India News

Tehran, Oct 31 (IANS) Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered that any level and kind of threat from the "enemies" must be met with an "immediate and effective" response without geographical limitations, according to a statement published on the leader's website on Saturday. He made the remarks at a meeting with the Iranian armed forces' senior commanders, including Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Ali Abdollahi, Army's Chief Commander Amir Hatami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Ahmad Vahidi, the statement said. He stressed that if the "enemies" resume military or terrorist attacks against Iran, the Iranian armed forces and people will determine the time and conditions for the war's end, Xinhua news agency reported. Khamenei also highlighted the necessity to "strengthen the country's military intelligence architecture, deepen home-grown defence in terms of doctrine and tactics, and advance modern defence and security capabilities using cutting-edge technologies." The Supreme Leader emphasised that the country's bank of targets must be updated in such a way that "various tangible and intangible assets of the US-Israeli enemy are brought within the Iranian armed forces' reach." Custom Ad: Multiplex At the meeting, the senior military commanders presented reports on the armed forces' state of readiness, and briefed the Supreme Leader on the manifold rise in the country's production of various types of ammunition, as well as reconnaissance, support and combat weaponry. The Iranian Supreme Leader's remarks came amid heightened US threats of military action against Iran. The United States has told several Gulf countries to prepare for a brief but intense military campaign against Iran after the US midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the conversations. According to the report, the United States and Israel are preparing for another round of intense military operations against Iran. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. --IANS /as

Bhopal, Oct 31 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement's (ED) Bhopal Zonal Office has filed a charge sheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against former Panchayat CEO Shobhit Tripathi and two other persons before a special court here in a case relating to the alleged fraudulent disbursement of government funds under Madhya Pradesh’s Marriage Assistance Scheme. The scheme, introduced by the state government, provides financial assistance of Rs 51,000 to the daughters of registered poor construction workers. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Janpat Panchayat, Sironj, from 2019 to November 2021, Tripathi, in collusion with others, allegedly approved and disbursed Rs 30.18 crore across 5,923 suspicious marriage assistance cases, an ED press note said. The ED investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal, under Sections 420 and 409 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Sections 13(1)(e) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Tripathi and others, it said. Custom Ad: Multiplex According to the probe, forged and fabricated application forms and credentials of ineligible beneficiaries were used to fraudulently claim benefits under the scheme. Funds were transferred into bank accounts opened using the credentials of these ineligible persons without their knowledge. The amounts were then moved to makeshift bank accounts controlled by the accused and withdrawn in cash through multiple tranches. Investigators also found that benefits were extended to ineligible persons even during the Covid-19 lockdown period, when public marriages were prohibited, the ED said. On October 28, the ED attached various immovable properties belonging to Tripathi and his associate Hemant Sahu. Searches conducted in the matter led to the recovery of several incriminating documents. Tripathi was arrested on September 2 under the provisions of the PMLA and is currently under judicial custody, it said. The Enforcement Directorate has stated that further investigation in the case is in progress. The filing of the charge sheet marks a significant step in the agency’s efforts to recover proceeds of crime and hold the accused accountable for the alleged large-scale diversion of public funds meant for the welfare of poor construction workers’ families. --IANS sktr/vd

SCoR wraps Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 with integrity pledges, events, and awards promoting probity, transparency, and accountability across divisions.