Punjab Governor Kataria Calls Upon All Political, Social and Religious Organizations to Unite Against Drugs

Kataria concludes four-day anti-drug padyatra

Abohar/Fazilka, February 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

The four-day anti-drug padyatra led by the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, across the state’s border districts concluded on Thursday at DAV College, Abohar. On the final day, a padyatra against drugs was taken out from Railway Station Abohar to DAV College, witnessing enthusiastic participation from various sections of society.

Vice-Chancellors of universities, principals of schools and colleges, representatives of NGOs and social organizations, along with other eminent personalities, joined the march in large numbers and pledged their commitment to building a drug-free Punjab.

Addressing the gathering, the Governor emphasized that eliminating the menace of drugs is not solely the responsibility of the government but a shared responsibility of society as a whole. He said that only through collective efforts can Punjab regain its vibrant identity as “Rangla Punjab.” He stressed the need for sustained and determined action to eradicate the evil of drugs from its roots.

Drawing inspiration from history, Shri Kataria said that the sacrifices of the Gurus and the bravery of the nation’s soldiers should motivate citizens to fight social evils. “When our soldiers can lay down their lives for the protection of the nation, we must also resolve to eliminate the menace of drugs,” he said, adding that it is both a moral and religious duty to uproot this evil.

The Governor noted that the state government is actively running an anti-drug campaign and called upon educational institutions, religious bodies, social organizations, political parties, panchayats and the general public to unite in this mission. He highlighted that collective participation is essential to ensure the campaign’s success.

Referring to external threats, he stated that hostile forces are attempting to weaken Punjab’s youth by smuggling drugs through drones. However, he assured that the government has taken stringent measures, including the deployment of anti-drone systems, to counter such conspiracies.

In his concluding remarks, the Governor reiterated that the fight against drugs can only be won through united efforts. He expressed confidence that with the active support of the people of Punjab, the state will soon achieve success in its mission to eradicate drugs.

Later, addressing students in the auditorium of DAV College, he urged them to prioritize education for a bright future and to actively contribute to the movement against drugs.

Chhattisgarh: Two undertrial prisoners escape police custody while being produced in Raipur court

Raipur, Feb 12, 2026
Panic gripped the court complex in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur on Thursday as two undertrial prisoners managed to escape from police custody while being produced for their hearing, exposing yet another security lapse in the state’s judicial and prison system.

The incident occurred this morning at the Raipur District Court premises when the accused, both facing charges of attempt to murder and other serious offences, were brought from Raipur Central Jail for routine proceedings.

According to police officials, the escaped prisoners, Rajesh Markandey and Tularam Markandey, were in judicial custody on charges of attempted murder and other serious charges.

It is reported that they were under the supervision of the court clerk during their hearing. They took advantage of the opportunity and escaped. Police are conducting raids at possible hideouts.

The duo exploited a momentary lapse in escort security, breaking free from the holding area or during transit within the court compound and fleeing the premises amid the chaos.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion as court staff, lawyers, and security personnel scrambled to respond, with alarms raised immediately.

The escapees were reportedly handcuffed but managed to slip away, possibly by overpowering or outmanoeuvring the accompanying constables.

Senior police officials rushed to the spot and launched a massive search operation. Teams from multiple police stations, including special squads, have been deployed across the city and surrounding areas.

Checkpoints have been set up on major highways, bus stands, railway stations, and other exit points, while raids are underway at known hideouts and associates’ residences.

Alerts have also been issued to neighbouring districts and states. This latest breach comes against the backdrop of recurring security concerns in Chhattisgarh’s jails and courts.

A notable incident in August 2025 occurred when a drug convict fled during maintenance work. Similar escapes have occurred in other districts like Korba and Jashpur, often highlighting overcrowding, understaffing, and inadequate surveillance.

An FIR under relevant sections for escape from lawful custody has been registered at Civil Lines police station, and efforts to recapture the fugitives are intensifying.(Agency)

CCI slaps Rs 27.38 crore fine on Intel over its India specific warranty policy for boxed microprocessors

New Delhi, Feb 12, 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday imposed a penalty of Rs 27.38 crore on chip-maker Intel Corporation (Intel) for its India specific warranty policy in respect of boxed microprocessors.

The Commission, considering the fact that the India specific warranty policy was in place for eight years, imposed penalty at 8 per cent on the average relevant turnover of Intel.

However, considering the mitigating factors including the discontinuation of the aforesaid policy with effect from 01.04.2024, the Commission reduced the amount and imposed a penalty of Rs 27.38 crore on Intel.

The Commission has also directed Intel to widely publicise the withdrawal of the impugned India Specific Warranty Policy, and submit a compliance report.

