On 2nd day, I-T officials collect financial data from BBC offices

Agartala: All preparations for conducting free, fair and peaceful elections to the 60-member Tripura Assembly on Thursday have been completed. The voting will be held under tight security from 7 am at 3,337 polling stations, out of which 1,100 are sensitive.

NIA RAIDS AT ISIS SYMPATHISERS IN TN, KERALA, KARNATAKA

New Delhi: In a major crackdown against ISIS sympathisers, the National Investigation Agency early Wednesday morning started raids at multiple locations across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in two separate blast cases under investigation, sources said.

India Condemns Defacing Of Ram Mandir In Canada

Ontario: Consulate General of India in Toronto has condemned the defacing of Ram Mandir in Mississauga with anti-India graffiti. It requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action against the perpetrators.

CHINA SHUTS DOWN CONSULAR OFFICE IN PAK TEMPORARILY

Islamabad: China has temporarily closed down the consular section of its embassy in Pakistan due to “technical issues”, days after advising Chinese citizens in this country to be cautious due to the deteriorating security situation.

Rajnath gives mantra for defence start-ups

Bengaluru: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said from now on the country should move forward.

“After 75 years of independence, we have got an opportunity to move forward on the path of ‘Design our Destiny’.

From now on, our mantra should be ‘Design our Destiny’, that is, we move forward towards with our efforts, abilities and resolve; Build it,” Rajnath said. P6

75% OF DEFENCE OUTLAY DOMESTIC

Bengaluru: India will spend 75 per cent of the total defence capital outlay for procurement from domestic defence manufacturers in 2023-24, Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

MQ-9B ENGINES WITH HAL’S MRO SUPPORT

Bengaluru: State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will provide maintenance support services for engines of American MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft System.

New Delhi (PTI): The Income Tax officials carried out survey operation against the BBC India for a second day on Wednesday, clocking over 34 hours in total, with the sleuths seeking explanations from select staffers and collecting electronic and paperbased financial data.

The taxman launched the action on Tuesday at the BBC’s Delhi and Mumbai offices along with at least two linked premises as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion by the British broadcaster in India. The survey began around 11:30 AM on Tuesday and they were in process till late evening on Wednesday.

WE SUPPORT FREE PRESS GLOBALLY: US “NO MEDIA WILL BE LEFT IN INDIA”: DIDI

Washington: The US said it supports the importance of a free press, freedom of expression and freedom of religion as universal rights which are the “bedrock of democracies” around the world, including in India. The remarks came a day after the Income Tax department carried out a survey operation at the BBC India offices.

SWEARING-IN OF 2019 BJP-NCP GOVT

Kolkata: West Bengal

CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday termed the Income Tax survey at the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai as “very unfortunate” and slammed the BJP government for “running a political vendetta” stating that the action against the broadcaster has affected the freedom of the press.