-The Hindu   National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday opposed the bail plea of 2008 Malegaon blasts accused Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur on the grounds that “there is serious incriminating evidence against her.” “There are reasonable grounds prima facie to believe that she is guilty of the offences which are levelled against her as contemplated under section 21(4) of MCOC [Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime] Act,” the NIA said in its reply filed before...

A Dantewada district court yesterday granted bail to D.V.C.S. Verma, the general manager of an Essar Steel plant, who was arrested last September in a case of alleged protection pay to Maoists. The court said investigators had not been able to provide any Concrete evidence against the official. Chhattisgarh police had arrested Verma based on the statement of a local contractor, B.K. Lala, who was allegedly caught red-handed while paying Rs 15...

-The Times of India The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday morning issued notices to 11 officers, contractors and politicians summoning them to Delhi headquarters of the agency for questioning in connection with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam. In Lucknow, a dozen member team of the CBI has started visitng the primary health centers and community centers to verify if the money sanctioned to the people under different...

River Brahmaputra has eaten more than half of Asia's largest riverine island Majuli over the last 60 years. With land disappearing, there is progressive loss of the traditional means of livelihood of its people, leading to their displacement. Some lately are migrating even as far away as Andhra Pradesh, finds out Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty after a visit. Farmer Sridhar Bora stops mid-way as he brings down his axe on a tree...

-The Telegraph   Jharkhand’s flagship maternal and child health scheme has attracted the Centre’s attention and may now be replicated in other states. Mamata Vahan was launched in July 2010 by the state wing of the National Rural Health Mission as a free referral transport service to ferry expectant mothers to hospitals, aimed at encouraging institutionalised deliveries to reduce mother and child mortality. Launched as a pilot project in Ranchi — across Mandar,...