The watchdog passed an order under the provisions of Section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002 (Act) for contravention of provisions of Section 4 of the Act.

CCI said in a statement that the case originated from the information filed by Matrix Info Systems Private Limited under Section 19 (1)(a) of the Act.

“The Informant alleged that Intel amended its warranty policy for India with effect from 25.04.2016. As per this new policy, Intel would entertain warranty requests for Intel Boxed Microprocessors in India only when the same are purchased from an authorised Indian distributor of Intel (‘India Specific Warranty Policy’),” the statement added.

As a result of this India specific warranty policy, “Intel did not acknowledge warranty requests on its BMPs that are purchased from its authorised distributors in the rest of the world and instead redirected them to the country of purchase to avail the warranty”.

The CCI held Intel to be dominant in the relevant market of Boxed Micro Processors for desktops in India.

The Commission found India Specific Warranty Policy discriminatory in comparison with Intel’s warranty policies in China, Australia and rest of the world.

It also found the policy to have “limited the choice of consumers and parallel importers and thereby causing an appreciable adverse effect on Indian consumers”. Accordingly, the Commission found the conduct of Intel in contravention of provisions of Section 4 of the Act.(Agency)

Zayn Malik is not interested in another ‘public’ relationship

Los Angeles, Feb 12, 2026
Singer-songwriter Zayn Malik is getting candid about his love life. The singer, 33, opened about whether he wants to be in another public relationship.

The singer has said that he is not interested in a public relationship again, reports ‘People’ magazine.

He told ‘Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper, “I’m not looking for a public relationship again. Just out of experience. No offense to anybody that I have been in public relationships with before. I’ve just learned from it that it don’t work for me, you know?”.

He went on, “I’m quite a private person. I don’t really strive for people’s approval or attention, so the relationship should really be between me and that person. I think that personality type, someone who doesn’t want to do that, would be more suited to me”.

As per ‘People’, the singer, born Zain Javadd Malik, has previously dated fellow musician Perrie Edwards and model Gigi Hadid. He and Hadid welcomed a daughter named Khai in 2020.

Malik also confirmed that he isn’t currently dating anybody in the interview. Alex Cooper, 31, then asked about the ‘Pillow Talk’ artist’s past dating habits, mentioning that he once revealed that he was on the dating app Tinder.

“No one ever believed it was me, to be honest with you, so it didn’t really work for me”, he said of his experience.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Malik spoke about his 2024 claim where he said, “I don’t know if I’ve actually truly been in love at this point. My understanding of love is always developing. At that moment in time, I might have thought it was love, but as I got older, I realized maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was lust. Maybe it was this, maybe it was that. I don’t feel like it was love”.

Speaking about Hadid, he shared, “To be fair, just to say this on the record, I will always love G, because she is the reason my child is on this Earth, and I have the utmost respect for her. I will always love her, but I don’t know if I was ever in love with her”.(Agency)

Jharkhand HC grants interim relief to aspirants seeking age relaxation in JPSC Civil Services exam

Ranchi, Feb 12, 2026
The Jharkhand High Court has granted interim relief to 22 candidates seeking relaxation in the upper age limit for the Jharkhand Public Service Commission’s (JPSC) 14th Civil Services Examination.

Hearing a petition filed by Kishore Kumar and others on Thursday, Justice Ananda Sen directed the JPSC to accept the petitioners’ applications, ensuring they are not excluded from the recruitment process.

However, the court made it clear that the declaration of their results and any subsequent appointments will be subject to the final court order.

The petitioners, represented by advocate Amritansh Vats, argued that under the 2021 Recruitment Rules, the Civil Services Examination is to be conducted annually. They contended that as a result of the irregular conduct of the examination, several candidates crossed the upper age limit, and no relaxation has been given to them.

The plea further pointed out that while the upper age limit was relaxed in the previous two examinations, the cut-off date for calculating the maximum age in the current examination has been fixed as August 1, 2026. According to the petitioners, this has made many candidates ineligible; however, the delay is purely due to the Commission.

After hearing the arguments, the court directed the Commission to accept the applications of the petitioners so that they are not deprived of an opportunity to compete. It reiterated that their participation would remain provisional and subject to the court’s final decision.

The next date of hearing will be notified later.

The JPSC recently issued an advertisement for the 14th Civil Services Examination, with online applications opening on January 31. The last date to apply is February 14, while the examination fee can be paid until 5 p.m. on February 16.

