic exchange with the Bengal cops. A day later, the Trinamool suspended him from the party for six years.

The Calcutta High Court in April ordered a CBI probe into the 42 cases against Shahjahan and his aides – including ration scam charges – observing that the matter was complex and required an impartial probe.

The West Bengal government challenged the order in the Supreme Court, which dismissed their petition on Monday and upheld the high court order.

The Supreme Court had on April 29 remarked why the state should come as a petitioner for an individual, to which the Bengal lawyer had argued that the high court judgment contained comments about the Bengal government.

Senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, representing the Bengal government, said today the high court direction to the CBI could have been restricted to just two FIRs relating to the ED, but it covers other alleged offences as well.

He, however, failed to convince the bench with Justice Gavai lamenting that the state “did not do anything for months” and asked again why the state was interested in protecting an individual.

To this, Mr Singhvi opposed several remarks in the high court order and said much work had been done in connection with the alleged ration scam.

The Supreme Court, still not persuaded, upheld the high court order. However, it said the court’s remarks against the West Bengal government and the cops must not influence the CBI probe.

The Sandeshkhali case pertains to multiple allegations of sexual assault, land grabbing, and ration scam perpetuated by Shahjahan and his aides.

The CBI is also probing an attack by Shahjahan’s supporters on an Enforcement Directorate team that was on its way to conduct a raid on the strongman. Several officers were injured in the attack.

Shahjahan went missing as the allegations against him and his aides broke. The Trinamool was accused of shielding him and came under heavy opposition fire in the state.

As the Sandeshkhali case snowballed into a political row ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP fielded a local woman as its candidate from the Basirhat constituency. She lost.

Kolkata:

Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has demanded a report from the ruling Trinamool Congress on the violence in Sandeshkhali on poll day. But he was met with a rebuff. Senior party leader Shashi Panja said the Governor should “first explain what is the status of the sexual harassment probe against him”.

The letter posted on X, formerly Twitter, from Raj Bhavan, mentioned that the Governor has kept a “close watch on the evolving situation during the last phase of the elections in the state”.

“Such ghastly incidents of violence in Sandeshkhali, particularly on women, are the manifestations of the frustration which is faced by those who control the police in the State. Any expectation that the people’s anger against injustices by the misguided authorities can be crushed by violence is not acceptable,” read the letter from the Governor, who was among the first to visit Sandeshkhali after reports of sexual harassment of women by a local leader of the Trinamool Congress.

pic.twitter.com/E31NV82S2y

— Raj Bhavan Kolkata (@BengalGovernor) June 1, 2024

In February, Sandeshkhali, an island in the Sundarbans, erupted, with a group of people, mostly women, holding massive protest marches against the local Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accusing him of land grabbing and sexual exploitation.

The massive political row that followed made it one of the key election issues.

Events on the ground, though, went through multiple twists and turns, the last of which involved a viral video that claimed that some women were bribed by a BJP leader who wanted them to claim that they had been raped.

On Saturday, as the seventh and the last phase of election was in progress, clashes broke out between supporters of the BJP and Trinamool in Sandeshkhali over allegations of electoral malpractices. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that Trinamool goons stopped people from casting their votes. The Trinamool accused her and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere.

The two groups came to blows on the Basanti Express highway, and the police used batons and tear gas to restore calm.

Less than 24 hours later, Sandeshkhali witnessed another round of skirmishes between women and the police.

Earlier today, women in Agarhati village got involved in a scuffle with the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel, fell tree trunks, and blocked roads when the police went in search of a few persons who allegedly attacked them on Saturday.

Basirhat:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she was heartbroken over the plight of women in Sandeshkhali and asserted that the BJP should not have played with the dignity of women in the trouble-torn area as its “conspiracy now stands exposed”.

Addressing a rally in Basirhat, Ms Banerjee slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking to Sandeshkhali protester and BJP candidate Rekha Patra over the phone, alleging that the country has the “worst track record in terms of women’s safety and security under the BJP rule”.

Sandeshkhali falls under the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in North 24 Parganas district.

“I am sorry for whatever has happened to the women of Sandeshkhali and the way they have been humiliated. I express my sadness from the core of my heart. Nobody should dare to play with the dignity of women,” Ms Banerjee said.

