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Rhea Chakraborty denied bail again, to stay in Byculla jail

The bail pleas were filed by Chakraborty and her brother Showik in a special court in Mumbai. Currently, she is in judicial custody in Mumbai’s Byculla jail till September 22.

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Rhea

Actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was arrested as part of the investigation into drug charges linked to Sushant Singh Rajput death case, was denied bail by a Mumbai court on Friday. The bail pleas were filed by Chakraborty and her brother Showik in a special court in Mumbai. Currently, she is in judicial custody in Mumbai’s Byculla jail till September 22.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) strongly opposed Chakraborty’s plea and referred to her allegedly procuring drugs for Sushant Rajput through Showik and the late Rajput’s two staffers as a drug procurement nexus. The NCB also referred to a statement, which it said was given voluntarily by Chakraborty and legally admissible in court.

Rhea Chakraborty

The NCB opposed Chakraborty’s bail plea stating that she may tamper with witnesses if she is released. The NCB stated that she had used her credit card and payment getaways to pay for drugs. This was revealed through call data records, WhatsApp chats and voluntary statements of co-accused, the NCB said.

In her second plea for bail, Chakraborty had said she was coerced into making self-incriminatory confessions and retracted her confession on the basis of which she was arrested. She stated that she was innocent and has not committed any crime whatsoever and had been falsely implicated. Chakraborty had told the NCB over 3 days of questioning  that Showik was introduced to drug peddlers during the lockdown as Sushant could not get drugs from other sources, reports said. She said it was only then that Showik came into the picture.

Read Also: Police complaint against Kangana Ranaut for using foul language against Uddhav Thackeray

Reports quoted an unnamed NCB official, saying that apart from supplying drugs to Sushant, they had so far not found evidence of Chakraborty, Showik and the house staffers supplying drugs to anyone else. The official said Rajput took drugs and used to get it from Chakraborty or her brother or through his household help, all of whom knew that buying drugs, even if for the use of another person, constituted a crime under the law. 

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Union Budget 2026 live updates: Sitharaman’s Budget 2026 Spotlights Semiconductors and Rare Earths changing headline to this

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today. Follow this space for live updates, key announcements, and policy insights.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives to present Union Budget 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will shortly present the Union Budget 2026 in the Lok Sabha, marking her ninth consecutive Budget. The annual financial statement is expected to outline the government’s policy priorities, reform agenda and spending plans for the coming year. Stay tuned for live updates, key announcements and immediate reactions as the Budget speech unfolds.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled her ninth Union Budget today, beginning her speech at 11 am.

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth Union Budget today, with the finance minister scheduled to begin her speech at 11 am.

Budget 2026 live updates: Presenting the Union Budget for 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the occasion coincided with Magh Purnima and the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas. She noted that over the past 12 years, India’s economic journey has been defined by stability, fiscal discipline, sustained growth and moderate inflation.

The budgeted fiscal deficit for fiscal 2026 is estimated at 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP)

Planned capital expenditure this fiscal year Rs 11.2 lakh crore

Rare earth corrdiors in Odisha and Kerala

Hi-tech tool rooms to be set up by PSUs

Construction equipment scheme to be launched

Container manufacturing scheme for Rs 10,000 crore over 5 years

Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund

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Nirmala Sitharaman to present ninth Union Budget with reforms in focus

Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget today, with expectations centred on reforms, growth priorities, rural development and capital expenditure.

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Union budget 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget today, marking another key moment in India’s economic policy calendar. The Budget is expected to lay out measures aimed at sustaining growth in what remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

For fiscal 2027, policy priorities are likely to include defence, infrastructure, capital expenditure, power and faster growth in affordable housing, according to expectations ahead of the presentation.

Shift in Budget speech structure

This year’s Union Budget is expected to break with a long-standing tradition in the structure of the finance minister’s speech. Until now, most major policy announcements were typically made in Part A, while Part B focused on taxation. This time, Part B is expected to be used to present a broader vision for India’s economic future.

