NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has said it is mandatory to grant a hearing to the victim while deciding bail to an accused under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, failing which the bail would be deemed legally unsustainable. Interpreting Section 15A(5) of the SC/ST (POA) Act, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan said the provision makes it compulsory that the victim or their counsel must be afforded a meaningful opportunity of being heard while considering a bail application and bail can be cancelled on the ground of violation of this section.Casteist violence bail clause not right to favourable outcome: SC The bench clarified that the provision guarantees an opportunity to be heard, not a right to a favourable outcome or to a detailed adjudication of every objection raised by the victim. “Once the victim has been notified, permitted to participate, and allowed to place objections on record, the statutory mandate stands satisfied,” it said. “It is beyond cavil that section 15A(5) incorporates the principle of audi alteram partem (hear the other side) for victims under the SC/ST (POA) Act. Where such a right is conferred, the court must provide the victim or their dependent an opportunity of audience, either personally or through counsel, including the special public prosecutor. The statutory right to be heard presupposes that the victim is made aware of the proceedings and is not excluded therefrom,” the bench said. Referring to earlier verdicts of SC, the bench said, “The court approved the view taken by Gujarat HC in Hemal Ashwin Jain case which categorically held that failure to provide the victim an opportunity of being heard in bail proceedings constitutes a failure of justice, rendering the order legally unsustainable. This court concluded that the victim or dependent is an active stakeholder in proceedings under the SC/ ST (POA) Act and that compliance with Sections 15A(3) and 15A(5) is mandatory”. The court passed the order on a plea seeking cancellation of bail of an accused. Though the bench said that there was no violation of Section 15A(5) as the victim was given hearing, it, however, quashed the bail order of Madras HC on the ground that the criminal antecedent of the accused was not considered by HC. The top court said the high court order suffers from fatal infirmities as it ignored that the bail for the accused in another case was cancelled after the death of a material witness when he was out on bail. The criminal antecedents of the accused were expressly placed before HC and were recorded in the impugned judgment but HC failed to draw any conclusion from them, it said.

The US department of health & human services has announced that they will cut all the child care payments to the state of Minnesota. “We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota. We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,” HHS said in a statement. “You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.”In a post on X, deputy secretary Jim O’ Neil said that they have have activated the defend the spend system for all ACF payments. Starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before the money being sent to a state.“We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota. We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,” HHS said in a statement. “You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.”In a post on X, deputy secretary Jim O’ Neil said that they have have activated the defend the spend system for all ACF payments. Starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before the money being sent to a state.“Alex Adams and I have identified the individuals in @nickshirleyy’s excellent work. I have demanded from @GovTimWalz a comprehensive audit of these centers. This includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, and inspections,” he wrote. “We have launched a dedicated fraud-reporting hotline and email address at https://childcare.gov Whether you are a parent, provider, or member of the general public, we want to hear from you,” he added.This came as YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a video exposing the Minnesota fraud as he found out a learning center that received $4 million in state funds, but there was no activity in the center and even the signboard misspelled ‘learning’ and ‘learing’. In the video, a woman was seen yelling not to open the gate of the learning center as she feared that it was ICE. Shirley asked the woman whether she thought he or the other man were immigration agents and identified himself as an online commentator.“Go away. You’re not welcome here. Shame on you,” the woman told Shirley.

JHANSI: A servant couple allegedly kept a retired railway employee and his mentally ill daughter confined in their own home for five years, allegedly out of greed for property in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh.During this period, the elderly man died due to lack of proper care and food, while the daughter was reduced to a ‘skeletal frame’ due to extreme malnutrition. The incident occurred in Hind Tyre Gali in the city Kotwali area, where 70-year-old retired senior clerk Omprakash Singh Rathore and his 27-year-old daughter Rashmi were allegedly held captive in their own home.

According to the deceased’s brother Amar Singh, after Omprakash’s wife’s death in 2016, he started living in a separate house with his daughter.Also read: Locked, starved, forgotten: How servant couple turned UP home into a slow death chamber He employed Ramprakash Kushwaha, a resident of Charkhari, and his wife Ramdevi to take care of them. It was alleged that the servant couple took over the entire house and confined the father and daughter to the lower rooms, while they lived in the upper rooms and starved them. Whenever relatives came to meet them, the servant couple allegedly made excuses and sent them away, saying that both of them did not want to meet anyone. They would say that it had been clearly stated from their side that they did not want to meet any relatives. Hearing this, the relatives would return. When relatives reached the house on Monday after receiving news of Omprakash’s death, they were stunned by the scene there. Omprakash’s body had completely dried up. Rashmi was found in a naked state in a dark room. Relatives said that due to hunger, the 27-year-old’s body had become extremely weak, with only bones remaining and breath still running. They alleged that her condition resembled that of an elderly woman due to prolonged starvation. Relatives alleged that the servant carried out the incident in a planned manner out of greed for the house and bank balance, and had put up a nameplate outside the house in which he wrote himself as the deceased’s son.Upon receiving information about the incident, police reached the spot, took custody of the body and sent it for postmortem. Investigation into the matter is ongoing. CO City Arun Kumar Singh said that the reality will become clear after the postmortem report. “If they were not allowed to meet, a complaint should have been filed with the police. But this was not done. Every aspect is being investigated thoroughly”, CO added.