“People would have never understood how the BJP had hatched the conspiracy, had the videos not surfaced. The BJP should not play with the dignity of women,” she said in her first visit to the Lok Sabha seat since the flare-up in January this year.

Ms Banerjee’s remarks come in the backdrop of multiple purported videos surfacing on social media, which claimed that a local BJP leader made several women of Sandeshkhali sign blank papers, which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault against TMC leaders.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said she would soon visit the Sandeshkhali region.

“As soon as our candidate Haji Nurul wins Basirhat, my first visit will be to Sandeshkhali. I will go to meet the people there,” she said.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata, has been on the boil since February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now-arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.

“PM calls someone over the phone, holds a tutored conversation, and circulates that on television. But how many people does he actually talk to like this? It is under his tenure that the country saw maximum crime against women. BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh is the first when it comes to crime against scheduled caste and scheduled tribe,” she said.

Ms Banerjee said both her party and the state government have taken immediate action whenever “one or two incidents” have taken place.

Since the first week of May, four videos have been released by a portal. In the first one, a man who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali was heard saying that the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the “whole conspiracy”.

The second video was about women, who had earlier filed rape complaints, claiming that they were made to sign a blank paper by local BJP leaders and coerced to go to the police station.

In the third one, BJP candidate from Basirhat constituency and Sandeshkhali protestor

Rekha Patra was heard saying that she “doesn’t know the rape survivors who were taken to Delhi to meet the President.”

In the fourth video, a BJP leader purportedly said that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh who is accused of sexual assault and land grab.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of any of the videos.

Referring to the Calcutta High Court order on Monday, which has issued an injunction restraining the BJP from publishing advertisements that violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) until June 4, the day the Lok Sabha election process ends, the chief minister alleged that the BJP has been spreading canards through misleading advertisements.

“As part of Modi Babu’s guarantee, they were spreading misleading advertisements in newspapers against us. We made multiple complaints against it stating that it was illegal but there was no action. Yesterday, the High Court also stated that it is indeed illegal. They don’t release funds of MGNREGA but spend crores on conspiracy, to buy votes and spread propaganda,” she added.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Barrackpore/Hooghly (West Bengal):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday slammed the “vote bank” politics of the Trinamool Congress and alleged that the party’s goons are threatening the tormented women of Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have surfaced, to protect the culprits.

Without mentioning 53-year-old Rahul Gandhi by name, he also claimed that the Congress will get fewer seats than the age of its ‘shehzada’ Lok Sabha polls across the country.

While addressing an election rally at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district, PM Modi alleged that under the TMC rule, Hindus have turned into second-class citizens in the state and asserted that “as long as Modi is there, no one can repeal the CAA law.”

“All of us have seen what the TMC has done with the sisters and mothers of Sandeshkhali. The TMC goons are now threatening the women in Sandeshkhali as the name of the main culprit is Shajahan Sheikh. TMC is doing everything to protect the culprits of Sandeshkhali,” he said.

His remarks come in the backdrop of multiple purported videos surfacing on social media, which claimed that a local BJP party leader made several women of Sandeshkhali sign on blank papers which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault against TMC leaders.

The prime minister, however, did not directly refer to those videos.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of those videos, which has kept the state’s political cauldron on the boil for the last few days.

Claiming that under the TMC regime, Bengal has turned into a centre of corruption and a “cottage industry of bomb-making”, PM Modi said the state’s ruling dispensation has surrendered before the vote bank politics.

“The TMC has surrendered before vote bank politics in Bengal, where you cannot take the name of Shri Ram and neither can celebrate Ram Navami. The Hindus have been turned into second-class citizens in Bengal under the TMC rule,” he said.

Later in another rally in Hooghly, “This time the Congress would get fewer seats than the age of its Shehzada (Rahul Gandhi).” The Congress leader is in his early fifties.

Last week, the Prime Minister had said that in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress’s tally will be at an “all-time low”.

“The TMC also cannot form the government; it can’t do anything in opposition even. The Congress and the Left too can’t form the government. Only the BJP-led NDA can provide you with a stable and strong government,” he said.

Criticising the “appeasement politics” of the INDIA bloc, PM Modi claimed that Congress and its other constituents are making disjointed statements sensing defeat.

