On 12th July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two more people alongside additional director Swasthya Bhawan, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in Meerut of Uttar Pradesh for seeking a payment of ₹50 lakh from a hospital in exchange for not being removed from a government program. The accused have been identified as additional director Ajay Kumar, office superintendent Lavesh Solanki and an associate Raees Ahmad.
The action was taken after a complaint was registered by Director Operations (Group) of a private Hospital in Meerut which prompted the agency to file the case. The complainant operates several medical facilities in and around the region. They stated that the CGHS team conducted a surprise inspection of two of its hospitals on 8th July.
Afterward, official notices were then sent to both hospitals, pointing out trivial flaws in an attempt to exploit the advantage. The perpetrators reportedly requested a bribe of Rs.50 lakh in order to prevent the hospitals from being de-empaneled from the list of institutions that were empanelled by the CGHS.
The public officers demanded that the payment should be delivered as soon as possible to stop the hospitals from being de-empanelled. On 12th August the additional director accepted to receive a partial amount of Rs. 5 lakh as a first installment of bribery, following negotiations.
However, the CBI set up a trap and apprehended the two public servants and a private individual along with the paid sum after which raids were executed at the residential properties.
How the case unfolded
Jain Medicare Hospital of Dr Ashish Jain, an ophthalmologist based in Noida is managed by Vishal Salonia. The latter is also in charge of Highfield Specialty Hospital situated at Pepla Idrishpur on Bhola Road as well as JMC Medicity Specialty Hospital, located on Rohta Road.
According to him, the CGHS office is housed within the health building in Surajkund where the accused were stationed. On 8th July, the two officials conducted inspections at JMC Medicity Hospital and Highfield Specialty Hospital. They identified several issues in both facilities, leading the CGHS panel to issue formal notices for suspension.
Rs 50 lakhs were demanded to maintain the status of the hospital and warned that failure to comply will result in being de-empaneled. Subsequently, Salonia reached out to Kumar and Solanki at the CGHS office. However, they threatened that if the money was not delivered promptly, the same would also happen to Highfield Specialty Hospital.
Salonia recorded the conversation reached out to the CBI’s Delhi office. A CBI team, accompanied by him, performed a reconnaissance of the CGHS office. A case was then filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Kumar and Solanki based on Salonia’s complaint, following the collection of all pertinent evidence. They used to obtain the money through their personal employee, Ahmed and the three were enetually nabbed by the agency.
Amid the high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods, India’s current account deficit (CAD) is expected to remain under 1 per cent during the current financial year. According to a recent report by CareEdge Ratings, the CAD as a percentage of GDP is projected at 0.9 per cent in FY26.
The current account deficit (CAD) is an economic indicator that shows a country’s total imports of goods, services, and transfers compared to its total exports and transfers to other countries.
The rating agency said India’s domestic-driven economy, with a relatively low share of goods exports to the US, around 2% of GDP, will provide some cushion against the tariff impact. Exports to US in the first quarter of FY26, which accounts for 19.8 per cent of total exports, grew sharply by 22 per cent year-on-year. Exports to China also registered strong growth of 17.8 per cent.
The strong performance in exports to the US was mainly driven by electronic goods, which is exempted from tariffs and accounts for 30 per cent share in India’s total exports to the US.
The report attributed this growth partly to front-loading of exports and the continuation of tariff exemptions for key sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronics which are exempted from US tariffs. However, the higher tariff rates compared to other economies have increased pressure on India to negotiate a trade deal with the US.
The report noted that while talks could be initiated, India is likely to remain cautious in opening up sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy. This means negotiations may take longer to conclude. Currently, key sectors like pharmaceuticals and select electronics remain on the exemption list, but the possibility of tariffs being extended to these products still exists. Sectors such as gems and jewellery, which fall under discretionary spending, could be affected by reciprocal tariffs.
The report also pointed out that some of India’s competitors in the US market, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, may benefit from comparatively lower US tariffs, particularly in categories like footwear, textiles, and leather.
India’s exports to Asia and Europe, which together account for 62 per cent of the country’s total exports, saw a year-on-year decline in the first quarter of FY26.
However, despite the challenges from higher US tariffs, the report outlined that these factors should help India keep its current account deficit within manageable levels this year.
After Pakistan’s military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent nuclear threats to India, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also threatened India with consequences if it stops the water of the Indus River.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad on Tuesday (August 12th), Sharif warned India against attempting to stop the water of the Indus River. He claimed that India is not capable of snatching even a drop of “Pakistan’s water”. “I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind that you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan,” Sharif said. “If you attempt such an act, you will be again taught such a lesson that you will be left holding your ears,” he added.
#BREAKING: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warns India of serious consequences if India stops Indus Water Treaty. Says, he won’t let India take even a drop of Pakistan’s share of water. This is 4th threat from Pak in 48 hours after Asim Munir, Bilawal Bhutto, Khawaja Asif. pic.twitter.com/ER1uojwHoi
Sharif’s remarks were made in the context of India’s decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists, who killed 26 Hindu tourists after ascertaining their religion.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s empty rant
Sharif’s threats came a day after Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the treaty’s suspension by India as an attack on the Indus Valley Civilisation, claiming that Pakistan would not back down if India forced it into a war.
