New Delhi, Sep 25: A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to businessman Samir Modi, brother of former IPL chief Lalit Modi, in an alleged rape case.

The Saket Court allowed Modi to be released on a bail bond amount of Rs 5 lakh, ensuring his presence in future trial proceedings.

On Tuesday, the court reserved its decision on the bail plea after hearing arguments from both the complainant’s side and the defence.

The Delhi Police had opposed the bail application, arguing that the accused is influential and may pose a flight risk.

Samir Modi was arrested last week at Delhi’s IGI airport following a Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against him.

He was taken into custody after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the New Friends Colony Police Station by a woman alleging a long-term relationship with Modi since 2019, and making accusations of sexual assault.

Modi’s legal team has consistently denied the allegations, terming them “false and concocted” and aimed at extortion.

In a press statement, his lawyers highlighted complaints filed by Modi himself in August, accusing the same woman of demanding Rs 50 crore in blackmail, and questioned the credibility of her claims.

It further questioned the credibility of the complaint, saying: “A detailed perusal of the alleged complaint will immediately show these claims of extremely serious and grave offences to be wild and scurrilous stories. Accusations refer to events alleged to have begun four years ago and continued thereon, which in itself speaks volumes about the nature and origin of this complaint and the complainant’s motives.”

The statement added that Samir Modi, who is involved in several business-related litigations, “has full faith in the judiciary of our country and agencies who will not only investigate but immediately bring closure to this matter”.

The Saket Court had earlier ordered in-camera hearings after the complainant’s lawyer urged for a closed-door hearing, stressing the sensitive nature of the case.

New Delhi, Sep 25: As heavy rains continue to lash Marathwada in Maharashtra, leading to loss of lives and livestock plus extensive damage to crops, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday expressed condolences to the affected families and appealed to the government to expedite relief efforts.

Taking to X, LoP Rahul Gandhi said, “The news of loss of lives and extensive damage to crops due to heavy rainfall in Marathwada, Maharashtra, is extremely heartbreaking. In this difficult time, my condolences are with all the affected families.”

He also appealed to the “government and administration to expedite relief efforts and, after assessing the crop devastation, provide complete assistance to the farmers.”

LoP Gandhi also urged Congress leaders and workers to cooperate with the Maharashtra administration and provide all possible help to those in need.

It is pertinent to note here that Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday announced that he would donate his six months’ income to help the growers in distress.

After the ruling MahaYuti leaders including the BJP’s Maharashtra chief Ravindra Chavan and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and their partymen announced that they would give one month’s salary to rain-affected farmers in Maharashtra, Congress leaders have come to the fore with bigger pledges.

Pointing out that the crop damage was widespread, Vijay Wadettiwar said that “one month’s salary won’t be of much help and that six months’ income should be donated.”

Stating that farmers have incurred heavy losses due to the rain fury in the state, the Opposition leader said that everyone should come forward and help the farmers to the maximum extent possible to pull them out of distress.

After the rains and flooding, crops have been affected by yellow mosaic virus, further adding to the woes of farmers, the Congress leader told the media.

He also demanded that the Agriculture Minister should conduct a panchnama of the crop loss and announce Rs 50,000 per hectare as compensation.

Wadettiwar said that if the Maharashtra government does not come forward to help, it will be responsible for the plight of farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada.

On Wednesday, he said that the small amount announced by the Maharashtra government is a “cruel joke”.

The Congress and NCP-SP demanded that the government declare a “wet drought” in the state.

Notably, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed that the government has already sanctioned Rs 2,215 crore financial assistance to 31.64 lakh farmers.

The Chief Minister said that out of this, Rs 1,829 crore has been distributed at the district level and will be deposited in the bank accounts of the farmers in the next 8 to 10 days.

Greater Noida, Sep 25: Stressing that the country must become self-reliant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that despite global uncertainties, India’s growth remains resilient and remarkable.

During his keynote address at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2025 here, PM Modi said that this time, the country partner of the trade show is Russia, which means “we are further strengthening this time-tested partnership”.

Stressing that the government is doubling down on its efforts towards the ‘Make in India’ initiative, PM Modi said that we aim to make ‘chips to ships’ in the country.

The Prime Minister also informed that the first, fully indigenous AK-203 assault rifles are set to be delivered to the Army soon.

The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a joint venture company that has been established for the indigenous production of AK-203, named ‘Sher’ in India, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi. The AK-203 rifles are significantly more modern compared to the AK-47 and AK-56 rifles. They are one of the most lethal rifles in the Kalashnikov series.

PM Modi further stated that Indians now believe that swadeshi products are getting better, user-friendly and long-lasting. “Hence, there should be no compromise on quality,” the Prime Minister told the gathering, adding that the country must become self-reliant and every product that can be made in India should be made here.

As soon as the Prime Minister reached the venue to inaugurate the mega trade show, he took a tour of the exhibition area, where he witnessed next-generation innovations across the spectrum.

The third edition of the mega event — envisioned under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath — is taking place at the India Expo Centre and Mart from September 25 to 29 — showcasing the state’s industrial, agricultural, cultural, and innovation strengths on a global stage.

The event focuses on showcasing industrial progress, promoting trade collaborations, and attracting investments. Attendees will include business leaders, industry experts, startups, exporters, and government officials. Over 2,400 exhibitors and 1,25,000 B2B visitors are expected to participate in the trade show.