“They have lost their sleep after the construction of Ram Mandir. These people have boycotted the Ram Mandir as well. The souls of our ancestors who struggled for 500 years to get the Ram Mandir are watching your deeds. TMC and Congress people, at least do not insult the penance and sacrifice of your ancestors. Boycotting Lord Ram is not the culture of Bengal,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses supporters outside Tihar Jail after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in a money laundering case, amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, in New Delhi on May 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Arvind Kejriwal bail | Grant of interim bail is based on individual facts of each case, Supreme Court notes

The Supreme Court order in the Arvind Kejriwal case said interim bail is granted on the basis of individual facts of each case. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta has thus negated any propensity to use the interim bail order in the case of Mr. Kejriwal as a judicial precedent in the future.

As Sandeshkhali women retract complaints, NCW writes to EC seeking inquiry

Women from Sandeshkhali in West Bengal were being forced to withdraw their complaints by the ruling Trinamool Congress, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said on Friday and asked the Election Commission of India (EC) to inquire into the matter.

12 Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district

At least 12 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on May 10, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said. The gunfight took place in the forest near Pidia village under Gangaloor police station limits when a team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, police had said earlier.

Save country from dictatorship, says Kejriwal after release from Tihar

Minutes after walking out of Tihar Jail in New Delhi on May 10, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal asked supporters rallying outside the premises to save the country from dictatorship. Mr. Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court earlier in the day and he was released shortly afterwards.

India backs Palestine’s bid for full U.N. membership

India on May 10 voted in favour of a draft U.N. General Assembly resolution that said Palestine is qualified and should be admitted as full member of the United Nations and recommended that the Security Council “reconsider” the matter “favourably”.

Wrestlers sexual harassment case | Delhi court orders framing of charges against Brij Bhushan Singh

A Delhi court on May 10 framed charges of sexual harassment against and outraging modesty against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Kaisarganj and former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Singh. Mr Singh will now face trial for allegedly harassing five women wrestlers.

Health Ministry issues guidelines for confirming heatstroke and heat-related deaths

The Union Health Ministry has issued standardised guidelines for confirming heatstroke and heat-related deaths in the country. Prepared by the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the set of guidelines is aimed at helping hospitals become aware of the criteria to label a death as heat-related/ heat stroke and bring in evidence-based medical decision-making processes.

Haryana Cabinet to meet on May 15; Congress urges Governor to impose President’s rule, hold Assembly election

The Haryana Cabinet has been summoned for a meeting on May 15, amidst political turmoil triggered by three Independent MLAs withdrawing their support to the State’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. According to sources, the Cabinet is likely to decide to convene a session of the State Assembly to prove the government’s majority.

Prajwal Revanna sexual assault case: Another rape case filed against Hassan MP

The “absconding” Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, accused of multiple instances of sexual abuse, has been booked for rape in another case. This is the second rape case against him. Prajwal was booked for rape in the first case on May 2.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra calls Amethi ‘holy land’, her late father’s ‘karmabhoomi’

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday highlighted the decades old ties the Gandhi family shares with Amethi. Ms. Vadra requested voters to support the Congress candidate and described Amethi as her late father’s ‘karmabhoomi’ and her own ‘holy land’.

EC rebuts Kharge’s letter to INDIA bloc parties, calling it an attempt to push biased narrative

The Election Commission rebutted a letter written by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to his colleagues in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on the alleged “discrepancies in voting data” released by the election panel. The EC called Mr. Kharge’s letter an “attempt to push a biased narrative under the guise of seeking clarifications”. 

PM Modi accuses Congress of conspiring to erase Hindu faith

Launching a withering broadside against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 10 accused the Opposition party of hatching conspiracy to erase Hindu faith from the country.

After 18 months, China sends Ambassador to India

After 18 months of China not having an Ambassador in India, senior diplomat Xu Feihong arrived in Delhi to assume office as the 17th Ambassador to India on Friday, Chinese government-run media CGTN reported.

IPL-17: GT vs CSK | Gill and Sai Sudharsan hammer the daylights out of CSK attack

The previous occasion Gujarat Titans met Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, B. Sai Sudharsan stroked his way to a brilliant 96 in the 2023 IPL final in a losing cause. Against the same opponent on Friday, Sai Sudharsan went on to score his maiden IPL hundred (103, 51b, 5×4, 7×6) to power Titans to 231 for three after being asked to bat.