Munir’s issued nuclear threats to India
Earlier on 9th August, Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, gave a nuclear threat against India during a dinner in Florida, United States. “We are a nuclear nation; if we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir warned during dinner hosted by businessman Adhnan Asad, who is the honorary consul of Pakistan in Tampa.
Commenting on the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India, Munir said that if India builds a dam on the Indus River, Pakistan will blow it up by firing missiles. “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we will destroy it with 10 missiles.” Munir asserted that Pakistan had “no shortage of missiles” and claimed the Indus River was “not the Indians’ family property.”
Pakistan’s politicians and military officials have been indulging in an endless tirade against India, after India destroyed terror camps in Pakistan’s territory under its Operation Sindoor. In a display of its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, India took strong diplomatic as well as military measures, which rattled Pakistan, which has been denying its well-known links with terrorist groups.
Last month Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that the Indus Water Treaty will remain in abeyance. “…it will never be restored. International treaties can’t be annulled unilaterally but we had the right to put it in abeyance, which we have done. The treaty preamble mentions that it was for peace and progress of the two countries but once that has been violated, there is nothing left to protect,” Shah said.
Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former president of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested on multiple corruption charges, marking a remarkable moment in the country’s history where a former president and the former first lady are both behind bars.
A Seoul Central District Court approved Kim Keon Hee’s arrest on Tuesday, 12th August (local time) saying there was a risk she might destroy evidence. The charges against Keon Hee include violations of capital market and financial investment laws, as well as political funds laws. She denies the charges.
South Korea's former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested after a court issued a warrant to arrest her following accusations of graft that she denies, a special prosecutor leading a wide-reaching probe said https://t.co/hzEZ98bGMEpic.twitter.com/N2TjDXS1Zo
According to investigators, Kim earned over 800 million won (£428,000) between 2009 and 2012 by manipulating the share prices of Deutsch Motors, a local BMW dealership, with the help of others.
She is also accused of taking over 270 million won worth of illegal political support through free opinion polling services, allegedly used to influence candidate selections for the conservative People Power Party in the 2022 byelections.
The third charge says that she accepted luxury gifts including Chanel handbags and expensive jewellery from the Unification Church through a shaman intermediary. In return, she helped the church secure favourable treatment for development projects in Cambodia.
Keon Hee was questioned for more than seven hours last week before prosecutors sought the arrest warrant. During her four-and-a-half-hour court hearing, she denied all charges and complained that issues from before her marriage were being dragged into the case. She will be held at the Nambu detention centre in south-west Seoul, separate from her husband.
Kim, once thought to be highly influential behind the scenes during her husband’s presidency, was already no stranger to controversy.
Her term in the Blue House was clouded by scandals including the so-called “Dior bag” affair and recent revelations that both her master’s and doctoral degrees were revoked over plagiarism.
Meanwhile, her husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in custody since July over a separate case his failed attempt to impose martial law in December last year. That move, which he reversed just six hours later under intense political pressure, threw the country into a constitutional crisis and was condemned as a direct attack on democracy.
Yoon was first detained in January while still in office on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. Although a court later released him in March on technical grounds, the Constitutional Court removed him from office in April, calling his actions “a grave betrayal of the people’s trust.”
Prosecutors now accuse Yoon of abusing power and obstructing official duties. They say he declared martial law to break the political deadlock caused by the opposition’s control of parliament and to prevent his impeachment.
He is accused of deploying troops to block lawmakers from entering the national assembly building to overturn the decree and of giving orders to “break down the doors” of parliament and “drag people out, even if it takes firing guns.” Yoon’s lawyers deny he ordered the use of firearms.
He is also accused of trying to have key opposition figures, including now-President Lee Jae Myung, arrested first, hiding secure phone records from after martial law ended, and obstructing warrants issued by the Corruption Investigation Office.
Yoon’s lawyers argue the investigation is politically motivated, rushed, and flawed. They say most suspects are already detained, all evidence is secured, and there’s no real risk of evidence being destroyed.
With Kim Keon Hee’s arrest, both she and Yoon now face criminal trials that could reshape how South Koreans view presidential power and the people who hold it.
In Harayan’s Nuh district, a Muslim mob allegedly gathered after announcements were made from a mosque in the Firozpur Jhirka area after a dispute between a Muslim youth and a Hindu youth, Samay Singh Saini, over parking escalated into violence on 12th August. Stones and glass bottles were pelted from rooftops, a bike and several shops were torched by the rioting mob.
The clash began in Mudaka village near Firozpur Jhirka. Village Sarpanch Ramsingh Saini said a boy named Isra (some reports say son of Isra) parked his vehicle on a road leading to the village. A local Hindu youth, Samay Singh Saini, asked him to move it, but the Muslim youth refused, leading to an argument between the two.
