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CBI Director Alok Verma appears before CVC, counters deputy Rakesh Asthana’s charges

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]CBI Director Alok Verma today (Friday, November 9) appeared before a panel headed by Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chowdary and countered corruption charges levelled against him by his deputy Rakesh Asthana.

Others on the panel were Vigilance Commissioners TM Bhasin and Sharad Kumar. According to media reports quoting sources, Verma appeared before the CVC without any lawyer for the inquiry.

Yesterday, Verma met Chowdary and Kumar in connection with the inquiry. But the meeting of the inquiry committee to hear Verma was postponed to Friday due to the non-availability of one of the Vigilance Commissioners. A notice was served on Verma Wednesday to appear for the inquiry at Satarkata Bhawan the next day, CVC sources told The Indian Express.

Verma came to the CVC office early Friday morning and stayed there for about an hour, they said. He did not give any comment to the media waiting outside the CVC’s office.

On Thursday, Asthana had also met the CVC, besides Verma. He is understood to have given documentary evidence in support of his charges levelled against Verma, sources said.

A fortnight ago, Verma was divested of all responsibilities and sent on leave by the government along with Special Director Rakesh Asthana with whom he had been at loggerheads. In its order dated October 23, recommending that Verma be divested of his powers, the Commission had charged him with not cooperating in the inquiry against him as several files had not been furnished despite reminders. Asthana was also stripped of his powers pending inquiry.

Verma challenged the order in the Supreme Court and Asthana followed suit.

The Supreme Court had on October 26 asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into the allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana. The two weeks time limit ends on Sunday and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.

Justice (retd) AK Patnaik has been asked by the Supreme Court to oversee the probe. The enquiry report, approved by Justice Patnaik, has to be submitted to the Supreme Court for the next hearing of petitions by Verma and NGO Common Cause on Monday.

The inquiry — as stated in the CVC order of October 23 which led to Verma being divested of all responsibilities by the government — pertains to allegations made against him by Asthana.

After completing the inquiry, the CVC has to submit its report to the Supreme Court. The next date of hearing has been fixed for November 12.

On August 24, Asthana, in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, levelled allegations against Verma that he got a bribe of Rs 2 crore from a businessman to help him get some relief from questioning in the matter.

The Commission had recently examined some CBI officials probing crucial cases which figured in Asthana’s complaint of corruption against the probe agency’s chief Verma, they said. The officials said CBI personnel from the rank of inspector up to superintendent of police were called and their versions recorded before a senior CVC official.

These officials, who had recorded their statements included those who had handled the Moin Qureshi bribery case, IRCTC scam involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad, and the cattle smuggling case in which a senior BSF officer was caught with wads of cash in Kerala.

The feud between Verma and Asthana escalated recently leading to registration of an FIR against the latter and others including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who is in CBI custody in an alleged bribery case.

The CBI had, on October 15, registered an FIR against Asthana for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 2 crore from Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Sathish Babu which was given through two middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad to sabotage the probe against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. On August 24, Asthana, in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, levelled allegations against Verma that he got a bribe of Rs 2 crore from Sana to help him get some relief from questioning in the matter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Bihar news

BPSC 70th prelims result 2024 out: Here’s direct link to check

The BPSC has also released the cutoff marks for the CCE, providing candidates with valuable insight into the performance benchmarks. The cut-off scores vary across different categories, reflecting the commission’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. 

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The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) released the results for the 70th Preliminary Examination on January 23, 2025. Candidates can view their results on the official BPSC website, bpsc.bih.nic.in. The results include those for the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), Finance Administrative Officer, and Child Development Project Officer positions.

This year’s examination covered a wide range of posts, including those under the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), Finance Administrative Officer (FAO), and Child Development Project Officer (CDPO). The release of these results marks a significant step forward for thousands of candidates pursuing careers in public service within Bihar.

The BPSC 70th Preliminary Examination, conducted on December 13th and January 4th, 2025, witnessed a massive turnout of 328,990 candidates. This substantial number underscores the immense competition and the high stakes involved in securing a government position in Bihar. The results, however, reveal a more selective outcome.

A total of 21,581 candidates successfully cleared the preliminary round for the CCE, demonstrating their competence and readiness to progress to the subsequent stages of the recruitment process. For the specialized roles of FAO and CDPO, a considerably smaller, yet still significant number of candidates qualified. 61 individuals successfully passed the preliminary examination for FAO positions, while 144 candidates qualified for CDPO posts.

The BPSC has also released the cutoff marks for the CCE, providing candidates with valuable insight into the performance benchmarks. The cut-off scores vary across different categories, reflecting the commission’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. 

