INDIA's main opposition party, the Congress, has said that corruption charges filed against its senior leaders are politically motivated.
The federal Enforcement Directorate (ED) has charged party leader Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi in a case that dates back several years.
The case was originally initiated by Subramanian Swamy, a member of prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Both Gandhis have denied the allegations and have accused the BJP of misusing government agencies against political opponents.
Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi called the case "nothing but vendetta in legal disguise" and accused the government of using the Enforcement Directorate to selectively target the opposition.
"Selective justice is nothing but political thuggery," Singhvi said.
The complaint, first filed in 2001 by BJP member Swamy, alleged that the Gandhis and others had tried to take control of assets belonging to a now-defunct newspaper.
Swamy claimed the properties were worth $332 million (approximately £249 million) and were acquired using fraudulent documents.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described the case as "harassment and targeting of rivals".
"We can't be forced to shut up," Ramesh said.
Critics have in recent years accused the BJP of using legal and investigative agencies to pursue political opponents.
Several opposition leaders are currently under investigation.
BJP lawmaker Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the judiciary in India is independent and that investigative agencies are free to operate.
"They (the opposition) have the right to protest -- but what are they protesting about?" Prasad said. "There is no licence to loot in this country," he added.
Rahul Gandhi also faces multiple defamation cases and was expelled from parliament in 2023 after a conviction.
He returned later that year after the Supreme Court suspended his two-year sentence.
Gandhi is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of former Indian prime ministers, starting with Jawaharlal Nehru.
His Congress party has not been able to defeat Modi’s BJP in the last three general elections.
THE US State Department on Monday said it was imposing visa restrictions on owners and staff of travel agencies in India who it says knowingly facilitate illegal migration to the United States.
An unspecified number of individuals associated with these travel agencies are being subjected to visa bans under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The action is based on information collected by the US mission in India, according to department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Washington often imposes such visa restrictions without naming the individuals involved.
"We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks," Bruce said. She did not provide details on how the travel agents had facilitated illegal migration.
The action is part of a broader effort under president Donald Trump's administration to curb migration to the United States and deport undocumented immigrants already in the country.
The US embassy in New Delhi has also issued repeated warnings on its social media platforms, advising Indian nationals visiting the United States not to overstay their authorised period of stay. It warned that overstaying could lead to deportation and a permanent ban from entering the country.
INDIAN authorities have arrested 11 people for allegedly spying for Pakistan, according to local media reports citing police officials.
The arrests follow recent fighting earlier this month in which at least 60 people were killed, reported AFP. The clashes were triggered by an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the attackers, a charge Pakistan has denied.
NDTV reported on Monday that nine of the arrests took place in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav said two people were arrested for "leaking sensitive military information".
Police received "credible intelligence inputs" that the two were "involved in sharing classified details" linked to Indian strikes inside Pakistani territory on the night of May 6-7.
A preliminary investigation revealed they were in "direct contact" with handlers from Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) and "had transmitted critical information concerning the Indian Armed Forces," Yadav said.
In Haryana, police arrested a travel blogger last week on similar charges.
Local media reported that the woman had travelled to Pakistan at least twice and had been in contact with an official from the Pakistani embassy.
Others arrested include a student, a security guard and a businessman.
India Today reported that the 11 accused were "lured into the spy network through social media, monetary incentives, false promises, messaging apps and personal visits to Pakistan".
The arrests come after the most serious flare-up between the two countries since their last open conflict in 1999.
A ceasefire was reached after four days of missile, drone and artillery attacks.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Firefighters carry a ladder outside of the building (blue-coloured) that caught fire in Hyderabad, India, May 18, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
AT LEAST 17 people died in a fire that broke out in a building in the Indian city of Hyderabad, officials said on Sunday.
The blaze started early Sunday morning in a three-storey building that houses a jewellery store.
According to a statement from the fire disaster response emergency and civil defence department in Telangana state, the call for help came in just after 6 am local time (00:30 GMT).
"The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors. Firefighting, search & rescue operations were carried out simultaneously," the statement said.
It also listed the names of the 17 individuals who died.
"The suspected cause of the fire is under investigation," it added.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi expressed his "deep grief" over the incident and announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (around $2,300) for the next of kin of each victim.
"Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana," Modi said in a statement released by his office.
"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon."