Following this, the Muslim youths allegedly hit Samay Singh on the head with a glass bottle from his vehicle. In no time, people threw stones and set fire to a bike and shops. Reports say that stone pelting continued for around one and half hours. The communal violence left around 10 people injured.
In his complaint to the police, Samay Singh Saini of Mundaka village said that I run a tent shop near the Rajasthan border to support my family. There was a turban ceremony of my grandfather, for which we were returning to the village with tent material in a tractor at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday evening. On the road to Mundaka village, we found a truck blocking the road, in which two youths, Nassi and Lukman, were drinking alcohol. On being asked to move the truck, Nassi got furious and said that the road is not your father’s. After this, he attacked me on the head with a beer bottle.
The Hindu complainant further reportedly said, “The accused also called Ramzan, Muharkhon, Rustam, Shamsher, Haroon, Subban, Ismail, Arshad, Kalu, Zubair, Yunus, Islam, Juhrudin, Umar, Sakrulla, Sahun, Karim, Safi, Subba, Yakub and Junaid from their village Hajipur (Alwar, Rajasthan). All were armed with sticks. Hearing the noise, my brothers Chunni, Gopal and Bir Singh also reached to rescue, but the accused attacked them too, in which all were seriously injured.”
Samay Singh Saini also alleged that after the fight, the Muslim accused made an announcement from the mosque, after which the villagers gathered at the spot. They attacked by hurling stones and glass bottles from the roofs of shops and houses.
He added that the accused persons have been harbouring animosity against Hindus since the 2023 Nuh violence where Muslim mobs attacked a Hindu procession.
In a statement, the Nuh Police said, “As soon as the information was received, a team from the local police station and the in-charge reached the spot. The police took charge and controlled the situation. After the fight, there was a slight obstruction in the traffic, which the police handled.”
Superintendent of Police, Nuh, Rajesh Kumar, said that two police companies were deployed to bring the situation under control, adding that a case would be registered based on the complaint of those injured. He further informed that two people have been taken into custody and raids are on nab the rest.
The sweeping new tariffs imposed by the United States president Donald Trump on over 90 nations recently came into effect. The general goal of his trade policies has been to change the international trading system, which he believes unfairly treats his country.
Trump initially engaged in a significant tariff battle with China, the world’s second-largest economy which was later resolved and has now trained the gun on India. He has threatened to increase the tariff on imports from the country to 50% unless it ceases its purchases of Russian oil.
As New Delhi maintained a strong position and has not yielded to the bullying, other nations identified their own strategies to counteract the tariff threat enforced by the megalomaniac president.
Likewise, the “Liberation Day” plan for worldwide tariffs unveiled by Trump on 2nd April was supposed to strike Vietnam with some of the highest tariff rates of any nation, at 46%. However, the levies were reduced to 20% later and the news coincided with the approval of an extravagant Trump family golf course in the Southeast Asian country.
Trump family’s golf resort in Vietnam gets fast-tracked while Vietnam gets tariffs reduced from 46% to 20%
A grand Trump golf resort is going to open in Vietnam and the construction is set to start next month, reported Reuters. Eric Trump and Vietnamese prime minister Pham Minh Chinh held the groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.5 billion luxury residential development outside of Hanoi that includes three 18-hole golf courses, in May.
Chinh declared that Eric Trump’s visit “motivated us to expedite this project” as he called on local authorities to assist in completing the 990-hectare (2,446-acre) resort by the end of 2027 and lauded it as a move to strengthen ties with the Western power.
The project is the first collaboration for Trump’s family business in Vietnam. It breezed through expedited permissions while, interestingly, Vietnam was negotiating a significant trade deal with Washington. According to regulatory filings and a source familiar with the agreement, the Vietnamese real estate company Kinhbac City and its partners will build the upscale club after giving $5 million to the Trump Organisation for brand licensing rights.
Screenshot from a report on the Groundbreaking ceremony for the luxury real estate project in Vietnam
Once completed, the property will be operated by Trump’s family business. The White House has denied any conflict of interest. Notably, Trump has claimed that his children are in charge of managing the trust that holds his commercial interests but revelations made in June revealed that the Donald Trump is primary recipient of the money received from those sources, as per reports.
The Trump family organisation will take over the project after its completion. It is not involved in the reclamation, compensation and construction part of the project.
The New York Times reported that the project was approved ‘unusually quickly’ and without completion of many steps, including environmental reviews.
Vietnamese officials stated in a letter that a Trump golf project requires special support from top ranks of government because it was “receiving special attention from the Trump administration and President Donald Trump personally.” @damiencavehttps://t.co/BXlVhU62UM
Farmers displaced, left with meagre compensation for their land taken for Trump company’s project
Meanwhile, the farmers who have been living and working on the land have been instructed to leave their land with only $3,200 and provisions for rice in exchange. Six persons with direct knowledge of the development and documents disclosed that the establishment has offered similar compensation packages to several locals to persuade them to leave the land that has supported their livelihood for multiple years.
Currently, fruit farms cultivating longan, bananas and other crops occupy the 990-hectare plot of land designated for the golf course. Many farmers are elderly and hence concerned that they will have a difficult time finding other sources of income in Vietnam’s economy which is dominated by young people. They fear that their land will be seized, leaving them unemployed.