Paschim Bardhaman (West Bengal):

Amid the explosive political fallout of an alleged ‘sting video’, claiming that the BJP faked Sandeshkhali horrors to defame the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, Dilip Ghosh, the latter’s candidate for the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, said people were being “bought and sold” in the state.

Also weighing in on the controversy around the molestation charge against Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose by a staffer at the Raj Bhavan, Mr Ghosh claimed that people were also being installed at the Governor’s official residence in exchange for money.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the BJP’s former state president said, “People are being bought and sold (under the Trinamool). They are even being seated or installed at the Raj Bhavan in exchange for money. However, this (alleged sting video) wouldn’t make any difference (to the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections in the state). It was not the BJP but the common people of Sandeshkhali who erupted in protest and came out on the streets against the ruling party. (Sheikh) Shahjahan (expelled Trinamool strongman and key Sandeshkhali accused) has confessed to the charges against him. It was his henchmen who attacked the ED and CBI (teams).”

The Trinamool, on Saturday, flagged a video from an alleged sting operation that was broadcast by a local television news channel.

In the alleged video, a person, purportedly a BJP mandal (booth) president by the name of Gangadhar Koyal is heard saying that Sandeshkhali women were not assaulted sexually, but projected as ‘rape’ survivors at the behest of the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

Claiming that Suvendu Adhikari ‘helped’ him get this done, the person in the video said that the former told him that the Trinamool strongmen in the area wouldn’t be arrested unless he is falsely implicated in a “rape case”.

However, the news channel that broke the alleged sting operation did not attest to the veracity of the clip.

Sharing a clip from the alleged sting operation, Trinamool leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, claimed on his official X handle that the people should see through the BJP’s attempts to tarnish Bengal’s image and reputation to advance and achieve its political ends.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, posted about the alleged sting video from her official X handle, stating, “The shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP. In their hatred for Bengal’s progressive thought & culture, the Bangla-Birodhis orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level. Never before in the history of India has a ruling party in Delhi tried to malign an entire state and its people. History will witness how Bengal will rise in rage against Delhi’s conspiratorial regime & ensure their Bishorjon (they will be consigned to the waters).”

Shahjahan is currently behind bars in connection with the attack on a team of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) while it was in the process of raiding his residence in connection with the alleged ration scam.

He was arrested on February 29, 55 days after being on the run in connection with the assault on the ED team.

The women of Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district came out on the streets earlier against the ruling Trinamool and Shahjahan, accusing the now expelled party strongman and his aides of perpetrating gross excesses and atrocities on them while also gobbling up their land.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

A recent twist in the Sandeshkhali incident has thrown the political arena into turmoil as a ‘sting video’ has emerged, sparking heated debates and accusations between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The controversy ignited when the Trinamool Congress asserted that a ‘sting video’ had brought to light the BJP’s strategy to discredit them regarding the Sandeshkhali incident. Gangadhar Kayl, the BJP leader allegedly in the video, swiftly responded by filing a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), claiming manipulation through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The video purportedly shows the BJP leader admitting that no rapes or sexual harassment had taken place and women were convinced to file such complaints at the directions of senior party leader Suvendu Adhikari.

Mr Kayl, in his complaint, claimed that his facial features and voice were manipulated using AI technology to fabricate the video.

“I have come across a video… where it can be seen that the same has been made using my face and the voice has been modulated using Artificial Intelligence,” he stated, emphasizing that the intention was to mislead the public and disrupt ongoing investigations.

Mr Kayl also accused Trinamool’s Abhishek Banerjee of orchestrating the conspiracy to protect the actual perpetrators of the Sandeshkhali incident. He highlighted discrepancies in the video, citing desynchronization between audio and video, obscured facial features, and poor audio quality, alluding to deliberate manipulation.

“The face of the speaker, cannot be seen properly and has been edited in such a way so that the face remains in the dark. Audio quality is not clear and to suffice that subtitles have been used and the same has been couched in such a way that can disturb the ongoing investigation,” the complaint alleged.

The BJP Sandeshkhali leader further, urged the CBI to investigate the said video footage.