Oman have finally announced their 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will mark the fourth appearance for the Asian underdogs in World Cups. Jatinder Singh has been named as the captain of the side.

They have made three major changes to the squad from the one that featured in the Asia Cup 2025. The upcoming ICC T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and will comprise a total of 20 teams in the tournament.

India is the defending champion of the competition, while Oman has matches scheduled across venues in Sri Lanka. Oman could not advance to the Super-4 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup, after they lost all matches in the group stage.

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Oman announces 15-member squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

The 20-team tournament is scheduled to begin on the 7th of February, and Oman will be starting their campaign against Zimbabwe in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Going into the tournament, they will be playing warm-up games against Zimbabwe on the 3rd of February and then feature against Sri Lanka A for the final warm-up game on the 6th in Colombo.

The Oman World Cup team features three new inclusions in the final 15: Wasim Ali, Jay Odedra and Karan Sonavale, while Aamir Kaleem, Sufyan Yousuf, Aryan Bisht, Zikria Islam and Mohammed Imran are among the players from the Asia Cup squad who have been dropped.

Oman T20 World Cup squad: Jatinder Singh (captain), Vinayak Shukla (vice-captain), Mohammed Nadeem, Shakeel Ahmad, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Faisal Shah, Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Hassnain Ali Shah, Shafiq Jan, Jay Odedra, Jiten Ramanandi, and Ashish Odedara.

Oman manager points out the team’s mentality to play against a tough group

Oman has been placed in the same group as Zimbabwe, hosts Sri Lanka, Ireland and lastly, the mighty Australians. The journey will begin on the 9th of February at the Lankan capital of Colombo, and then the action shifts to Kandy, where they will clash against the host side.

The next two matches will be against Ireland in Colombo and against Australia in Kandy on the 14th and 20th of February. These will mark the end of the group-stage matches for Oman. Speaking on his team’s behalf, manager Alkesh Joshi claimed that “This is our fourth appearance at the World Cup, and our objective this time is to make an impact. We have made very careful selection decisions, keeping that objective in mind.”

He expressed high confidence and kept faith in his selections and acknowledged the efforts of players and all the coaching staff. “It is a tough group, but we are extremely confident in the squad and in the team that we have selected. The players are highly motivated and eager to go out and make a mark for themselves in this World Cup,” he concluded.

Head coach Duleep Mendis’ optimistic insights following the Team selections

Oman have selected a completely robust squad full of youngsters. A total of 11 of the 15 players selected will be making their debut in a World Cup, bringing a sense of freshness to the team. Moreover, the belief within the team has been reinforced by their performance and improvement over the last six months.

Giving his opinion on the announced squad, the head coach Duleep Mendis claimed, “We have a good combination and mix of players. The majority of the players will be getting their maiden World Cup experience, but this will be good for them.”

“The players know that this is our fourth World Cup, and it is time for Oman to make their presence felt as mere participation is not enough. It is time for us to get some positive results this time,” he added.

ALSO READ: ICC announces shocking pitch ratings for India vs South Africa Tests in Kolkata, Guwahati

DEHRADUN: The family of Anjel Chakma, the young Tripura native killed in Dehradun earlier this month, pushed back sharply against the city police chief’s public dismissal of racial slurs as a motive behind the murder – a claim central to the family’s version of events and backed, they say, by the firsthand account of Anjel’s brother, Michael, who witnessed the attack. Momen Chakma, Anjel’s uncle and among the first relatives to arrive in the city after the assault, said the police were choosing to ignore the words of the only eyewitness. “Michael is not just a family member, he’s the complainant in the case. He was there when it happened. The incident lasted minutes – how do you expect anyone to stop and film something like that?” he told TOI Tuesday. “Instead of listening to the person who saw it unfold, they are issuing public statements without even completing the investigation.“ Faced with mounting questions, Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh clarified Tuesday that Michael’s complaint only mentioned “casteist slurs”. He said, “The family stayed in Dehradun until Dec 27 but did not mention racial slurs to the police…If they want to share additional information, we are open to including it in the probe.”If the family of Tripura native Anjel Chakma is saying this (racial slurs motive behind the murder) now, we are not aware of it. However, the case is still under investigation,” Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh said. Police were gathering all possible evidence to build a strong case before filing the chargesheet, he added. Dehradun police, citing ethnic background of some of the accused, had said they found no indication of racial provocation in the case. The family, still grieving, called this “premature and deeply dismissive”. Anjel, 24, and his younger brother Michael, were in Dehradun when they were allegedly attacked by a group of six men after objecting to their disruptive behaviour. According to Michael and other family members, the attackers shouted racial slurs – words like “chinki”, “Chinese”, and “momo” – before turning violent. Michael sustained injuries, and Anjel later died of his wounds. “It’s not just about one word or one insult,” Momen said. “It’s about whether our voices are even considered valid when we speak.” SSP Singh had on Monday pointed out that two of the six accused were from Manipur and Nepal, which, he said, made a racial motive unlikely. That reasoning has since triggered public criticism, particularly from members of North-East civil society and activists familiar with the region’s complex ethnic and linguistic diversity.

