Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 27 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court order of setting up an expert committee on the Pegasus spyware issue, and said it has negated alleged attempts of the government to evade and divert attention in the name of national security.

"Pseudo-Nationalism is the last refuge of cowardly fascists everywhere," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday extended support to Mohammad Shami, who was subjected to a fierce online attack following the Indian cricket team's first ever loss to Pakistan in World Cup history, and urged him to forgive those trolling him as they "are filled with hate because nobody gives them any love".

India lost their T20 World Cup opener by 10 wickets on Sunday with Shami emerging the most expensive bowler on the night, leaking 43 runs in 3.5 overs.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of top party leaders to evolve a strategy for assembly elections in five states early next year.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi is attending the meeting at the AICC headquarters here besides party general secretaries and in-charges of various states and PCC chiefs.

The leaders will also chalk out a strategy for the party's new membership drive and finalise the modalities for it. The drive is starting from November 1 and will continue till March 31 next year.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai zonal director who is leading the probe in the cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is arrested, visited the agency's headquarters here on Tuesday and spent over two hours.

The officer entered the NCB office in the R K Puram area through a back entry gate and is understood to have met his senior officers.

It was not confirmed if Wankhede met NCB director general (DG) S N Pradhan.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court Tuesday reserved its judgement on the issue of the grant of reservation in promotion to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in government jobs.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Nageswara Rao heard all the parties in the matter including Attorney General K K Venugopal, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Balbir Singh, and other senior lawyers appearing for various states.

New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Dearness Allowance for central government employees has been hiked to 31 per cent of the basic pay from 28 per cent with effect from July 1, 2021, the Finance Ministry said.

In an office memorandum, the Department of Expenditure, under the Finance Ministry, said the term 'basic pay' means the pay drawn as per the 7th pay commission matrix and does not include any other type of pay like special pay, etc.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth over Rs 6.84 crore in connection with a money laundering probe linked to an alleged disproportionate assets case against a former ADM (Additional District Magistrate) of Bihar's Bhagalpur and her family, officials said Monday.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) A 20-year-old man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a minor girl in central Delhi's Ranjeet Nagar area, police said.

The accused has been identified as Suraj, a resident of Raghubir Nagar, they said.

He was arrested from Kalanaur, Rohtak district, Haryana. He was previously arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly harassing a minor under Khyala police station limits, police said.

New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) A court here has come down heavily on the Delhi Police Commissioner for non-submission of a report in a 2020 riots case and sought an explanation from him as to why appropriate action as per law be not taken against him.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg on September 25, had imposed a cost of Rs 5,000 on the police, after noting that the investigating officer and prosecutor sought adjournment in a very casual manner and had directed the police commissioner to conduct an inquiry.

New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said there are a lot of non-tariff barriers that need to be addressed and wherever India will face an unfair treatment at trade front, it will take reciprocal action.

Non-tariff barriers to trade are restrictive practices which create impediments in smooth flow of imports and exports.