The video surfaced at a time when West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who had also hit out at the state government over the Sandeskhali allegations, was accused of sexual harassment by a temporary employee of the Raj Bhavan.

The women of Sandeshkhali had alleged that they were raped and sexually harassed by TMC strongman Shahjahan and his aides. This prompted massive protests by the Bengal BJP and snowballed into a major national political issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also attacked the Trinamool Congress and Ms Banerjee and accused them of shielding the leader, who was eventually arrested in February after being on the run for over 50 days.

kolkata:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Thursday, submitted a preliminary status report on its investigation into the cases of illegal land grabbing, extortion and harassment of women in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali to the division bench of the Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

After submitting the preliminary status report in a sealed envelope, the CBI counsel also complained of non-cooperation from the state government in providing the Central agency officials with the land records at Sandeshkhali.

The CBI counsel said that the Central agency through its dedicated portal has received around 900 complaints relating to illegal land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. He argued that without the cooperation of the state government in accessing the original land reports it will be difficult to carry forward the investigation process in the matter.

After hearing the argument of the CBI counsel, the division bench directed the state government to hand over all the documents sought by the CBI officials to the latter within one week.

The division bench also directed the state government to extend all necessary cooperation to the CBI so that the latter could carry forward its investigation into the matter smoothly.

On Monday, the Chief Justice also referred to the development of the Supreme Court’s decision of not interfering in the earlier order by the Calcutta High Court directing a CBI probe in the matter.

Since the top court did not interfere in the order of the Calcutta High Court, it is expected of the state government to fully cooperate with CBI in the matter, the Chief Justice observed.

The division bench also referred to the earlier order of the Calcutta High Court on April 10 this year, where the state government was asked to make necessary lighting arrangements in Sandeshkhali streets within 15 days. Based on the complaint that this order for necessary lighting arrangement is yet to be implemented by the state government, the Chief Justice said that not adhering to this part of the order will amount to contempt of the court.

The division bench also allowed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to be a party in the case. The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for June 13.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kulti/Ushagram (WB):

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said there was “no evidence” of recovery of arms and ammunition in Sandeshkhali and claimed that CBI teams conducted searches without keeping the state police in the loop.

Expressing skepticism regarding the operations, Ms Banerjee said the recovered items “might have been brought by officials of the central agency”.

“If a firecracker goes off in Bengal, the NIA, CBI and the NSG come to investigate. It seems that a war is going on. The state police were not informed. It is not known what was found. The seized items might have been brought by them (CBI) in a car,” Ms Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister was addressing election rallies in Kulti and Ushagram for Trinamool Congress’ Asansol Lok Sabha candidate Shatrughan Sinha.

Accusing the BJP of scheming to manipulate the general elections in Bengal, Ms Banerjee vowed to thwart any plan they might have regarding Sandeshkhali.

“I will foil your plans if you are conspiring something regarding Sandeshkhali,” she said.

The CBI on Friday seized arms and ammunition, including a police service revolver and foreign-made firearms, during searches at two premises of an associate of now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali.

The searches were conducted in connection with the January attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team by a mob that was allegedly instigated by Sheikh, who was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in the case.

Teams of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), bomb detection squad, National Security Guards (NSG), paramilitary forces and West Bengal Police were part of the searches at Sandeshkhali — a riverine delta — on the fringes of the Sunderbans in North 24 Parganas district.

Ms Banerjee also said, “Today, I heard there was an incident near Sandeshkhali. A BJP leader had stored bombs in his house. They think that they can win the elections by cancelling (school) jobs and with bombs. We want ‘roti, kapda, makaan’ and jobs for the people, not their lofty speeches.” The Trinamool Congress alleged that several people were injured after a bomb went off at the house of a relative of a BJP leader in Basirhat assembly constituency on Saturday.

She was apparently referring to the Calcutta High Court judgment on school jobs.

The court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as “null and void”, ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.

Ms Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence on the incidents of violence in Manipur” and asked why central agencies were not sent there.

“There is still unrest in Manipur. Today two jawans were killed in the northeastern state. I express my condolences to their families. But why the PM could not bring the situation under control? He must answer why women were paraded naked. Who will answer?” she asked.

Ms Banerjee levelled accusations against the BJP, claiming that they were “financially influencing the media to broadcast content dictated by them”.

