Congress shell-shocked as Kapil Sibal files Rajya Sabha nomination with Akhilesh Yadav on his side

News Network
May 25, 2022

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New Delhi, May 25: Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal today filed a nomination for Rajya Sabha election in the presence of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.

While addressing the media after filing the nomination, Sibal confirmed that he had quit the Congress party on May 16. 

"I had resigned from the Congress party on May 16," Kapil Sibal announced, leaving the media stunned with information that had stayed secret since the Congress "Chintan Shivir" or strategy meet a week ago.

"I am no longer a serious Congress leader," he quipped, when bombarded with questions.

This is the latest high-profile exit from the Congress, the fifth in five months. Mr Sibal resigned a day after the Congress brainstorming session, to discuss a roadmap for the party's revival after a series of devastating election defeats.

"I have filed nomination for Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate. I have always wanted to be an independent voice in the country," Sibal said, adding that while staying in Opposition we want to create an alliance so that we can oppose the Modi government.

Sibal thanked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for supporting him. "I also wish to convey my gratitude to Azam Khan for the support that he has given me, not just now but over several years," he said. 

Mr Sibal, an ace lawyer who was among one of the senior most leaders of the Congress, was among the "G-23" or group of 23 dissenters who had called for a complete overhaul of the party's leadership and organization in a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi two years ago.

He had also been vocal and increasingly sharp in his criticism of the Gandhis' leadership in recent months.

His Rajya Sabha term ends in July. In 2016, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh as a Congress candidate supported by the Samajwadi Party, which is in power in the state. The Congress now has just two MLAs in the UP assembly so it cannot elect anybody to the Rajya Sabha from the state.

Mr Sibal filed his nomination papers in the presence of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party's move to support Mr Sibal is seen to a quid pro quo after his efforts as party MP Azam Khan's lawyer.

Mr Sibal had represented Azam Khan in the Supreme Court. Azam Khan was released on interim bail by the Supreme Court after two years in prison.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Udupi: The Malpe Police have arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing classified information related to Indian Navy vessels with individuals in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to national security.

According to a complaint filed by the CEO of Udupi Cochin Shipyard, Malpe—an institution under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—the prime accused, Rohit (29), was working as an insulator through subcontractor M/S Shushma Marine Pvt Ltd. He had earlier served at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala, where naval ships are under construction.

Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the accused had unlawfully shared, via WhatsApp, confidential identification numbers of Navy-related ships and other classified details while working in Kerala, allegedly for illegal gains.

After joining the Malpe shipyard unit, Rohit reportedly continued collecting sensitive information through a friend in Kochi and circulated it to unauthorised individuals, violating national security protocols and potentially endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

Based on the complaint, Malpe Police registered a case under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

A police team led by Karkala Subdivision Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada—along with PSI Anil Kumar D, ASI Harish, and PC Ravi Jadhav—conducted the investigation and arrested the two accused, identified as Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The duo was produced before the court, which remanded them in judicial custody till December 3. Further investigation is in progress.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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