A total of 103 posts are to be filled through the examination. These include 28 Deputy Collector posts, 42 Deputy Superintendent of Police posts, 10 State Public Relations Officer posts, 10 Assistant Municipal Commissioner/Executive Officer posts, four Probation Officer posts, three Assistant Director (Women and Child Development) posts, two Jail Superintendent posts, two District Superintendent posts, and two Assistant Registrar posts.(Agency)

Rajpal Yadav has paid half the amount in cheque bounce, says actor’s manager

Mumbai, Feb 12, 2026
Actor Rajpal Yadav’s manager, Bhaskar Upadhyay has said that half the amount in the financial insolvency case of the actor has been paid off.

The manager has said that they had sought adjournment of the hearing on Thursday because the bail they have filed is answerable to the other party. The manager said that he will meet Rajpal Yadav in jail and take instructions from him regarding the payment, and what he has to say about the payment.

He said that the answers for the above questions are likely to emerge on Monday. He said, “The money that was invested from the investment purpose has not been denied to. Earlier also when there was talk of money, the company had refused to take money.

Negotiations are underway on the 2012 agreement, in which three months have already been served. I can’t say anything about who gave money to Rajpal Yadav, it is a family matter. I will personally go to the jail and tell him how it needs to be done. Out of the five crores so far, two and a half crores have been given, see what the court decides on Monday”.

For the unaware, actor Rajpal Yadav surrendered to the police after the Delhi High Court directed him to do so in connection with multiple cheque bounce cases. Rajpal Yadav, who had taken a loan to make his film ‘Ata Pata Laapata’ in 2010, was unable to repay the loan. In 2018, a magisterial court sentenced the actor and his wife to a six-month jail term.

In 2019, a sessions court upheld the verdict. When the actor and his wife approached the Delhi High Court in 2024 for relief, the court temporarily suspended the sentence taking into consideration the fact that the actor and his wife were not habitual offenders.

It allowed time for resettlement. However, the actor was unable to repay the debt. A single-judge Bench of Swarana Kanta Sharma deprecated the actor’s conduct after noting his repeated failure to honour settlement commitments despite being granted several opportunities.(Agency)

‘Have you filed this for media publicity?’: SC refuses to entertain Jairam Ramesh plea on ex‑post facto clearances

New Delhi, Feb 12, 2026
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a writ petition filed by Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh challenging the grant of ex-post facto environmental clearances (EC).

In November last year, a three-judge Bench had allowed a review petition and recalled its earlier May 2025 judgment in the Vanashakti case, which had restrained the Union government from granting post-facto ECs.

The review judgment had revived the 2017 notification and 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) that permitted such retrospective clearances.

Observing that Ramesh’s plea was, in effect, an attempt to seek a review of its earlier judgment, a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the maintainability of the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

“At the outset, for what purpose has this been filed? You are very well aware that now a three-judge Bench has taken a view,” the CJI-led Bench remarked.

When the petitioner’s counsel submitted that the present plea challenged the 2017 and 2021 OMs as well as a fresh OM issued in January 2026, the apex court sought to know how a writ petition could be maintained against a decision that had already been upheld by the Supreme Court.

“How is this writ maintainable? The government has issued a notification in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment. By challenging it, you are indirectly seeking a review of that judgment. How is it possible?” the bench asked.

It reiterated that if the grievance was against the November 2025 verdict, the appropriate remedy would be to file a review petition and not a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

“Why did you not file a review? In a writ petition, how can you seek review of a judgment? If you do so, be ready to face exemplary costs,” the bench cautioned, adding: “Have you filed this for media publicity?”

Sensing the apex court’s disinclination to entertain the matter and its warning of costs, the petitioner’s counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea.

The bench allowed the withdrawal and dismissed the petition as withdrawn, granting liberty to avail remedies in accordance with law.

In May 2025, the Supreme Court quashed the 2017 notification and 2021 OM permitting retrospective environmental clearances for projects that had commenced or expanded without prior approvals under the 2006 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification.

Subsequently, a review petition was filed by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers of India (CREDAI), contending that the May 2025 ruling caused significant hardship to the real estate sector and interdependent industries.

In November 2025, a three-judge Bench comprising then CJI B.R. Gavai, and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K. Vinod Chandran allowed the review petition by a majority, thereby reviving the mechanism for grant of ex-post facto ECs.

Allowing the review, the majority judgment observed that several large-scale public projects, involving investments of around Rs 20,000 crore, would face demolition if retrospective clearances were not restored, and that such demolitions would themselves result in further environmental damage.

However, Justice Bhuyan delivered a strong dissent, holding that no ground for review was made out and reiterating that ex-post facto environmental clearances are “alien to environmental jurisprudence”.(Agency)

Kerala HC gives state final chance to file counter in land allotment case

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12, 2026
The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted the state government a final two weeks to file its counter affidavit in a public interest litigation challenging the 1977 allotment of Kerala University land for the construction of the AKG Centre for Research and Studies in the state capital.

