NEWS TODAY 21.09.2026

 

‘Demand’ must be proved for graft conviction: HC ‘Mere Recovery Of Tainted Cash Not Enough’

‘Demand’ must be proved for graft conviction: HC ‘Mere Recovery Of Tainted Cash Not Enough’ 

Partha.Behera@timesofindia.com 

21.09.2026

Raipur: Chhattisgarh HC has held that mere recovery of “tainted currency” from an accused cannot sustain a conviction under Prevention of Corruption Act unless the prosecution proves the demand for a bribe beyond reasonable doubt. 

Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi, hearing an appeal by an accountant in the office of the Surajpur district education officer on Sept 18, observed that the prosecution had failed to establish the foundational requirement of demand and acceptance of bribe.

The court also found serious deficiencies in the electronic evidence relied upon to establish the alleged demand. The HC set aside the March 2017 judgement of the special judge, Prevention of Corruption Act, Surajpur, and acquitted the accountant of the bribery charges. 

According to the prosecution, the accountant had demanded Rs 15,000 from the president of Maa Saraswati Shiksha Samiti for the recognition of a school run by the society. The alleged demand was reduced to Rs 8,000. Following a complaint to Anti-Corruption Bureau, a trap was laid at the DEO’s office in Surajpur on June 30, 2014. The prosecution said the accountant accepted Rs 8,000 in tainted currency, and was apprehended. 

The amount was recovered from his pocket and chemical tests indicated handling of the currency. However, during the trial, the complainant stated that the accountant had never demanded a bribe from him. A witness said the complainant had forcibly put the money into the accountant’s pocket. HC noted none of the witnesses supported the crucial question of the demand for a bribe. 

The court also said the investigating officer had admitted no certificate under Section 65-B of Indian Evidence Act had been obtained for the electronic recording. No voice sample was taken and no forensic examination was conducted to establish that the voice in the recording belonged to the accountant.

Nothing wrong if people happily give tips to govt officials, says K’taka mantri, sparks row

Nothing wrong if people happily give tips to govt officials, says K’taka mantri, sparks row 

Ranjith Kandyatnn 21.09.2026

Hassan: Karnataka minister KM Shivalingegowda has waded into a row with his rem-ark that there is “nothing wr-ong” if people happily give “tips” or “honorarium” to govt officials. The Hassan district minister made the comment during a public-grievances meet here on Saturday, drawing sharp reactions from the public and opposition BJP in the state. 

Puneeth, a farmer who was there to highlight his land case, confronted the minister. “Officials are paid a salary. Why should we give them tips? Doesn’t this amount to encouraging bribery?” he said. 

People in attendance backed Puneeth and the meeting turned into chaos. Sensing the situation getting out of hand, Shivalingegowda tried to defend himself. “I meant officials should not extort money. I said honest workers should be respected, not that bribery should be encouraged,” he said. 

Deputy commissioner KS Latha Kumari pacified the protesters. “The minister’s statement has been misinterpreted. If officials demand bribes for work, stringent legal action will be taken against them,” she said. BJP MLC CT Ravi, in an X post, said while CM D K Shivakumar tells people to complain to him if anyone asks for even Rs 10 as a bribe, his ministers are asking people to “respectfully give bribes”. “It may be natural for you to receive or give bribes, minister, but not for the people of Karnataka,” he added.

Bank employees threaten nationwide strike from Sept 28

Bank employees threaten nationwide strike from Sept 28 

21.09.2026

The All India Bank Employees’Association (AIBEA) has threatened a three-day nationwide strike from Sept 28 if their long-pending demands remain unresolved. A key demand of bank employees is the introduction of holidays on all Saturdays of every month, a proposal that has remained pending for several years, reports Nikhil Bhute.

According to the AIBEA, the Centre had earlier agreed in principle to grant holidays on all Saturdays, subject to an increase in working hours on weekdays. However, AIBEA has alleged that govt has failed to honour its commitment.

Chennai Central gets e-bike rental service

Chennai Central gets e-bike rental service 

21.09.2026

Chennai: Passengers stepping out of Chennai Central railway station can now pick up an electric scooter instead of hailing an autorickshaw, with the Chennai division of Southern Railway launching an e-bike rental service on Thursday. 

The first-of-its-kind service in the division was inaugurated by I Senthil Kumar, Additional Divisional Railway Manager-II, Chennai division. 

Twenty electric two-wheelers are now available for rent at the station. The service is aimed at providing arriving passengers, commuters and tourists with an affordable and zero-emission option for last-mile travel across the city. 

To rent a vehicle passengers will have to fill out a registration form and submit personal details, a valid identity proof such as Aadhaar or driving licence, address details and an emergency contact before renting a vehicle. 

Fares start at 299 for three hours. The six-hour package costs 499, 12 hours 699 and 24 hours 999. The rental is subject to selected time or kilometre limit, whichever is reached first. The vehicle can be used within a 30-km radius of the station. Travel beyond this requires prior approval from rental service station. Extension is allowed once, after which it has to be returned and a fresh booking made. TNN 20 two-wheelers available

NEWS TODAY 20.09.2026

 

UP student (19) ‘bitten by snake’ 6 times in 6 weeks; family baffled 

20.09.2026

Muzaffarnagar: For a 19-year-old BSc student from Hathras district, repeated encounters with snakes have turned the past month and a half into a terrifying ordeal. In a bizarre sequence of events, the young woman is said to have allegedly been bitten by snakes six times in six weeks, with each incident leaving her family baffled and deeply worried, reports Mohammad Dilshad. 

The latest incident occurred Friday night, when a snake allegedly struck again, this time inside the bathroom of her home in Hathtas. Anita reported spotting a snake moments after she was bitten and was rushed to Bagla Combined District Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment. 

The incidents have left her family anxious. Her father, Narender Kumar Gautam, a driver, told TOI that Anita had been bitten thrice by a black snake and by a red one the other three times. “We are worried because this has happened six times in six weeks. She is unwell and undergoing treatment at the hospital,” he said. 

Local beliefs have only added to the family’s distress. The family said they had been asked whether Anita had ever killed or harmed a snake, based on a belief that snakes return to take revenge. Some people even claimed the incidents may have been linked to something in the woman’s past life. The family denied these claims, dismissing the theories as superstition. Chief medical superintendent at Bagla Combined District Hospital, Dr Surya Prakash said, “It could possibly be a rat bite,” he said.