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Delhi Police search Delhi Chief Minister’s residence, court rejects bail plea of AAP MLAs

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Delhi Police on Friday searched Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s residence and seized hard disks containing recordings of 21 CCTV cameras.

The police team, including cyber crime and forensics experts, had gone to collect evidence related to the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAs at Kejriwal’s residence on Monday night.

In another related development, a Delhi Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal, in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash. Stating that there was no new ground for custodial interrogation, Metropolitan Magistrate Shefali Barnala Tondon said both will remain in 14-days judicial custody.

Chief Secretary Prakash in a complaint to Delhi Police on Tuesday alleged that he was beaten up by two MLAs the presence of Kejriwal at the latter’s residence on Monday night where he had been called for an emergency meeting.

While Jarwal, an MLA from Deoli, was arrested from Defence Colony on Tuesday night, Khan was taken into custody after he came to Jamia Nagar police station with his supporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police carried out searches at Kejriwal’s residence and seized hard drives of 21 CCTV cameras, seven of which were found non-functional.

This is the first time Delhi Police has conducted a search operation at a chief minister’s residence.

“A huge posse of policemen was sent to my residence. The entire CM residence is being searched over allegations of two slaps. But when will Amit Shah be questioned in connection with Judge Loya’s death,” Kejriwal wrote in a Tweet.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Speaking at a public meeting later in the day, he also said, “If you say anything to officers, they get upset. I fight for you but these people – BJP, L-G, officers – obstruct me. I fight but for people.”

Kejriwal wrote on Twitter that his council of ministers had sought an appointment with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

With regard to the search at Kejriwal’s residence, Additional deputy commissioner of police Harender Singh said all the 21 cameras found at the CM’s residence were slow by 40 minutes and 42 seconds. “The complaint says the assault happened between 12 midnight and 12.30am on Tuesday,” Singh said. The footage of one CCTV camera showed the chief secretary leaving CM’s residence around 11.30pm on Monday.

The additional DCP said the visit to the CM’s residence was carried out after informing the people in-charge of the maintenance of the place. He denied reports that the CM was forced to sit for 40 minutes. “We haven’t even interacted with the chief minister,” the officer said.

He said that 7 CCTV cameras were not switched on when police found them. “Our forensic team will be able to say when, and under what circumstances, the recording was stopped,” he said.

Singh also said the police examined the room where the alleged assault happened to ensure it had not been repaired, repainted or any previous CCTV cameras had not been removed. He said the corridor outside the alleged crime spot had cameras and the footage will be examined to check the movement of people before and after the alleged assault. The personnel responsible for maintenance of CCTVs were also questioned by the cops.

The officer said police were compelled to visit the CM’s residence after investigators’ attempts to seek CCTV footage on February 20 were met with no response.

At the police team reached the CM’s residence, Delhi government spokesperson Arunoday Prakash called the search an attempt to humiliate the CM alleging that the policemen entered the chief minister’s office “without any intimation”.

“CM house taken over by police. Huge number of police force enters CM house without any intimation. Police Raj kills democracy in Delhi. Police spread all over inside CM house. If this what they can to do an elected CM, think what they can with poor people!!!” Prakash wrote on Twitter.

“There is minimum courtesy in democracy. Every citizen has rights under constitution. Is it an attempt to humiliate a CM who is working tirelessly for the poor and the last man of the society?” he tweeted.

AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey said the Kejriwal government was being targeted by the BJP at the Centre. “The whole house (CM residence) was turned into a fortress to investigate the allegations of two slaps. But no action has been taken over attack on AAP leaders despite evidence. What else does one need to prove that BJP is selectively targeting Kejriwal government,” he said.

AAP leaders also held a press conference, in which they showed a two-and-half-minute clip where senior police officials are seen inside the residence of the chief minister, purportedly asking questions about the wall paint of the room. AAP’s Sanjay Singh tweeted, “Without Modi government’s directive, the police could not have indulged in such ‘dadagiri’.”

Asserting that the BJP government and PM Modi will face the consequences of their actions in 2019 general elections, Singh said, “How is it that the Delhi police can investigate at the CMs residence, something we have no issues with, but why has there been no investigation into the attack of our minister even after we identified the accused.”

“This is the police’s dadagiri. Today it’s happening with us (AAP), tomorrow it’ll happen at each home. They stripped Dalits in Gujarat, beat up siblings in the name of anti-Romeo squad in UP. They have an LG in Bengal who has meetings with officials,” Singh said in a tweet.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Delhi-NCR sees second spell of rain and thunderstorms in four days

Delhi-NCR experienced another spell of rain and thunderstorms on March 18, with IMD forecasting more showers over the next few days.

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Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region witnessed another spell of rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds on Wednesday evening, marking the second such weather event in the past four days.