A person familiar with the plans unveiled that developers are currently reducing expectations of compensation from an initial estimate of more than $500 million. The Trump family business is not engaged in the investment or payments to farmers.
Final compensation rates will be decided by authorities based on the location and size of the land and the official approval is anticipated the following month. Reuters reported that five farmers who were facing evictions had received compensation between $12 to $30 per square metre of farmland and were offered extra money for plants that were uprooted along with rice for a few months.
On the other hand, farmers expressed their dissatisfaction with the suggested rates due to the meagre compensation their small plots would yield. Moreover, a second letter from local officials noted that final payment decisions would be taken next month, affecting thousands of residents.
The state controls all land in the Communist nation. Small pieces of land are distributed among farmers for long-term usage but they have little control over when the government decides to reclaim the area. The state pays compensation but developers bear the expense.
Pham Minh Chinh spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony in May and promised that farmers would receive reasonable compensation. However, the farmers conveyed their discontent with the inability to negotiate as protests are also ineffective in the country.
No compromise of the interest of the farmers: PM Modi says on India’s trade deal talks with the US govt
“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly retaliated to the outrageous tariffs imposed by Trump under the guise of halting New Delhi’s energy supply from Moscow, and the delayed trade deal discussions that are yet to be finalised.
PM Modi during his address at the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in Delhi: "Protecting the interests of our farmers, fisherfolk & livestock rearers is our first priority. I know I will have to pay a price for it. But I am ready" pic.twitter.com/d6WWshKMKc
Trump justified the increase by citing national security and foreign policy issues, along with other pertinent trade laws, according to the White House order. He claimed that India’s imports of Russian oil, whether directly or indirectly, represent a “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.
India already clarified that imports are determined by market conditions and carried out with the ultimate goal of guaranteeing the energy security of the country’s 1.4 billion citizens. The government emphasised that the country would do whatever it takes to safeguard its interests.
The Modi government previously challenged the hypocrisy of the United States and the European Union. It pointed out how the two continue to trade with Moscow, even for non-essential goods and yet attack New Delhi which has only contributed to the stability of the world’s energy supply by buying the oil, after Trump’s first 25% tariffs.
An official informed that the government would not permit concessions on issues involving religious sensitivities, such as non-vegetarian milk and beef products. The Modi administration has taken a strong stance against opening up Indian dairy and agricultural markets to the United States and refused to lower tariffs on these critical sectors.
Opening Indian dairy and agricultural markets to the United States will negatively affect the livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers. Hence, the country has refrained from including agriculture in trade agreements. However, a persistent Washington is only concerned with maximising profits from one of the biggest marketplaces in the world.
It is noteworthy, the unwarranted altercation intended to intimidate India into compliance has emerged at a time of unparalleled proximity to the terrorist state of Islamabad.
Qatar’s $400 million gift to Trump
Donald Trump is known for his tendency towards lavish praise and extravagant gifts. The US Department of Defence in May received a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari royal family to be utilised as part of the Air Force One fleet.
The new aircraft, which would take years and millions of dollars to renovate and upgrade before its induction, will be placed into Trump’s presidential library after the conclusion of his term, according to the White House. Meaning, he will be able to use it even after leaving the position of POTUS.
Predictably, there was an instant and severe pushback as the news was released. “The United States should have the most impressive plane compared to the planes used by the leaders of other countries,” Trump remarked in defence of his decision. He described his current Air Force One as “much smaller” and “much less impressive.” However, questions were raised about the aircraft’s technical safety and security while Trump was also charged with corruption.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that he will halt the confirmation of all Justice Department nominees pending Senate approval until the White House releases all the information regarding the special present. He also pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the agreement before Congress.
“There will be plenty of scrutiny. There are lots and lots of issues around that, that I think will attract very serious questions,” asserted the Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. “The plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems, so we’ll see how this issue plays out,” voiced Republican Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz.
Trump, in an unprecedented move, managed to unite both Republicans and Democrats who voiced their criticism over the pricey gift and raised suspicions about it.
Trump’s tariffs: A ploy to arm twist countries
Trump recently announced that his import tariffs were bringing billions of dollars into the country. He also threatened to impose a 100% tariff on computer chips manufactured abroad. He set a patchwork of tariffs for various nations and changed them over time.
He ultimately chose August as the deadline for negotiations. A number of other industry-specific duties that impact goods like steel and automobiles have caused the average US tariff rate to reach its highest level in over a century.
South East Asian countries that rely heavily on exports were among the most severely affected. Laos and Myanmar, which are primarily focused on manufacturing, encounter some of the highest tariffs at 40%. Trump also issued further tariffs targeting the US’s top three trading partners (China, Canada, and Mexico) after he returned to the White House in January.
He clearly sought to present himself as a strong leader capable of influencing global politics on his own terms through the use of tariffs. Trump also desires geopolitical leverage over Russia to ensure that President Vladimir Putin regards him with a bit more seriousness. Additionally, he intends to coerce nations into complying with his demands.
