DEHRADUN: Nineteen years ago, during Indian Military Academy’s passing out parade, then-President APJ Abdul Kalam bent down and held the hands of a bright-eyed three-year-old boy standing beside his father. “Ye fauji ka haath hai (These are the hands of a soldier),” he told the child. On Saturday, those words came full circle on the same parade ground as a strapping young man got commissioned into the Indian Army.Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh’s commissioning marked the continuation of a family tradition that stretches back to the early years of independent India. He is the fourth generation from his family to don the olive green, following a legacy that began with his great-grandfather, late Subedar Partap Singh, who joined the Army in 1948. He was followed by Harmanmeet’s grandfather, late Sepoy Daljeet Singh, and his grand-uncles — late Major Bhagwant Singh and Col Ujagar Singh (retd).The 22-year-old Kanpur native was awarded the Silver Medal at the Cadets Training Wing of Military College of Telecommunication Engineering under the technical entry scheme (46th course). He will serve with 6 Maratha Light Infantry, the regiment commanded by his father, Colonel Harmeet Singh.Col Harmeet graduated from IMA on Dec 9, 2000 — almost exactly 25 years before his son marched out of the gates. The Army, he said, had always been part of Harmanmeet’s world. Watching his father in uniform, Harmanmeet insisted on a miniature Army outfit with matching insignia and badges. “It was his favourite attire. Even as a three-year-old in kindergarten, he told his teacher he wanted to be a Gentleman Cadet,” Col Harmeet said.Between 2005 and 2007, Col Harmeet served as an instructor at IMA. It was during this period, in Dec 2006, that President Kalam visited as the reviewing officer for the PoP, at which he shook Harmanmeet’s tiny hand.Harmanmeet topped both Class X and Class XII. Though his father suggested he consider IIT — a path no one in the family had taken — Harmanmeet remained resolute about the Army. “He trained at the Officers Training Academy in Gaya under the technical entry scheme, spent three years at CTW at Military Headquarters of War near Indore, and reported to IMA in November,” said Col Harmeet.Harmanmeet’s mother, Harveen Reen — whom Col Harmeet calls their pillar of strength — said there could be no greater pride than seeing her husband and son serve the country together.For Lt Harmanmeet, the journey felt both inevitable and overwhelming. “I couldn’t dream of anything else after seeing my father in uniform and witnessing PoPs at IMA when he was an instructor. Today, I finally realised my dream,” he said.

Mumbai: A 36-year-old woman was arrested on Dec 11 by Goregaon police for allegedly blackmailing and extorting Rs 1.5 crore from a prominent city lawyer. She is in police custody and is being interrogated in connection with the extortion case. Investigators have identified four family members as co-conspirators and launched a special operation to arrest them. Police said the accused ensnared the lawyer in a honey trap, blackmailed him and threatened him for extortion. “In May 2024, he was introduced to the accused woman through a mutual friend. The accused, a resident of Jodhan-Jagatpur in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. After this introduction, they became good friends. In June 2024, he went to Geneva. During this time, the accused called him, and she was crying on the phone, so he inquired about her well-being. She said that her relatives were seriously ill and requested financial assistance of five lakh rupees. He then transferred two and a half lakh rupees to her online,” said a Goregaon police officer.The officer added that she later claimed she needed Rs 2.5 lakh for modelling work. During their conversation he had told her that he was married and had a daughter. In his complaint the lawyer said: “Despite this, she was still trying to persuade me to have a physical relationship with her. After that, she continuously demanded money from me citing various reasons. Sometimes she would say it was for shooting, and other times that she needed to go to her village, asking me to send Rs10 lakhs and Rs3 lakhs.“Another officer said the lawyer met her at the airport and gave her Rs3 lakhs and handed over another Rs10 lakhs to her sister. “In July 2024, the two of them went on a trip to Bali. There, she again demanded twenty lakh rupees from him. Since the Bali trip had been very expensive, he refused to give her the money,” said the officer. According to the FIR, the lawyer said: “Because of her continuous demands for money, I became somewhat cautious and decided to distance from her. When she realized this, she sent me some obscene photos of their physical relationship. She threatened to file a case against me for molestation and sexual assault if I didn’t meet her demands.”Police said she was blackmailing him by threatening to defame him on social media and in society. Fearing defamation, he paid another Rs 15 lakh between July 2024 and July 2025. Unwilling to endure further threats, the lawyer filed a complaint in October. The accused was arrested on Dec 11 and produced before the local court in Borivli, which remanded her to police custody. The police are currently searching for her parents and both sisters.

