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Delhi High Court rejects CBI Spl Director Rakesh Asthana’s plea for quashing cases

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Rakesh Asthana

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The Delhi High Court today (Friday, Jan 11) dismissed the pleas of CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana and suspended DSP Devender Kumar seeking quashing of FIR against them on bribery allegations and extortion.

The court said the allegation of mala fide raised against the then CBI Director Alok Verma is not made out. Verma was yesterday removed as CBI director in a 2:1 decision by the Select Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on grounds of a report by Central Vigilance Commission listing allegations levelled by Asthana against him.

Verma, who was posted as Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards for the residual period of his present term ending on January 31, 2019, has declined to take up the post and said that he has superannuated and was continuing as CBI chief because of the fixed two-year tenure for that post.

Meanwhile, interim CBI director M Nageswara Rao today revoked all transfer decisions taken by Alok Verma restoring the position of officials as on January 8.

In his order against Asthana today, Justice Najmi Waziri also vacated the October 23, 2018 interim order directing the agency to maintain “status quo” on proceedings against Asthana, who had sought directions for no coercive steps in connection with a case of alleged bribery.

The court was hearing petitions filed by the three challenging the First Information Report or FIR in which Asthana was charged with criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct.

The court further said the investigation into the FIR against four, including Asthana, be completed within 10 weeks time.

It ruled that the sanction to prosecute Asthana and Devender Kumar was not required in the matter, keeping the facts of this case in view.

The court had reserved the judgment on December 20, 2018, on various petitions after hearing submissions of counsel for the CBI, Asthana, agency director Alok Verma, Deputy Superintendent Devender Kumar, and Joint Director AK Sharma.

Asthana, Kumar and an alleged middleman Manoj Prasad had moved court seeking the quashing of the FIR against them.

The FIR was filed after Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana claimed he had paid bribes to get relief in a case related to meat-exporter Moin Qureshi and made allegations of corruption and extortion against Asthana.

Sana alleged he paid bribe to get relief in a money laundering case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Rakesh Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre, is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs. 2 crore from Sana.

Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving Qureshi, was arrested in the case on October 22, 2018 and was granted bail a week later. Prasad was arrested on October 17, 2018, and he was granted bail on December 18, 2018.

Besides seeking to summon records of the FIR and related documents, Asthana and others had sought quashing of the FIR lodged against them on October 15, 2018, under various sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Also Read: Alok Verma first CBI director to be removed by Select Committee’s 2:1 decision

Asthana had told the court he was maliciously harassed and there was no evidence against him and the bribery case is a backlash to complaints of criminal misconduct against Alok Verma.

Alok Verma’s resignation letter

Alok Verma, who was removed as CBI director by the PM-led selection panel on Thursday, said in his resignation letter that it was a moment of “collective introspection”.

“Also, it may be noted that the undersigned already superannuated as on July 31, 2017 and was only serving Government as director, CBI till January 31, 2019, as the same was fixed tenure role. The undersigned is no longer director, CBI and has already crossed the superannuation age for DG Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards. Accordingly, the undersigned may be deemed as superannuated with effect from today,” Verma said in his letter to Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training.

Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer from AGMUT cadre, was transferred from the position of CBI Director to Director General, Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards under the home ministry Thursday.

Alok Verma had claimed that he was transferred on the basis of “false, unsubstantiated and frivolous allegations” made by only one person who was inimical to him.

In a statement late last night, Verma had said that the CBI being a prime investigating agency dealing in corruption in high public places is an institution whose independence should be preserved and protected.

Also Read:CBI Director Verma’s ouster, unanswered questions, Kharge’s note, Rafale and other cases on CBI Director’s table for probe

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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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