Morning Brief: After Michel, AgustaWestland Scam Accused Rajiv Saxena And Lobbyist Deepak Talwar Brought To India; Jind Bypoll Result Today; And More

Good Morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news brief for today.

Chopper Scam Accused Saxena And Lobbyist Talwar Extradited

Just months after the extradition of AgustaWestland scam accused Christine Michel to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the government has managed to bring home from the Gulf country businessman Rajeev Saxena, an accused in the VVIP chopper scam, and corporate aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar, who facilitated aviation contracts during the tenure of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, The Indian Express reported. According to the agencies probing the case, Saxena had played a major role in laundering the money received to pay kickbacks in the AgustaWestland scandal.

The two were brought to India in an aircraft belonging to the Aviation Research Centre, part of the Research and Analysis Wing. Saxena’s lawyers have claimed that the Indian government has extradited their client illegally, saying, “there were no extradition proceedings started in the UAE and he was not allowed to access his family or lawyers or essential daily medicine”. A Delhi court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Saxena’s wife, who had been arrested in this case earlier, is currently out on bail, reports say.

Jind Bypoll Result To Be Announced Today

The counting of votes polled in the high-stakes Jind bypoll on Monday will be held today. Around 76 per cent polling was reported in the constituency. Initially, the bypoll was a direct fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and INLD. But the entry of the Congress, which has fielded party president Rahul Gandhi’s close aide Randeep Surjewala, has made it a multi-cornered contest.

It was necessitated by the death of legislator Hari Chand Midha, who was a member of Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal, last year. Around 1.75 lakh people, including nearly 80,000 women, were eligible to vote.

Also Read: Why The Jind Bypoll Matters: Test Of The BJP’s Non-Jat Coalition, Chautala’s Relevance, Surjewala’s Prestige

Are Budgets Becoming Irrelevant? Jaggi Explains

Modi Government Directs Alok Verma To Join Work For A Day

The Home Ministry has directed former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Chief Alok Verma, who had asked the Department of Personnel and Training to consider him retired, to “join the post of DG, Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards immediately”. Verma’s term as the director of the CBI was to get over on 31 January, that is today. This means that Verma, who received the letter from the government yesterday, may have to join his new office for a day today.

A panel led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge as its members, had removed Verma from the CBI earlier this month.

Saudi Crown Prince To Visit India Next Month

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is likely to visit India in February, Hindustan Times has reported. According to the daily, this is part of his plan to counter criticism by the international community over his handling of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He may also visit China.

This development comes just a day after reports said Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may also visit India on 11 February, just weeks ahead of crucial elections in both the countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Bhutan and South Korea in February, The Hindu has reported.

From Swarajya

Your Highness, Lead Us Not From Light To Darkness: The secularism which questions the recitation of ‘Asto Ma Sadgamaya’ in schools is nothing but a fanatical hatred of proselytising religions towards India’s theo-diverse knowledge traditions.

The Long-Standing Rift Between George Fernandes And Congress: How Congress hounded Fernandes for opposing the party’s policies.

Essar Steel: IBC Process Must Put A Full Stop To Spoiler Bids Like That Of The Ruias: The strongest reason to blackball the Ruia bid is that theirs was a spoiler bid – a bid announced long after the insolvency process was underway, and intended merely to spike the guns of Arcelor Mittal.

We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!

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