Kulendra Sharma at police station on Saturday

GUWAHATI: A retired junior warrant officer of the IAF has been arrested in Assam’s Tezpur on charges of spying for Pakistan, police said on Saturday. Kulendra Sharma has been booked under BNS for waging war against India, criminal conspiracy, endangering the country’s sovereignty, unity and integrity, and destroying evidence.Sonitpur district DSP (border) Haricharan Bhumij said Sharma’s phones and laptops were seized. “From our sources and the gadgets, we discovered he shared sensitive defence-related documents and information with the Pakistani intelligence agency. Identity of those with whom he shared information is being verified,” he said.Four persons were also arrested in Arunachal Pradesh on espionage charges in the state over the last few weeks. Three of them are from Kupwara district in Kashmir, while the identity of the fourth has not yet been disclosed by police.DSP Bhumij said Sharma’s electronic devices revealed that he shared crucial information related to national security “and received instructions from the other side on WhatsApp”. The seized mobiles and laptops will be sent to the forensic lab for further analysis. Police, after receiving confidential information about Sharma’s Pakistani connections, picked him up from his house in Patiachuburi locality of Tezpur.Sharma retired from IAF in 2002, and worked as a technical assistant in the department of electronics and communication engineering at Tezpur University before leaving his job three years ago.Tezpur is the headquarters of the Army’s IV Corps and has vast parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, including the Tawang frontier, under its operational jurisdiction. At Salonibari, just on the outskirts of Tezpur, IAF’s Sukhoi base is located.In Arunachal, Hilal Ahm-ed (26), a J&K resident, was apprehended from Aalo in West Siang district, while an unidentified individual was arrested at Miao in Changlang. Hilal, who arrived in Aalo from Papum Pare district on Nov 25 to sell clothes at a trade fair, was sending sensitive information to his handlers, police said. On Nov 22, Itanagar police arrested Nazir Ahmad Malik and Sabir Ahmed Mir, also from J&K and in touch with Pakistani handlers.

NEW DELHI: After a massive nationwide operation, Central Board of Direct Taxes acted against several intermediaries involved in filing income tax returns with bogus claims of deductions and exemptions under the Income Tax Act.The move followed actions in July 2025, covering 150 premises, during which more than 102 suspicious RUPPs were identified for their role in facilitating bogus donation-linked deductions. Data analytics had flagged over 2 lakh taxpayers who claimed suspicious deductions under Section 80GGC, adding up to Rs 5,500 crore routed through suspicious or non-existent RUPPs and a similar amount of bogus donations to non-genuine charitable organisations, said officials.The enforcement findings have also prompted reversals of bogus deductions by taxpayers. Around 54,000 have already corrected their filings and withdrawn ineligible claims worth approximately Rs 1,400 crore and updated their returns after CBDT nudged them to revise their returns.Most of these taxpayers claimed deductions below Rs 5 lakh and a few companies claimed very high deductions.The exercise also revealed how intermediaries had established networks of agents to file returns with incorrect claims on commission basis. An intermediary was found to be advertising guaranteed refunds in cinema halls and on social media. It was found that there was a syndicate of professionals who was operating through WhatsApp and Telegram channels to find taxpayers looking at reducing tax liability through fake donations to RUPPs or charitable organisations.Instances of misuse of CSR-linked trusts, which facilitated bogus donation receipts in exchange for cash-back, were found during the probe.“It was observed that huge amounts of bogus claims have been made on account of donation RUPPs or charitable institutions and reduced their tax obligations and have also claimed bogus refunds.Evidence gathered from enforcement actions indicated that RUPPs many of which were non-filers, non-operational at their registered addresses, and are not engaged in any political activity were being used as conduits for routing funds, hawala transactions, cross border remittances and issuing bogus receipts for donations,” an official statement said.

