West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Enforcement Directorate of attempting to “take away” Trinamool Congress documents during searches at locations linked to the political consultancy firm I-PAC. The firm has managed the Trinamool Congress’ election campaigns.

The agency searched the firm’s office in Kolkata’s Salt Lake area, the home of the firm’s head Pratik Jain and the office of a trader in the city’s Posta neighbourhood. The operation was based on an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation into an alleged coal smuggling syndicate. The ED said that the “search is evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment”.

It accused Banerjee of entering Jain’s residence and taking away “key evidences including physical documents and electronic devices”. The agency moved the Calcutta High Court on Thursday, alleging “illegal interference” during its operations. Read on.

Activist Sharjeel Imam told a court that Delhi Police’s allegations that Umar Khalid, a co-accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots, is his mentor and guru are false. Imam said that he never spoke with Khalid during the five years they studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

To establish a conspiracy, it is necessary to show there had been an agreement between us, Imam said “But they have failed to show any agreement,” he said.

“There is only one meeting in which Umar and I are seen together,” Imam added. “But even the witness statement from that meeting shows that there was no discussion of violence.” Read on.

Why SC denied bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam but awarded it to five other anti-CAA activists

United States President Donald Trump has approved a bill that could pave the way for tariffs of up to 500% on countries buying Russian oil, said Senator Lindsey Graham. “This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivise them” to stop buying Russian oil, said the Republican senator.

The bill could be put to vote in the Congress next week, he said, adding that he is expecting bipartisan support for it.

Without a trade deal with Washington, Indian goods are already facing a combined US tariff rate of 50%. The punitive tariffs on India and others had been introduced as part of Trump’s pressure campaign against countries buying discounted oil from Russia amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine. Read on.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Union Territory’s government will accommodate the students hurt by the closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in other institutes through supernumerary seats. These are additional seats created in an educational institute over and above the intake approved by an authority.

The National Conference leader also said that accountability must be fixed if standards were not maintained at the institute. He added that the Union government must also reflect on the injustice done to the students’ futures by shutting down the institute. Read on.

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