Cut-off Marks:

  • Unreserved: 91
  • Unreserved Female: 81
  • EWS: 83
  • EWS Female: 73
  • SC: 70
  • SC Female: 55
  • ST/ST Female: 65

How to Check Your Results:

  1. Go to bpsc.bih.nic.in.
  2. Locate and click the “BPSC 70th Prelims Result 2024” link.
  3. A PDF containing the results will open. Download and save a copy for your records.

Examination Results: The Bihar prelims exam, held on December 13th and January 4th, 2025, saw 328,990 candidates. The following number passed:

  • Combined Competitive Examination: 21,581
  • Finance Administrative Officer: 61
  • Child Development Project Officer: 144

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India News

Har Jarurat Hogi Puri: Congress releases campaign song ahead of Delhi elections

Congress leaders, including Delhi Chief Devendra Yadav and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, expressed confidence in the anthem’s impact, emphasising its ability to capture the public mood and convey the party’s commitment to resolving Delhi’s pressing issues.

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The Congress party launched its campaign anthem, “Har Jarurat Hogi Puri, Dilli Mein Congress Hai Jaruri” (“Every Need Will Be Fulfilled, Congress is Essential in Delhi”), on Thursday, marking a significant step in its strategy for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

The 2-minute 48-second song serves as a potent weapon in the party’s arsenal, aiming to capture the attention of Delhi’s electorate and sway their votes in its favour.

The anthem’s lyrics directly confront the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), highlighting the prevalent disillusionment among Delhi’s residents regarding the current governance.

It boldly addresses critical local issues, painting a vivid picture of the city’s shortcomings under AAP’s rule. The polluted Yamuna River and the subpar quality of drinking water serve as central themes, with the powerful line “Yamuna Saaf Nahi, Pani Na Saaf Hai” (The Yamuna is not clean, the water is not clean) encapsulating the public’s growing discontent.

Beyond highlighting the existing problems, the Congress anthem meticulously outlines its own vision for Delhi, presenting a compelling alternative to the incumbent AAP government. The party pledges free electricity for households consuming up to 300 units, a promise designed to resonate with the city’s residents struggling with rising energy costs.

The ambitious “Pyari Didi Yojana,” promising a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 to women from low-income families, aims to further strengthen the Congress’ appeal among the electorate.

Addressing the widespread concern about women’s safety in the city, the anthem criticizes the AAP government’s perceived lack of focus on this crucial issue, arguing that despite promises, women continue to feel unsafe. This pointed critique underscores the Congress’ commitment to addressing this critical aspect of governance, distinguishing its approach from its rivals.

The release of the anthem is strategically timed, closely following the BJP’s launch of its campaign song, “Jo Ram Ko Lekar Aaye Unka Raj Hoga Dilli Mein” (“Those who carry Ram will rule Delhi”). The timing underscores the intensity of the upcoming electoral battle, with both the Congress and BJP vying for the support of Delhi’s voters.

Congress leaders, including Delhi Chief Devendra Yadav and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, expressed confidence in the anthem’s impact, emphasising its ability to capture the public mood and convey the party’s commitment to resolving Delhi’s pressing issues.

The anthem’s release signifies the Congress party’s full-fledged entry into the electoral fray, setting the stage for a closely contested election on February 5th, with results due on February 8th. Over 1.5 crore voters will play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

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India News

ChatGPT outage affects thousands of users globally, OpenAI reacts

OpenAI swiftly acknowledged the outage, publishing updates on their dedicated status page. This transparency, while offering little in the way of immediate solutions, served to reassure users that the company was actively addressing the situation.

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On January 23, OpenAI’s popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, suffered a significant global outage, leaving millions of users unable to access the service. The disruption affected multiple access points, including the web interface, the mobile application, and even integrations on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). This widespread failure quickly drew significant attention, with reports flooding in from users worldwide.

The outage tracking website, Downdetector, registered a surge in user reports, exceeding a thousand complaints within a short period. This volume underscored the scale of the disruption and the significant impact on ChatGPT’s user base.

The majority of these reports indicated a complete inability to use the chatbot, highlighting the severity of the problem. A smaller percentage of users reported encountering difficulties with the website or API, suggesting a less comprehensive but still noticeable impact.

OpenAI swiftly acknowledged the outage, publishing updates on their dedicated status page. This transparency, while offering little in the way of immediate solutions, served to reassure users that the company was actively addressing the situation.

The official statements consistently described the problem as “degraded performance” and “elevated error rates” within the API, hinting at underlying technical issues that required investigation. However, specific details regarding the root cause remained undisclosed, pending a more thorough examination.

According to reports, the outage commenced around 5 PM IST and persisted for several hours. The lack of a definitive timeline and the ongoing nature of the disruption underlined the complexity of the problem and the challenges faced by OpenAI’s engineering teams in resolving the issue.

As of the latest updates, the exact cause of the outage remains under investigation by OpenAI. The company is actively working to restore full functionality and provide a more comprehensive explanation once the underlying problem has been identified and rectified.

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