GCL set to kick off in Mumbai on Sunday

NEW DELHI: The Global Chess League (GCL) launched its Season 3 with an opening ceremony in Mumbai’s Royal Opera House on Saturday. The event showcased the championship trophy for this year’s competition, which will feature six teams competing across 34 matches starting December 14th.“The Global Chess League has firmly established itself as one of the premier destinations for chess, bringing elite competition to a global audience in a fresh, modern, and exciting format. The GCL has an important role in FIDE’s strategic effort to popularise the sport and make it more attractive to the broader audience. I am certain that Season 3 will continue this evolution, showcasing the world’s best players and reinforcing FIDE’s commitment to making top-level chess more engaging, inclusive, and globally accessible,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, President, FIDE.

The Triveni Continental Kings, led by Alireza Firouzja, Vidit Gujrathi, and Zhu Jiner, return as two-time champions seeking their third consecutive title.“India is the biggest country in chess right now. Playing here is very exciting, and I am looking forward to it,” said Firouzja at the pre-tournament press conference.The tournament features elite players including Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hou Yifan, Zhu Jiner, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and India’s Vishwanathan Anand.This season introduces a two-second increment after the 40th move.“I love having two seconds, even if it is after move forty. I grew up without increments, but it’s nice to have them anyway. Last year I played without increments and lost out on time!” noted Ganges Grandmasters’ Anand.“Increments are good because they add more good qualities to the game,” added Volodar Murzin of American Gambits.India’s chess prominence is highlighted by World Champion Gukesh D, alongside Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi.“I am happy that the Global Chess League is happening in India. It’s a great opportunity for all the Indian chess fans to come and watch the top players in the world. I am quite excited, looking forward to it,” said Erigaisi, who teams up with Gukesh for Alaskan Knights.The venue offers enhanced spectator experience with real-time commentary through headphones, AI-powered evaluation displays, and visual breakdowns.“World Rapid and Blitz (Championships) are for everyone. It’s a difficult year in GCL with many big games. We have the champion of the Grand Swiss, the World Cup. Having a shorter-format event before the championship is definitely good for our preparations,” said SG Pipers’ Praggnanandhaa.The tournament follows a double round-robin format over 10 days, with teams playing 10 group-stage matches before the Third-Place Playoff and Grand Finale on December 23.“Very excited to be here and to play in Mumbai. It’s a great feeling to see the league come to this city, and I hope fans come out to watch, feel the atmosphere, and experience the excitement up close,” said Mumba Masters’ Dronavalli.The season begins with an opening match between Triveni Continental Kings and Alpine SG Pipers.

KOCHI: The results of Kerala’s local body elections signal a significant shift in the state’s political landscape, with the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) emerging as the dominant force across most tiers of local governance. The UDF recorded notable gains at the expense of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which struggled to defend several strongholds.The elections, widely seen as a bellwether ahead of the 2026 assembly polls, also highlight a limited but visible expansion by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), particularly in urban centres such as Thiruvananthapuram. The UDF secured victories in four of the six corporations, reclaiming key cities from the LDF, which had dominated urban areas in 2020. Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kannur fell to the UDF, marking important inroads into long-held Left bastions.

The BJP-led NDA achieved a breakthrough by winning the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, while Kozhikode remained the LDF’s sole corporate stronghold. The UDF surge extended to municipalities, winning 54 of 86 seats and making gains in urban and semi-urban districts such as Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Malappuram, Kottayam and parts of Palakkad. The front also regained ground in Pathanamthitta and Idukki. The LDF retained control in certain traditional bastions—including parts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kozhikode, and Kannur municipalities.The NDA maintained a smaller presence but registered notable wins, retaining Palakkad municipality and capturing Tripunithura.Commenting on the Thiruvananthapuram win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala’s politics. The people are certain that the development aspirations of the state can only be addressed by our Party. Our Party will work towards this vibrant city’s growth and boost ‘Ease of Living’ for the people.“Everything that happened throughout the day

NDA: 21 seatsLDF: 20 seatsUDF: 12 seatsOthers: 0 seats

Some issues were reported at a few centres, including Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, and Vadakara, over entry of booth agents and candidates.The results are seen as an important indicator ahead of the 2026 Kerala assembly elections, shaping the future campaigning strategies of political parties and fronts in the state.The oath-taking ceremonies for elected panchayat members and municipal councillors will be held at 10 am on December 21, while corporation councillors will take oath at 11am the same day.