Suryakumar Yadav, Khushi Mukherjee

Actress and model Khushi Mukherjee has made a public claim involving Indian men’s T20I team captain Suryakumar Yadav, saying that the batter had sent her messages frequently in the past.Speaking at a recent event, Khushi said that Suryakumar used to message her often earlier, but they are no longer in touch. When asked by a reporter if she wanted to date a cricketer, Khushi said she does not want to be linked with any player.“I don’t want to date any cricketer. There are so many cricketers after me. Suryakumar Yadav used to message me a lot,” Khushi said.She further added, “Now we don’t talk much, and I don’t even want to be associated. I don’t like any link-ups involving me.”Suryakumar Yadav has not responded to these statements so far.Meanwhile, Suryakumar and his wife Devisha Shetty recently visited the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, where they offered prayers on the occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi.Suryakumar last played for India in the recent T20I series against South Africa, where he led the team to a 3-1 series win. He is next set to captain India in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January 2026. The series will act as preparation for the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.India will enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 in Barbados, where they defeated South Africa in the final.

Who is Khushi Mukherjee?

Khushi Mukherjee is a Bollywood actress and model who has also appeared on reality television, including MTV Splitsvilla. Her comments about Suryakumar Yadav gained attention online and led to increased searches for her name.She has also worked in Indian television shows, including SAB TV’s fantasy series Balveer Returns and the mythological show Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram on &TV.In recent times, Khushi has been in the public eye for her fashion choices.

Agartala: Tripura Police, in a joint operation with Assam Police STF and central agencies, arrest suspected JMB offshoot member Jagir Miah from a border village, in Agartala. (PTI Photo)

GUWAHATI: Assam police busted a module of Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK) with the arrest of 11 alleged operatives of the Bangladesh-based Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) offshoot formed in 2018. Investigators said IMK expanded its base in the state after Bangladesh’s Aug 2024 regime change that led to the exit of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Of the 11 people held by Assam police’s Special Task Force (STF), 10 were picked up from Assam and one from Tripura in operations since late Monday night. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma acknowledged the threat from such modules. “Fundamentalists are definitely active in Assam. The issue will remain for long as Bangladesh is Assam’s neighbouring country,” Sarma said. STF chief and Guwahati police commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said IMK used encrypted social media groups to radicalise and recruit youths in Assam and nearby states, spread propaganda, raise funds through hawala and UPI channels, and facilitate cross-border travel for training. “Probe revealed that following the regime change in Bangladesh in Aug 2024, top leaders of JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) issued directions to IMK leadership to activate and expand its Indian modules. Bangladeshi nationals Umar and Khalid were assigned to coordinate Assam-based activities. The head of the Assam cell is one Nasim Uddin alias Tamim of Barpeta Road in Barpeta district in Assam,” Mahanta said. Nasim Uddin was among those 11 arrested. Multiple charges under BNS, 2023 and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 were slapped on the suspects. Mahanta said IMK, banned in India, was formed by Jewel Mahmud alias Imam Mahmud Habibullah alias Sohail, described as a former JMB member who claims to be the amir (leader) of IMK and propagates the ideology of “Ghazwatul Hind (Battle against India)”. Mahanta said IMK propagated an ideology aligned with proscribed transnational jihadi organisations and operated through secure social media platforms. “One such social media group is ‘Purva Akash’, which functions as a principal communication and recruitment platform. People from Assam, Bengal and Tripura were being radicalised, recruited, financially mobilised. IMK disseminates extremist propaganda advocating violent jihad and the armed conquest of India.“ Investigators found that some Assam-based IMK operatives had travelled to Bangladesh earlier this year on valid passports and visas for training and coordination, Mahanta further said.

