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Bhima Koregaon: After CJI, then entire bench, fifth judge recuses from hearing Navlakha’s bail plea

After Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and a three-judge bench recused themselves from hearing Gautam Navlakha’s petition, fifth judge backed out from the case.

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Within days of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, followed by a three-judge bench, recused themselves from hearing a petition filed by activist Gautam Navlakha in Bhima Koregaon case, another judge, Justice S Ravindra Bhat, backed out from hearing the case today, Thursday, Oct 3.

The plea will now come up for hearing on Friday, October 4, before another bench.

Civil rights activist Gautam Navlakha has challenged the Bombay High Court order refusing to quash an FIR lodged against him in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case.

On September 30, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had recused himself from hearing Gautam Navlakha’s plea saying, “List the matter before a bench in which I am not the party.”

A day later, on October 1, the three judges of a bench – Justices NV Ramana, R Subhash Reddy and BR Gavai – also recused themselves from hearing the matter.

When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday before a bench comprising justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and S Ravindra Bhat, Justice Bhat recused himself from hearing the case.

When the bench was informed by Gautam Navlakha’s counsel that the three-week protection given to him by the Bombay High Court was expiring on Friday, the bench said his petition would be heard by another bench tomorrow.

The Maharashtra government had earlier filed a caveat in the matter seeking to be heard before any orders are passed.

On September 13, the Bombay High Court had refused to quash the FIR lodged against Gautam Navlakha in the 2017 Bhima-Koregaon case and for having alleged Maoist links, noting that there was prima facie substance in the case.

The high court had said, “Considering the magnitude of the case, we feel a thorough investigation is required.”

Also Read: Chidambaram, in jail since Sep 5, moves Supreme Court for bail in INX media case filed by CBI

The high court had, however, extended the protection from arrest to Gautam Navlakha for a period of three weeks to enable him to approach the Supreme Court to file an appeal against its order.

The FIR was lodged against Gautam Navlakha and others by the Pune Police in January 2018 after the Elgar Parishad meeting on December 31, 2017 that had allegedly triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima in Pune district the next day.

The police has also alleged that Gautam Navlakha and other accused in the case had Maoist links and were working towards overthrowing the government. Gautam Navlakha and the other accused were then charged under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code.

Besides Gauram Navlakha, four others – Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bharadwaj, were also arrested in the case.

Five other activists – Shoma Sen, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawale – were arrested in June 2018 as part of the same investigation.

India News

PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

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Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

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Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

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India News

PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

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