The five-match series shifts to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala for the 3rd T20I, with the series level at 1-1 after South Africa’s win in the last game. This scenic, high-altitude venue is famous for fast outfields, extra bounce, and dramatic conditions, promising a different challenge than the Mullanpur track.

Historically, the ground offers an even contest between bat and ball, with average first innings scores in the T20 format often in the 137-152 range, although recent IPL games have seen scores breach 200, indicating a potential for high-scoring matches. The pitch is known to offer good carry for pacers, aiding initial seam movement, but the true bounce also favors fluent strokeplay once the batters are set.

IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Dharamshala Weather Forecast

The match on Sunday, December 14, 2025, is expected to be played in cold conditions with temperatures ranging between a maximum of 14°C and a minimum of 9°C during the evening. While the high-altitude weather is volatile, current forecasts predict generally clear skies with a low chance of rain (some sources suggest a slight possibility of light drizzle).The cool, crisp December air at this altitude (approx. 1,300–1,450 meters) is ideal for spectators but challenging for player’s grip. The main weather-related concern remains the dew factor rather than rain interruptions, ensuring a full match is likely.

IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Dew Factor

The significant altitude of the HPCA Stadium, combined with the typical cool December evening, causes a heavy build-up of dew after sunset. This dew is expected to be a major game-changer, causing the ball to get wet, slick, and difficult to grip for bowlers in the second innings. The wet ball skids on the notoriously quick outfield, further aiding the chasing side by making it easier to hit through the line and concede boundaries. This effect neutralizes the threat of both spinners and pacers late in the game, amplifying the advantage for the team batting second, a characteristic seen in high-altitude night games here.

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IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Toss Prediction

Captains will likely choose to bowl first upon winning the toss for these key reasons:

• Dew Advantage: The significant evening dew makes bowling in the second innings extremely difficult, substantially boosting the chances of the team batting second.
• HPCA History: Although T20I wins are slightly balanced, the consistent presence of heavy dew strongly suggests the chasing team is highly favored in night games at this venue.
• Pacer’s Early Benefit: Bowling first allows the pace attack to exploit the extra bounce and potential seam/swing offered by the pitch with the hard, dry new ball before the dew settles.
• Batting Comfort: The high-altitude pitch provides true bounce and a fast outfield which is ideal for stroke-making, especially when the ball is wet and skidding on later in the match.

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Mumbai: To encourage cleanliness and increase participation of citizens in maintaining cleanliness in the city, the BMC will conduct a cleanliness competition named ‘Swachhata Manthan’ from Jan 1, 2026 to December 2026 in various categories such as a BMC ward, residential complex, commercial establishment, hospital, school, restaurant, gardens, roads/streets and market area among others with a total prize money of over Rs 4 crore. Celebrities and citizens will also be encouraged to adopt an area, while housing societies will be encouraged to adopt surrounding areas and maintain cleanliness there. In the clean residential complex category, the first prize will be Rs 15 lakh, the second prize is Rs 10 lakh and third being Rs 5 lakh.The clean commercial establishment category will have the same prize money.The categories in the competition also include clean slum area, clean community toilets, clean roads/streets, clean gardens and open spaces. Winners in each category will receive cash prizes and certificates. According to the civic body, celebrities and citizens will be encouraged to adopt an area or housing societies to adopt surrounding areas and maintain cleanliness there, through this competition. Chief Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have appealed to citizens and private establishments to participate in large numbers in this competition.For the special category of adopting surrounding areas for cleanliness, the first prize will be Rs 15 lakh, second Rs 10 lakh, third Rs 5 lakh. The evaluation of the entire competition will be carried out through a third-party agency. A grand prize distribution ceremony will be organized in December 2026 in the presence of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. Renowned film actor Akshay Kumar has expressed his willingness to voluntarily participate in all the initiatives.According to a civic release, celebrities from the field of films, sports and other fields, besides other citizens, should adopt an area and encourage others to participate in this competition and help maintain cleanliness. Similarly, housing societies should adopt surrounding areas and maintain cleanliness there. The application procedure for the competition, various categories for the competition, details of prizes and other details will be announced soon. Civic officials pointed out that the parameters for the competition will be set and evaluation of the competition will be carried out by BMC with the help of third party consultancy firms.

