Patna, Feb 13: The Civil Court in Buxar received a bomb threat via email on Friday, claiming that 14 explosions would take place at 1.15 p.m., triggering panic and forcing the suspension of all judicial proceedings.

The threat caused widespread alarm across the court premises, prompting the administration to evacuate the entire complex as a precautionary measure.

According to officials, the email explicitly mentioned that 14 bombs had been planted within the court premises and would be detonated at the specified time.

Following the alert, all lawyers, court staff and litigants were safely evacuated from the premises.

Soon after the threat was reported, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Avinash Kumar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Gaurav Kumar Pandey, and later Superintendent of Police (SP) Shubham Arya reached the spot with a heavy police deployment.

The entire court complex was cordoned off, and an intensive search operation was conducted with the assistance of the Bomb Squad, Dog Squad and technical teams.

The SDPO said the threat email was being taken seriously and that every suspicious object inside the premises was being thoroughly examined.

Although no explosives have been recovered so far, security agencies remain on high alert.

Meanwhile, District Bar Association General Secretary Bindeshwari Prasad Pandey coordinated with the administration to ensure a smooth evacuation, but raised serious concerns over court security.

Advocates J. Saifi and Tej Pratap Singh recalled past violent incidents, including shootings and murders within the court premises, and described the existing security arrangements as inadequate.

They demanded the installation of a permanent, technology-driven security system at all entry points to prevent such incidents in the future.

At present, the court complex remains under tight police surveillance.

Cyber and technical teams are working to trace the origin of the threatening email.

The district administration has assured that those responsible will be identified and strict legal action will be taken against them.

The incident has once again raised critical questions about security preparedness at judicial institutions.

Earlier this week, unidentified persons had sent emails threatening to blow up the Patna Civil Court on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, which later turned out to be hoaxes.

New Delhi, Feb 13: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned on Friday till March 9, marking the conclusion of the first phase of the on-going Budget Session of Parliament.

This adjournment follows a similar move in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, as both Houses entered a three-week recess.

Twenty seven permitted special mentions by members who were present were deemed to have been laid on the table of the House. These special mentions, a procedural mechanism allowing lawmakers to highlight urgent public issues without full debate, were formally recorded in this manner due to time constraints or the session’s winding down.

The recess period is intended to enable parliamentary standing committees to scrutinise the detailed demands for grants and allocations presented in the Union Budget 2026-27, which was tabled earlier in the session.

Committees will examine ministry-wise expenditures, policy implications, and fiscal priorities to prepare reports that will inform discussions when the Houses reconvene.

The first part of the Budget Session, which commenced in late January, was marked by intense debates and disruptions.

Key issues included heated exchanges over an interim India-US trade deal, references to the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane, opposition protests on various governance matters, and procedural wrangles.

Despite these challenges, some legislative business progressed, including the passage of certain bills in the Lok Sabha.

The adjournment comes amid a politically charged atmosphere, with opposition parties raising concerns on economic policies, national security, and farmer-related issues, while the government defended its agenda.

The three-week break provides an opportunity for consultations, committee work, and preparation for the second phase, where the focus will shift to detailed budget scrutiny, passing of appropriation bills, and potential further legislative activity.

The second phase is likely to see more substantive deliberations on financial matters and pending bills, aiming to conclude the session before the fiscal year-end considerations intensify.

Mumbai, Feb 13: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught red handed a clerk working in the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while allegedly accepting a Rs 35,000 bribe at the state secretariat, Mantralaya. The ACB official confirmed this development on Friday.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that the clerk Rajendra Dherange was arrested in a Cabinet minister’s office, and the incident highlighted what he called “rampant corruption” under the BJP-led government.

However, the ACB official clarified that the clerk, Rajendra Dherange, was caught while taking a bribe at the FDA office on the second floor of the Mantralaya.

The clerk had allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 from a complainant who wanted his medical licence to be restored, the official said. After the complainant approached the ACB, a trap was laid, and Dherange was apprehended while accepting Rs 35,000 as part payment inside his office on Thursday evening, said the official.

A case was registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and a probe was on, the official said.

Sapkal demanded that the Chief Minister should take serious note and remove the bribe taking minister.

“Shocking information has come to light that the ACB has laid a trap in the office of a Cabinet Minister in the Mantralaya and taken a corrupt officer into custody. Once again, it has become clear that open bribery and commission-taking is rampant in the Mantralaya during the tenure of the highly corrupt Mahayuti government.

“A situation has arisen where the people’s work does not get done without money — this is an extremely serious matter. The Chief Minister should take note of the related case, inform the public, and remove the bribe-taking minister from the post,” he said.