The building, until last year, housed the CPI-M’s state headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was hearing the plea filed by a former Joint Registrar of Kerala University, who has questioned both the legality of the original land assignment and the extent of land currently in the party’s possession.

When the matter was taken up, the Special Government Pleader sought additional time to trace the government order issued in 1977, during the tenure of then Chief Minister A.K. Antony, under which the land was allotted.

The court was informed that the order has not been traceable in the records of the Village Office, the District Collectorate or the Department of Archaeology.

The petitioner has alleged that while the government order purportedly sanctioned only 15 cents of land, the AKG Centre and the CPI-M are in possession of around 55 cents, including portions allegedly belonging to Kerala University as well as government puramboke land.

Chief Justice Sen, noting that time had already been granted earlier, orally remarked: “How much time? And the last time. I mean the last chance.”

The Bench, however, allowed the State’s request for two additional weeks and posted the matter for hearing after three weeks.

The land in question houses the multi-storeyed AKG Centre complex, which accommodated the CPI-M’s state party headquarters, offices of senior leaders and a spacious air-conditioned auditorium used for key party meetings.

The issue has been simmering for some time and gained renewed attention last year when the Kerala unit of the CPI-M inaugurated a new state-of-the-art building adjacent to the existing AKG Centre premises and shifted the party office there.(Agency)

Brazilian President to attend AI Impact Summit during next week’s State Visit to India

PM Modi Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Brazil President

New Delhi, Feb 12, 2026
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be on a State Visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from February 18-22, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. During his visit, President Lula will also attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi scheduled to be held on February 19-20.

While addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also stated that the Brazilian President will be holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 21.

“At the invitation of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, His Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, will be paying a State Visit to India from 18th to 22nd February 2026. President Lula will be participating in the second AI Summit, which is to be held from 19th to 20th February here in Delhi,” Jaiswal told reporters.

According to the MEA spokesperson, the main day of the Brazilian State Visit would be February 21 when both leaders will hold bilateral talks. President Lula will also be hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the same day and there will be several other dignitaries who will be calling on him, including the Vice-President of India.

President Lula will be accompanied by several ministers and a business delegation during his visit to India. According to the MEA, several events, including business engagements, have been planned focusing on further enhancing the India-Brazil partnership.

PM Modi had received a telephone call from the Brazilian President on January 23 as the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the year ahead.

In a statement released after the phone call, India highlighted that the two leaders had noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across various areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges.

Last July, PM Modi paid a State Visit to Brazil and held talks with President Lula in restricted and delegation-level formats, discussing all aspects of the multifaceted Strategic Partnership between both countries.

The two leaders discussed cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure and UPI, traditional medicine, yoga, sporting links, culture and people-to-people ties, the MEA had stated.

They also explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of cooperation like critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI and supercomputers, digital collaboration and mobility.(Agency)

Jharkhand HC asks Centre to consider SOP on use of Aadhaar data to trace missing children

Ranchi, Feb 12, 2026
The Jharkhand High Court, while hearing a habeas corpus petition concerning a minor girl missing from Gumla district since 2018, has directed the state and Central governments to consider framing a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Aadhaar data for identifying and tracing missing children.

The petition was filed by the girl’s mother, seeking directions for her daughter’s recovery.

During Thursday’s hearing, a division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice A.K. Rai sought a detailed status report from the state government and police authorities on the progress of the investigation.

The state informed the court that an FIR had been registered on the basis of the mother’s complaint and that the probe is ongoing.

The DSP of Gumla and the officer in charge of the Anti-Human Trafficking Police Station appeared before the Bench, complying with the earlier directive, and apprised it of the steps taken so far.

The court was told that, given the gravity of the case, a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted. The SIT has visited Delhi to gather leads on possible locations. The missing girl’s photograph has been widely circulated and uploaded across various platforms to aid identification. However, no concrete breakthrough has been achieved so far, and efforts to trace her are continuing.

Emphasising the need for effective technological intervention, the Bench observed that investigating agencies should be equipped with clear guidelines for the lawful use of Aadhaar-linked data in missing child cases, while ensuring privacy safeguards are maintained.

The court noted that cases involving missing children cannot be treated casually and underscored the need for a robust and well-defined policy framework to aid investigations.

In earlier hearings, the bench had also expressed serious concern over issues related to child trafficking and the functioning of law enforcement agencies in the state.

In the latest order, the High Court directed the authorities to submit a comprehensive and satisfactory report detailing further progress in the investigation.(Agency)

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