This is one of the factors contributing to his severe stance towards India, particularly in light of New Delhi’s outright rejection of his claims regarding mediation during “Operation Sindoor.” Trump sought gratitude similar to what Islamabad demonstrated, however, India refuted his assertions which he apparently found unacceptable.
He wants to seen as a global peacemaker and is equally desperate for the Noble peace prize. Moreover, some countries including Pakistan nominated him for the same. India has not entertained any such expectations.
Trump is clearly using the tariffs to impose his will on the nations. It was also admitted by his officials after the move was blocked by a US court.
The court at that time revealed that an emergency law implemented by the White House does not provide Trump with the exclusive power to impose tariffs on nearly all countries. The three-judge panel ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority in defending the sweeping tariffs and declaring a national emergency under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The White House was further accused of acting “contrary to law.”
In the meantime, the government’s attorneys argued that the tariffs triggered international negotiations and any legal restrictions would significantly reduce the country’s global influence. “An injunction would completely kneecap the president,” submitted Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate, indicating their critical importance for Trump in order to manipulate countries in international diplomacy.
Conclusion
Trump is evidently using tariffs to further his personal and political interests. The golf course in Vietnam and a Nobel Prize nomination from Pakistan are clear signs of this. India would have been free from his high tariff threats as well, had the Modi government capitulated, which they did not, instead opting to show fortitude which has further infuriated Trump.
The tariffs are being wielded as incentives and punishments to reward or penalize countries according to Trump’s whims and desires.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (12th August), directed the Home Secretaries of all the states and the Union Territories (UT) to immediately release all the convicts languishing in jail beyond their sentence period.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Justice KV Viswanathan issued the direction during the hearing of the plea for release filed by Sukhdev Yadav alias Sukhdev Pehalwan, who was convicted in the high-profile Nitish Katara murder case. Pehalwan The top court said that all the convicts who are in jail even after completing their sentence time should be released if no other cases are pending against them. The court also ordered the release of Pehalwan, noting that he had served his full term.
The court directed a copy of the order to be sent to the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSAR), which will ensure that the copy is further forwarded to the District Legal Services Authorities (DSLSAs) for further implementation.
Background of the case
In June this year, the Supreme Court granted a 3-month furlough to Sukhdev Pehalwan after he approached the court against a Delhi High Court order of November 2024, which dismissed his furlough plea. While granting him furlough, a bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran noted that he had spent 20 years in jail, which was his full sentence, without remission.
Sukhdev Pehalwan was convicted in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case and was granted 20 years in jail in October 2016. Along with him, former cabinet minister DP Yadav’s son Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav were each granted a 25-year jail term without remission. All three of them were convicted of killing Nitish Katara after kidnapping him from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16 and 17, 2002, because of Katara’s alleged affair with Vikas Yadav’s sister.
The problem of Convicts and undertrials illegally languishing in jails calls for greater attention
The present verdict of the Supreme Court highlights a grave problem of convicts and undertrials languishing in jails even after serving their sentence or being granted bail by the court.
In June this year, the Supreme Court ordered the ₹5 lakh compensation to be paid by the Uttar Pradesh government to a person who spent 28 days in jail even after being granted bail because of a minor technical error in the bail order. Calling it a travesty of justice, the apex court ordered a judicial enquiry into the case to determine accountability.
In a similar case in September 2023, the Gujarat High Court directed the state government to provide a compensation of ₹1 lakh to an accused, who was kept inside the jail for three years after securing regular bail. The accused was granted bail in September 2020, but was released from jail in September 2023, a day before the date of the hearing of his case. The accused remained in jail for three years after getting bail, as the jail authorities failed to see, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an Email containing the bail order of the High Court. Interestingly, the accused was released temporarily and was given furlough on a few occasions during his incarceration but the jail authorities did not bother to check the court records during th entire time. The High Court also reprimanded the Sessions Court for not ensuring that the bail order was implemented.
In October 2023, the Delhi High Court adopted a stern approach in a case of illegal detention. The High Court directed ₹50,000 to be paid to a person from the salary of the police officers, who had kept him illegally detained and locked up for half an hour. The victim was illegally detained by the police on mere suspicion of committing a crime, without any formal arrest, FIR or Daily Diary entry.
Lack of proper framework to address the problem
These examples point out how a mere technical error or omission by the jail authorities and courts can cost an individual his freedom and precious time. This calls for greater accountability of the jail authorities as well as the judiciary. Institutions are meant to serve individuals and society and not the other way round. Currently, India does not have a specific legislation for addressing the problem of illegal detention. In cases of illegal detentions, courts usually invoke Article 21 of the Constitution to grant compensation. However, some provisions in International law expressly address the problem of illegal detention. For example, Article 9(5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is a signatory, provides that victims of illegal detention shall have an enforceable right to compensation.
While many such instances of convicts and undertrials illegally languishing in jails have time and again come up before courts, the courts are only able to provide relief on a case-by-case basis due to the lack of a proper framework to keep track of the people locked up in jails and the legal provisions to provide them compensation and ensure the accountability of authorities.