File Pic: Shubman Gill inspects the pitch at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI Photo)

MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council match referee, former West Indies captain Richie Richardson has given a ‘satisfactory’ rating to vicious turning track for the first Test between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, played from Nov 14-16, which ended inside three days, with the visitors winning by 30 runs. The pitch for the second and final Test of the series, at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, received a ‘very good’ rating from the ICC. South Africa won that match by 408 runs to clinch the series 2-0 – their first series win in India in 25 years.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Significantly, the MCG pitch for the Boxing Day Ashes Test between Australia and England, which ended inside two days, was rated as “unsatisfactory” by the ICC match referee for the game, Jeff Crowe. As a result, the MCG received one demerit point.

The Kolkata Test saw South Africa being bowled out for 159 & 153, while India were shot out for 189 and 93, while chasing 124 in the fourth and final innings on Day Three. The only half-century of the match was scored by South African captain Temba Bavuma, who hung around for a courageous 55 not out off 136 balls in the second innings.Thriving on a pitch which had inconsistent bounce – several balls bounced awkwardly or shot though low – and sharp turn right from Day One, the likes of India pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who took five for 27 in 14 overs on Day One, South Africa’s veteran off-spinner Simon Harmer (four for 30 in 15.2 overs and four for 21 in 14 overs for a match haul of eight for 51), Marco Jansen (3-35 & 2-15) Ravindra Jadeja (4-50 in second innings) proved to be virtually impossible to negotiate.

Post the match, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the Eden Gardens pitch, saying: “There was no demon in this wicket. It was not an unplayable one. This was not a typical turning track. Majority of the wickets were claimed by the seamers. It was more of a test of your technique and mental toughness… Those who defended well scored runs. This is exactly what we wanted but when you don’t play well, this is what happens.”However, before the second Test in Guwahati, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak took a completely different stance than Gambhir, asserting that the pitch had developed an unexpected turn and was already dusty and was also crumbling.“In the last match, as we all saw, the pitch was dusty and was also crumbling a bit. That was unexpected. We thought that the spinners would come into play properly from the third day. Even the curators didn’t expect that. Seeing that much turn on the second day is not normal. It probably happened because the top layer was dry and the pitch underneath was hard since it was rolled a lot,” Kotak had said in the pre-match press conference.

NEW DELHI: The outgoing year (2025) will be remembered for India’s focus on reforms as a continuous national mission, PM Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, asserting that his govt prioritised collaboration over control and facilitation over regulation in the true spirit of a modern democracy. “What makes the reforms of 2025 significant is not only their dimension but also their underlying philosophy. We modernised institutions, simplified governance, and strengthened the foundations for long-term inclusive growth,” he said, citing a host of measures. Asking investors to keep trusting India and investing in its people, he said in a post on LinkedIn, that the country’s youthful demography is the prime engine of “Reform Express”, a term he first used earlier this month during Parliament’s winter session to underscore his govt’s commitment to fast-paced reforms across sectors. These reforms, which included opening up of nuclear sector to private players, higher education, 100% FDI in insurance sector, and introduction of four labour codes to cover a complex web of 29 laws, were designed with empathy, recognising the realities of small businesses, young professionals, farmers, workers and the middle class. “They were shaped by consultation, guided by data and anchored in India’s constitutional values. They add momentum to our decade-long efforts to move away from a control-based economy to one that operates within a framework of trust, keeping the citizen at its core. These reforms are aimed towards building a prosperous and self-reliant India,” he said. He emphasised that his govt will continue pursuing the reform agenda in the coming years. Amid opposition’s determined protest against his govt’s decision to bring G RAM G Act in replace UPA-era MGNREGA, he said provisions of the new law raise employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days, resulting in increased spending towards strengthening village infrastructure and livelihoods. In Parliament’s monsoon session, he said five landmark maritime legislations were passed to simplify documentation, make dispute resolution easier and reduce logistics costs, replacing outdated Acts. Modi said GST slab rationalisation will ensure dispute reduction and better compliance and has boosted consumer sentiment and demand, while tax break for individuals earning upto Rs 12 lakh is an “unparalleled relief for the middle class”. These reforms mark India’s move towards a transparent, technology-driven tax administration, he said. Modi said that trade deals with New Zealand, Oman and Britain will add to investments, job creation and encourage local entrepreneurs. He said a bill introduced in Parliament will lead to establishment of a single, unified higher education regulator in ‘Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan’ to replace overlapping bodies (UGC, AICTE and NCTE, etc). “Institutional autonomy will be strengthened, with innovation and research boosted,” he said. In a boost to small and medium businesses, the definition of “small companies” has been expanded to include firms with turnovers up to Rs 100 crore, reducing compliance burdens and associated costs for thousands of firms. Another bill will enhance governance norms in Sebi and investor protection.