The sudden change brought relief from unusually high temperatures recorded earlier this month. According to officials, the temperature at Safdarjung — the city’s base weather station — was recorded at 24 degrees Celsius at 7 pm.

The India Meteorological Department had earlier issued an alert predicting light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning on March 18. Several areas across the capital experienced gusty winds along with brief but intense showers.

More rain likely over next two days

The weather department has forecast partly cloudy skies for March 19 and 20, with chances of light rain or thundershowers occurring once or twice during the day. On March 21, skies are expected to remain cloudy with the possibility of light showers continuing.

Conditions are likely to stabilise from March 23 onwards, with forecasts indicating a return to partly cloudy to clear skies across the region.

Weather activity across India to intensify

The IMD has also indicated widespread weather activity across multiple regions of the country in the coming days. Rainfall is expected to intensify in several states, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds.

In the northeastern region, heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya during the early part of the week.

Meanwhile, the western Himalayan region is also set to witness a shift in weather patterns. Himachal Pradesh is likely to receive heavy rainfall on March 19 and 20, while Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir may experience heavy showers around March 20.

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Centre pushes states to cut levies to boost PNG adoption

The Centre has asked states to reduce local levies and streamline approvals to accelerate PNG adoption and city gas infrastructure growth.

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LPG Cylinder

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has urged states and Union Territories to ease local levies and procedural barriers affecting City Gas Distribution (CGD) projects, in a bid to accelerate the adoption of piped natural gas (PNG) as a cleaner fuel alternative.

In a communication sent to Chief Secretaries, Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Neeraj Mittal highlighted that high right-of-way charges, road cutting fees, lease rentals and other local levies imposed by urban bodies are discouraging investments in CGD infrastructure.

High costs slowing expansion

The ministry pointed out that the CGD sector, particularly PNG supply to households and commercial establishments, does not receive direct subsidies. As a result, it depends heavily on viable returns, which are being impacted by excessive and inconsistent local charges across states.

It noted that these financial and procedural hurdles are slowing down infrastructure expansion and affecting the broader adoption of natural gas.

Gap between connections and usage

According to the government, while around 12.63 crore PNG connections have been recorded, only about 1.6 crore are currently active. The ministry stressed that improving ease of doing business at state and local levels could help bridge this gap and expand the consumer base.

Officials believe that rationalising levies may initially reduce local revenues but could lead to higher long-term gains through increased gas consumption and economic activity.

LPG shortage adds urgency

The push for PNG adoption comes amid supply constraints in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Oil marketing companies are currently supplying only 20 per cent of normal commercial LPG demand to states.

To address this, the ministry has proposed increasing LPG allocation to 30 per cent for states that implement reforms supporting PNG and CGD expansion.

Reform-linked incentives for states

The Centre has suggested a set of measures that states can adopt to qualify for higher LPG allocations. These include:

  • Setting up empowered state and district-level committees for faster approvals
  • Introducing single-window clearance with deemed approvals within 24 hours
  • Implementing a dig-and-restore model using bank guarantees instead of restoration charges
  • Eliminating annual rental or lease charges for CGD infrastructure

The ministry said compliance with these reforms would be verified before granting additional LPG allocations.

Industry support measures

The communication also noted that GAIL and its subsidiaries have already allocated full gas supply to the commercial PNG segment to support businesses affected by reduced LPG availability.

The government reiterated that expanding natural gas usage aligns with its broader push for cleaner and domestically sourced energy.

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BJP seals Assam seat-sharing pact, Modi to hold 3 rallies in April

BJP has finalised its Assam seat-sharing plan with allies and is gearing up for an intense campaign led by PM Modi and Amit Shah.

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pm modi

The Bharatiya Janata Party has finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, firming up its strategy alongside National Democratic Alliance partners as campaigning gathers pace in the state.

Under the agreement, the BJP will contest 89 seats, while its allies — Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front — will field candidates in 26 and 11 constituencies respectively. The distribution has been decided after internal deliberations, with the focus now shifting to candidate announcements and campaign execution.

Campaign push led by top leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address three rallies in Assam during the final leg of the campaign. Tentative dates for the rallies are April 1, April 3 and April 6, with events likely to be held in key constituencies.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also set to spearhead an extensive campaign across the state through March, aiming to energise party workers and strengthen voter outreach.

Candidate selection underway

The party’s Central Election Committee is currently meeting to finalise candidates. Sources indicate that approvals for most constituencies are expected soon, and the BJP may release its complete list of candidates within the next two days.

Ticket distribution remains a crucial exercise, with internal discussions highlighting its potential impact on local political dynamics. Party leaders have also touched upon the proposed delimitation exercise scheduled for 2027, which is expected to have long-term implications for Assam’s electoral landscape.

Polling and counting dates

Voting for all 126 Assembly seats in Assam is scheduled for April 9, while the votes will be counted on May 4.

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