Fires are frequent in India due to weak enforcement of safety regulations, overcrowded buildings and poor construction practices.
Last month, a fire at a hotel in Kolkata killed at least 15 people. Some people escaped by climbing out of windows and onto the roof.
In a separate incident last year, at least 24 people died when a fire broke out at an amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Lammy also commented on India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, saying, 'We would urge all sides to meet their treaty obligations.'
FOREIGN SECRETARY David Lammy said on Saturday that Britain is working with the United States to ensure the ceasefire between India and Pakistan holds, and to support confidence-building measures and dialogue between the two sides.
Speaking in Islamabad at the end of a two-day visit, Lammy said, “We will continue to work with the United States to ensure that we get an enduring ceasefire, to ensure that dialogue is happening and to work through with Pakistan and India how we can get to confidence and confidence-building measures between the two sides.”
Pakistan has said that Britain and other countries, along with the United States, played a key role in helping de-escalate the recent fighting between the two countries. The ceasefire was brokered on May 10 after diplomatic efforts, but diplomats and analysts have said it remains fragile.
Tensions rose after a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir, which India has blamed on Pakistan. Pakistan has denied involvement. Both countries fired missiles onto each other’s territory during the escalation.
US president Donald Trump has said talks should take place in a third country but no venue or dates have been announced.
“These are two neighbours with a long history but they are two neighbours that have barely been able to speak to one other over this past period, and we want to ensure that we do not see further escalation and that the ceasefire endures,” Lammy said.
Lammy also commented on India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, saying, “We would urge all sides to meet their treaty obligations.”
India had said last month that it had “put in abeyance” its participation in the 1960 treaty that governs use of the Indus river system. Pakistan has said any disruption to its water access would be considered an act of war.
Lammy said Britain would continue to work with Pakistan on countering terrorism. “It is a terrible blight on this country and its people, and of course on the region,” he said.
Lammy criticised Russia following brief talks with Ukraine on a potential ceasefire. The meeting ended in under two hours, and Trump said no progress was possible until he met Russian president Vladimir Putin directly.
“Yet again we are seeing obfuscation on the Russian side and unwillingness to get serious about the enduring peace that is now required in Ukraine,” Lammy said. “Once again Russia is not serious.”
“At what point do we say to Putin enough is enough?” he said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Nirav Modi, 55, has been in custody in the UK since March 2019.
A UK court on Thursday denied bail to fugitive Indian diamond businessman Nirav Modi, who sought release while awaiting extradition to India. Modi cited potential threats to his life and said he would not attempt to flee Britain.
Modi, 55, has been in custody in the UK since March 2019. He left India in 2018 before details emerged of his alleged involvement in a large-scale fraud at Punjab National Bank.
He denies any wrongdoing, according to his lawyer. His extradition to India was approved by UK courts, and his appeals, including a request to approach the UK Supreme Court, were rejected in 2022.
On Thursday, Modi’s lawyer Edward Fitzgerald told the High Court that the extradition could not take place for confidential legal reasons. "There are confidential legal reasons why (Modi) cannot be extradited," he said, without providing further details.
Representing Indian authorities, lawyer Nicholas Hearn opposed the bail application, arguing that Modi might try to escape or interfere with witnesses. Hearn referred to Modi’s past attempt to seek citizenship in Vanuatu as an indication he might flee.
Fitzgerald responded that Modi would not leave the UK due to fear of the Indian government. He mentioned alleged recent plots to target Sikh activists in the United States and Canada, which India has denied. He also cited India's alleged involvement in returning Sheikha Latifa, daughter of Dubai’s ruler, to Dubai in 2018.
"The reach of the Indian government for extrajudicial reprisals is practically limitless," Fitzgerald said. "The idea that he could go to Vanuatu ... and there be safe from the Indian government is utterly ridiculous. They would either send a hit squad to get him or they would kidnap him or they would lean on the government to deport him."
The Indian High Commission in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Judge Michael Fordham denied the bail plea, saying, "there are substantial grounds for believing that if released by me on bail ... (Modi) would fail to surrender".
Modi is wanted in India in connection with two linked cases — a major fraud at Punjab National Bank and alleged laundering of the proceeds.
His uncle Mehul Choksi, also linked to the case, was arrested in Belgium last month. Choksi has denied any wrongdoing.