She further claimed that media outlets were complying with BJP directives to avoid repercussions from agencies like the Income Tax, CBI, and NIA.

Without taking his name, the TMC chief hit out at BJP’s Asansol Lok Sabha candidate SS Ahluwalia alleging that he had paid voters to win the last election from the Durgapur-Bardhaman constituency.

“Why have you come to contest in the Asansol constituency? You did nothing for the seat from where you won last time. You were absent there for the last five years. I know how you won the election from Bardhaman-Durgapur last time. You gave packets (containing money) to voters. I will ask people not to accept anything less than Rs 15 lakh this time… It was the promise of the PM,” she said.

Ms Banerjee questioned Ahluwalia’s silence when one Sikh IPS officer was allegedly called a “Khalisthani”.

“When one of our Punjabi officers was called Khalistani, where were you? You did not protest at that time,” she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A voter goes through the elections procedure to cast her vote at a polling station during the second phase of the Lok Sabha Polls, in Bhagalpur on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Lok Sabha polls | About 61% turnout in Phase II; polling largely peaceful

Polling for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in 88 constituencies across 13 States was largely peaceful on Friday, with the voter turnout put at nearly 61%.

The turnout figures were till 7 p.m., the Election Commission (EC) said in a statement.

SC thumbs-up for EVMs, declines plea to revive paper ballot

The Supreme Court on April 26 upheld the electronic voting machine (EVM) system of polling and refused a plea to revive paper ballots, saying “blind distrust” of an institution or a system breeds unwarranted skepticism and impedes progress.

Human error can occur in EVM-VVPAT system: Supreme Court

Human errors are possible in the Electronic Voting Machine-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (EVM-VVPAT) system of polling, the Supreme Court acknowledged in a judgment on April 26. However, it was consoled by the fact that “the manual on EVM and VVPATs deals with such situations and lays down the protocol which is to be followed”.

After Supreme Court’s ‘tight slap’ to Opposition in EVM case, they should apologise for creating distrust: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26 termed the Supreme Court judgement on electronic voting machines (EVMs) as a “tight slap” to Opposition parties, including the Congress. He demanded an apology from them for “committing the sin of creating distrust” over EVMs.

Congress may name Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha candidates on April 27

The Congress is likely to decide its nominees for the Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday as the party’s central election committee is meeting to finalise candidates for the remaining seats in the State and in Punjab.

Human errors can occur in EVM-VVPAT system, but manual deals with them: SC

Human errors are possible in the Electronic Voting Machine-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (EVM-VVPAT) system of polling, the Supreme Court acknowledged in a judgment on April 26.

Sunita Kejriwal to hit campaign trail with roadshow today

Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal will hold a mega roadshow in support of the party’s East Delhi candidate Kuldeep Kumar on Saturday.

South Africa will mark 30 years of freedom amid inequality, poverty and a tense election ahead

As the country gears up for celebrations Saturday to mark 30 years of freedom and democracy, much of the enthusiasm and optimism of 1994 has subsided as Africa’s most developed economy faces a myriad of challenges.

Board exams twice a year from 2025: Ministry of Education asks CBSE to work out logistics, no plan for semesters

The Ministry of Education has asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to work out logistics for conducting board exams twice a year from the 2025-26 academic session, according to sources.

The plan for introduction of a semester system has been ruled out, they said.

Humza Yousaf vows to continue as Scotland First Minister, face no confidence vote

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf, on April 26, said he would not resign following the end of a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens that led to the Opposition backing a no confidence motion against him.

No evidence of loco pilots watching cricket during A.P. train crash as claimed by Railway Minister

The investigation into last year’s tragic collision of two passenger trains in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, which left 17 passengers dead and 34 injured, has not revealed any evidence to prove that the locomotive pilots of one of the trains were watching cricket at the time of the accident.

CBI seizes arms and ammunition in Sandeshkhali

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday seized a cache of arms and ammunition during its searches on two premises in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali in the case related to the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.

IPL-17: KKR vs PBKS | Bairstow leads Kings to record chase in insane slamfest

Jonny Bairstow was at his destructive best to smash an unbeaten 108 (48b, 8×4, 9×6) and helped Punjab Kings create history by overhauling host Kolkata Knight Riders’ record score of 261, by eight wickets, at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.