After reopening the investigation into the brutal murder of Kashmiri Hindu woman Sarla Bhatt by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorists, the J&K State Investigation Agency (SIA) raided multiple locations linked to JKLF terrorists in Srinagar on Tuesday (12th August).
As part of the investigation, the SIA raided 8 locations, including the house of JKLF terrorists Yasin Malik, who was convicted of criminal conspiracy and waging war against India, and properties linked to terrorists Javed Nalka, Peer Noor ul Haq Shah, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Bashir Ahmad Gojri, Feroz Ahmad Khan & Ghulam Mohammad Taploo.
#BREAKING: After 35 years J&K Police SIA reopens rape and murder case of Kashmiri Hindu nurse Sarla Bhat in Kashmir.
SIA raids underway at 8 locations in central Kashmir's Srinagar. House of Jailed JKLF terrorist Yasin Malik, Javed Nalka. Peer Noor ul Haq Shah, Abdul Hamid… pic.twitter.com/D3vvR3pIGC
Sarla Bhatt was a 27-year-old Kashmiri Hindu woman from Anantnag, who used to work as a nurse at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar. She was abducted by the JKLF terrorists from Habba Khatoon Hostel in April 1990. Later on, her bullet-ridden body was found lying in Umar Colony, Mallabagh, downtown Srinagar. A note was also reportedly found lying near her body, branding her as a ‘police informer’. According to media reports, her body bore signs of extreme torture before her killing. A case was registered at Nigeen Police Station; however, no progress was made in the case for over three decades before SIA took over the investigation.
The incident occurred at the peak of Islamic terrorism in J&K. Her murder was one of the first cases of killings of Kashmiri Hindus by Jihadists, which kick-started the mass exodus of Hindus from the valley in the 1990s. Before her, Islamic terrorists killed several Kashmiri Pandits, including Girja Tickoo, who worked as a laboratory assistant in a university in the Kashmir Valley, Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, who was an advocate and senior BJP leader, and Pandit Neelkanth Ganjoo, who was a former judge.
The forced exodus of Kashmiri Hindus that started in January 1990 was not a sudden event. The exodus was the culmination of a longstanding intention to purge the Valley of its Hindu population, planned and executed by radical Islamic elements. The terrifying slogan, “Raliv, Galiv ya Chaaliv” (convert, leave, or perish), echoed in the Valley’s air for years to drive out Kashmiri Hindus. Lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits, who had to flee from their homes, leaving everything behind, to save their lives and the honour of their women. Justice still evades them.
Amid growing criticism on social media over ethanol blending with petrol, the Centre on Tuesday issued a detailed rebuttal, underscoring its environmental, economic, and strategic benefits. It reaffirmed that biofuels and natural gas serve as “bridge fuels” in India’s journey towards its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal of Net Zero emissions by 2070.
Cutting emissions, boosting rural economy
Quoting a NITI Aayog study, the government highlighted that greenhouse gas emissions from sugarcane-based ethanol are 65% lower, and from maize-based ethanol 50% lower, compared to petrol. Beyond environmental gains, the programme has transformed rural livelihoods—eliminating sugarcane arrears, making maize cultivation more viable, and raising farmer incomes, especially in distressed regions like Vidarbha.
Between Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2014-15 and July 2025 (ESY 2024-25), ethanol blending saved over ₹1.44 lakh crore in foreign exchange, substituted 245 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, and cut CO₂ emissions equivalent to planting 30 crore trees. This year alone, at 20% blending, farmers are expected to earn ₹40,000 crore, with forex savings of around ₹43,000 crore.
Performance and efficiency
Addressing concerns over mileage and performance, the Centre cited studies by IOCL, ARAI, and SIAM that show E20 fuel offers better acceleration, improved ride quality, and around 30% lower carbon emissions than E10. Ethanol’s higher octane rating and better heat of vaporisation enhance engine performance, particularly in urban conditions. Regular petrol’s octane rating has already improved from 88 (pre-BS VI) to 95 with E20 blending, reducing knocking and improving efficiency.
Global practices and standards
Rejecting calls to revert to unblended petrol, the government pointed to Brazil’s success with E27 fuels and stressed that Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Automotive Industry Standards ensure E20’s safety. Older vehicles may require minor rubber part replacements, but most models since 2009 are E20-compatible.
Costs and future roadmap
While ethanol is currently costlier than refined petrol, averaging ₹71.32/litre in ESY 2024-25, the government stressed the mandate’s importance for energy security and farmer welfare. Claims about E20 impacting insurance coverage were dismissed as baseless, with insurance companies issuing clarifications.
Decisions on moving beyond E20 will be taken post-October 2026, after stakeholder consultations and an Inter-Ministerial Committee review. The Centre reaffirmed its commitment to cleaner, sustainable fuel options with minimal disruption to consumers.
There are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends in geopolitics. The only permanent friend is self-interest. From Syria to Pakistan, US President Donald Trump is demonstrating that self-interest is paramount even if it comes at the cost of mollycoddling Islamic jihadist terrorists and their enablers.