The finance minister is also expected to outline short-term priorities as well as longer-term goals, positioning India’s economic strategy as the country moves deeper into the 21st century, with emphasis on domestic strengths and global ambitions.

Market backdrop ahead of Budget

Ahead of the Budget presentation, equity markets opened lower. Gold and silver futures also declined sharply on the Multi Commodity Exchange, extending the impact of a severe two-day global sell-off.

India’s economy has so far remained resilient despite punitive tariffs imposed by the United States under President Donald Trump. Growth is forecast at 7.4 per cent for the year ending March 31, supported by government spending on infrastructure and tax measures that boosted consumption.

Focus on rural development and jobs

Rural development and agriculture are expected to be among the top priorities in Union Budget 2026. The finance minister may announce higher allocations for programmes aimed at expanding employment opportunities in rural areas.

The Rural Development Ministry has sought a sharp increase in funding for the new employment guarantee scheme, ‘Viksit Bharat – G Ram G’ or VB-G Ram G, proposing a budget of Rs 1.51 lakh crore, a 72 per cent rise. In comparison, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme received Rs 86,000 crore in the previous Budget.

Fiscal deficit and capital expenditure

The budgeted fiscal deficit for fiscal 2026 is estimated at 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product. With the government having achieved a consolidation path that brought the deficit below 4.5 per cent, markets will closely watch signals on further debt-to-GDP reduction.

Capital expenditure for the current fiscal year has been budgeted at Rs 11.2 lakh crore. The government is expected to continue prioritising capex, with a possible increase of 10 to 15 per cent, as private sector investment remains cautious.

Investment reforms and global challenges

Further policy changes aimed at attracting domestic and foreign investment are also expected. These may include steps to make it easier for foreign companies to invest in defence firms that already hold licences.

The Union Budget 2026 comes at a time of mixed signals globally. While domestic demand remains steady and inflation has eased from recent highs, uncertainties linked to geopolitics, commodity price volatility and uneven monetary policy easing by major central banks continue to pose challenges.

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Union budget 2026 to be presented on Sunday with special trading session

The Union Budget 2026 will be presented on a Sunday for the first time in over two decades, with NSE and BSE announcing special trading sessions for the day.

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Nirmala Sitharaman

For the first time in more than two decades, the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to table the Union Budget for 2026 in the Lok Sabha on February 1 at 11 am, even as the day is usually observed as a holiday for government offices and financial markets.

February 1 falls on a Sunday this year, raising questions about market operations and investor response. To ensure uninterrupted trading and immediate market reaction to budget announcements, stock exchanges have announced special arrangements for the day.

Markets to remain open on budget day

Both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange have confirmed that markets will remain open on February 1. The NSE has announced a special trading session, with the pre-open market scheduled from 9 am to 9:08 am, followed by normal trading hours from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm.

The BSE has also declared the day a special trading day, with regular market hours applicable. Trading is expected to continue across equity, derivatives, and futures and options segments.

What the Sunday budget means for investors

A weekend budget presentation is seen as offering certain advantages for market participants. With trading active on the same day, investors will be able to respond to policy announcements immediately rather than waiting for the next working day.

The Sunday timing also gives investors, analysts, and financial institutions additional time to go through detailed proposals, including tax changes, fiscal deficit targets, and sector-wise allocations. The extended window for analysis may help reduce sharp, headline-driven reactions and encourage more informed decision-making.

With fewer competing developments on a non-working day, budget announcements are also expected to receive more focused attention from markets and stakeholders.

Parliamentary schedule and key milestones

The Economic Survey is expected to be tabled on January 29, ahead of the budget presentation. The Budget Session of Parliament began on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The upcoming budget will mark Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget. It will also be India’s 80th budget since Independence. Since 2017, Union Budgets have been presented at 11 am on February 1, following a timing change introduced during the tenure of former finance minister Arun Jaitley.

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