Mumbai: Daily commuters at Dadar on the Western Railway (WR)are set to get relief from persistent congestion, with an elevated deck planned to improve passenger circulation at one of Mumbai’s busiest suburban stations. The project aims to ease crowding on existing foot overbridges (FOBs) and ensure smoother movement during peak hours. Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited (MRVC), in coordination with WR, will begin construction of the elevated deck at Dadar West to improve inter-platform connectivity and commuter safety. Dadar, one of Mumbai’s busiest interchange stations, caters to more than five lakh commuters daily and has 15 platforms, with platforms 1 to 7 serving the Western Railway suburban network. The project will be implemented in two phases to minimise disruption to suburban train services. Phase I involves construction of an elevated deck measuring about 100 metres by 33 metres across platforms 1, 2 and 3. The deck will connect the two existing FOBs at the north end of the station, creating a wider circulation area for passengers.Phase I will be equipped with four staircases, four escalators and two lifts, designed to reduce bottlenecks and distribute passenger movement more evenly across platforms, officials said. Once Phase I is completed, Phase II will see the construction of an additional deck over platform number 1, measuring approximately 100 metres by 15 metres. This section will have two staircases, two escalators and one lift, further strengthening internal connectivity and improving accessibility for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and passengers with luggage.MRVC officials said the elevated deck design has already proved effective at several busy suburban stations such as Borivali, Andheri, Khar and Goregaon, where similar decks have been constructed. The model allows passengers to move at an elevated level instead of crowding platforms, helping improve safety and streamline boarding and alighting during peak hours.MRVC said the phased execution has been planned to allow work to proceed alongside regular train operations. “Dadar is among the busiest stations on the Western Railway suburban network. The elevated deck is being constructed in phases with careful planning to balance execution speed, commuter safety and uninterrupted rail operations. Once completed, it will ease passenger movement and reduce congestion on existing FOBs,” said Sunil Udasi, chief public relations officer, MRVC.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant

NEW DELHI: Unveiling details of his brain child ‘Unified Judicial Policy’ (UJP), CJI Surya Kant on Saturday said courts will give top priority to cases relating to personal liberty, ensure predictability in decisions relating to commercial and economic matters to foster investor confidence, and deal empathetically with disputes relating to family, consumers and social justice.Speaking at the Regional Judicial Conference at Jaisalmer, the CJI said citizens approach courts not only to seek remedies but with the hope that the law will be applied consistently, liberties will be guarded, rights will be clarified and govts will be held accountable.He said predictability of the justice delivery system, pruned of legal jargon, is important to further public understanding and maintain faith in the system. Predictability is rooted in consistency, reason, precedent and timely disposal, he said, adding, “investors look for it, accused persons rely on it, families hope for it and society depends on it.”“A justice system that operates unpredictably or without clear guiding principles inevitably weakens public confidence because litigants cannot anticipate how similar cases will be treated or when their matters will be resolved,” CJI Kant said. “When judicial outcomes reflect principled reasoning, consistent application of law and transparent evolution of doctrine, confidence in the courts is strengthened, as people come to understand justice is not dependent on chance but guided by established norms.”Technology has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice and enhances institutional efficiency. It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled.Justice systems, one headed by HCs in the states and the other operated nationally by SC, are not operating in parallel, he said while underscoring the need for UJP, under which technology will be the engine to ensure convergence of the two systems by harmonising procedural norms, prioritising cases, removing delays and formatting coherently judgments across jurisdictions. “But technology alone cannot sustain the Rule of Law; it must operate alongside the deeper constitutional traditions that anchor judicial behaviour and preserve institutional coherence,” he said.CJI Kant said uniformity in judgment and reasoning is a must in cases of similar nature. “A Unified Judicial Policy is not merely an administrative doctrine; it is the architecture of constitutional confidence. It strengthens the idea that our courts are not isolated entities but parts of one Republic, driven by common values, delivering coherent justice,” he said.“Ultimately, the measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served,” he stressed.