In May 2025, Trump held a meeting with Ahmed Hussain al-Sharaa, the interim president of Syria, who just months back had a $10 million bounty on his head by the US government. Trump heaped praises on the former terrorist, who once admitted to having celebrated the 9/11 Islamic terror attack that killed thousands.
When asked how he finds the new Syrian President, Trump said, “Young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
JUST IN:
???? President Trump speaking about Syria’s new President Al-Sharaa, who was ISIS commander and had $10 milion bounty on his head:
"Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He's got a real shot at holding it together." pic.twitter.com/UHKQ6S0u2P
In Afghanistan, former US President Joe Biden received all the global condemnation and domestic backlash for withdrawing US forces in 2021. However, it was Trump’s 2020 Doha Agreement that laid the ground for the eventual historic visuals of the US literally fleeing Afghanistan and leaving it in the hands of Taliban terrorists.
Basically, the USA spent 20 years, over 2 trillion dollars, and hundreds of lives in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban. But they left in 2021 after signing a deal with them and handing over their military assets worth billions to the very same forces they spent 20 years fighting.
2️⃣AFGHANISTAN
Invading in late 2001 together with a NATO+ coalition, the US thought a ‘liberal interventionism at gunpoint’ approach would turn Afghanistan into a compliant client.
Instead, they spent 20 years and $2T to replace the Taliban… with the Taliban. pic.twitter.com/SljWokFhd8
Now, Trump wants to restore the US military presence in Afghanistan, although it remains to be seen how successful he will be in doing so.
After elevating a former ISIS terrorist to power in Syria and leaving Afghanistan to the Taliban, Trump has declared ‘friendship’ with the Pakistan Army, the biggest Islamic terrorist group in the region. Only a month after India inflicted a humiliating defeat on Pakistani Forces during Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam Islamic terror attack, Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir had lunch with Trump at the White House.
While the meeting came days after Indo-Pak conflict, it was more about Iran-Israel conflict than about India.
Historically, the United States has always used Pakistan in the region to achieve its goals, a fact which has been acknowledged by the leaders of the Islamic Republic. Pakistan was used by the US for years for its strategic operations in Afghanistan and others parts of the region.
Recently, the de facto leader of Pakistan visited the US again. Munir attended the farewell program for the outgoing Commander United States Central Command (Centcom). Trump’s backing has either emboldened Munir, or he is being actively encouraged by Washington to issue nuclear and dam-bombing threats to India.
Pakistani Field Marshal Munir in US, meets Centcom military leadership, and attends Kurilla farewell.
At a private dinner in Tampa, Florida, on 10th August, the uniformed madrasa-bred jihadi who effectively controls Islamabad’s foreign and security policy, used a Mercedes-versus-dump-truck analogy to paint Pakistan as a “spoiler” power capable of inflicting damage on a far stronger neighbour. “India is shining Mercedes coming on a highway like Ferrari [sic], but we are a dump truck full of gravel. If the truck hits the car, who is going to be the loser?”
He also claimed that if India builds a dam on the Indus River, Pakistan will hit the dam with 10 missiles and destroy it. Munir also threatened Indian industrialist-billionaire Mukesh Ambani by invoking Quranic verses. “Ek tweet karwaya tha with Surah Fil and a picture of [industrialist] Mukesh Ambani to show them what we will do the next time,” he bragged.
The timing of Asim Munir’s nuclear threat is crucial. Firstly, the threat was made from US soil. Munir not only tried to play to Islamic terrorists in Pakistan, citing Islamic verses to gloat about imaginary wins and powers, but he again used the nuclear threat as a blackmail, declarimg that Pakistan will ‘take half the world down with it’, like an average suicide bomber.
Also, Munir’s nuclear threat made from US soil against India came on the day the US dropped the atomic bomb on Japan’s Nagasaki 80 years ago.
While India issued a strong statement against Munir’s nuclear threat and reiterated that New Delhi will never be threatened by such blackmail, the US government and the legacy media have maintained a deliberate silence, fuelling speculations that these threats are not a mere expression of Munir’s anti-India and anti-Hindu mindset, but a calculated move encouraged by the US.
Besides issuing self-humiliating nuclear threats and targeting Mukesh Ambani, Munir also reiterated his “Kashmir is our jugular vein” remark, which he made days prior to the Pahalgam attack. “Kashmir is “not an internal matter of India but an incomplete international agenda. As the Quaid-e-Azam had said, Kashmir is the ‘jugular vein’ of Pakistan.”
Munir also thanked Trump for his imaginary role in ending the Indo-Pak conflict. Asim Munir’s Trump flattery didn’t go unrewarded. The Trump administration has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organisation’. This not only lends renewed credence to Pakistan Army’s apocryphal narrative that Baloch freedom fighters are ‘terrorists’ but equates Baloch independence struggle with Islamic terrorism carried out by Pakistan Army-backed Jihadist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, LeT offshoot and perpetrator of Pahalgam—The Resistance Front. Not to forget, the US had earlier designated TRF as a foreign terrorist organisation.
On 11th August, the US Department of State designated The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). The executive order added the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation.
Baloch rebels have been fighting against Pakistani govt’s exploitation, and Chinese projects in their soil
Over the years, the BLA struck Pakistani military and Chinese personnel along with projects linked to Beijing’s investments in the province as they exploit the Baloch resources. The Baloch people, who are among the most marginalised communities in Pakistan, accuse the Pakistani government and China of exploiting the resources without providing any benefit to the locals.
US President Donald Trump recently unveiled a new trade agreement with Islamabad to jointly develop Pakistan’s alleged “massive oil reserves”. The announcement came just hours after he slapped the first round of 25% tariff and additional penalties on Indian imports. Interestingly, Trump claimed that someday Pakistan might be selling oil to India.
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, “We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves… Who knows, maybe they’ll be selling Oil to India some day!”
Given that most of Pakistan’s known oil and much of its gas, as well as prospective reserves, lie in Balochistan, the move stirred political conversations about what role Washington could play in the resource-rich but politically restive province already being exploited by Pakistan and China.
After a US-based company where Trump’s kin has 60% stakes signed a crypto deal with Pakistan, Trump is eyeing Balochistan’s untapped treasure of natural resources. While China’s bid to do the same has not played out very well, as Baloch freedom fighters continue to attack Chinese engineers and other officials working on CPEC and Pakistan Army personnel on a regular basis, the US wants to tap oil in Pakistan. Not to forget, years back, Pakistan had given the same oil reserves ‘Lahori Churan’ to the US, and ultimately, nothing was found after a continuous search for oil and gas reserves.
Pakistani Army has been training, harbouring and engaging Islamic terrorists for decades
Since Pakistan’s very creation in 1947, the Pakistan Army has essentially fostered, trained and funded Islamic Jihadi terrorists as its proxies against India and Afghanistan. The US also has a disgraceful history of backing these very Jihadi terrorists. However, Pakistan, which claimed to be an ally of the US against terrorism while the US was searching for Bin Laden in the hills of Afghanistan, was caught red-handed double-dealing.
Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attack, was found near Abbottabad in 2011, near Pakistan’s military premises, right under their noses.
Be it Pakistan’s monetary, logistical and ideological support to Jihadist groups in Kashmir in the 1980s, Kashmiri Pandit killings and exodus, the Doda massacre, and more, the Pakistani military has been funding and training the Islamic terrorists under different front names for decades. The military officers provide funding, training and actively protect the Islamic jihadis on their soil, while the civilian government machinery helps hide the terrorist organisation’s money trails and laundering fronts behind the garb of charity and religious organisations. The India and Hindu-hating Pakistan ‘Aand’ Forces have fought four conventional wars against India and lost all, knowing that they do not stand a chance against Indian forces.
Pakistan Army supports Islamic terror groups like JeM, LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen, and provides safe haven to UN-designated terrorists like Syed Salauddin, Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, and countless others. As seen in May this year, Pakistani forces also attend the funerals of these terrorists when India eliminates them. It, however, is not surprising for India, since the Pakistan Armed Forces’ current head of PR wing, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, is the son of a UN-designated terrorist.
While the US, especially Trump, who has a penchant for changing his opinions about terrorists and countries using Jihadi terrorism as state policy, has forgotten Pakistan’s Osama Bin Laden betrayal and dollar-squeezing tactics in Afghanistan, India will never forget that Pakistan has bled innocent Indians.
It must be recalled that in 2018, Trump had posted on X that the US was “foolish” to give Pakistan billions of dollars in aid. “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
However, a year before, Trump had thanked Pakistan and expressed enthusiasm over bettering ties with Islamabad. Clearly, Trump’s stance on Pakistan, its terrorism and betrayals is as fickle as his promise of releasing the Epstein Files.
While the Trump administration declared the Balochistan Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade as terrorist organisations, it did not question the Pakistan Army’s brutalities against the Baloch people. Trump did not question why over 1,00,000 people have no access to clean drinking water in the Gwadar region, why Baloch children are stopped from learning Balochi language, why Urdu is imposed on them, why the Sui gas field in Balochistan supplies much of Pakistan’s energy needs, yet Balochistan itself has limited access to it. Probably, Donald Trump and Asim Munir’s greed for exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources trumps the injustice faced by the Baloch people and the BLA’s strive to break free from Pakistan’s oppressive regime.
After years of fostering jihadi terrorists in PoK and other regions of Pakistan, bolstering terror outfits like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and oppressing Baloch people, carrying out forced disappearances, and arresting Baloch leaders like Mahrang Baloch and many others, the Pakistani military has found a new opportunity to exploit and oppress the Baloch people further, and the US government has probably found a new geography to continue their perpetual wars that benefit their military industries.
Asim Munir is basically a Masood Azhar or Hafiz Saeed in a military suit. No wonder Trump is upset with India, since he prefers conflict-infested vassals like Pakistan over equal partners like India, since throwing bones at a pet is far easier than maintaining a mutually respectful relationship with a resolute, free and proud elephant.
