New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday after a prolong illness in New Delhi. Malik was of 79 years. He breathed his last at around 1 pm at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. According to reports, he was suffering from kidney-related ailments.

Malik served as the 10th and last Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his tenure that Article 370 was abrogated in J&K on August 5, 2019.

Satyapal Malik’s Political Career:

Prior to serving as Jammu and Kashmir’s governor, Malik was appointed the Governor of Bihar in 2017. In 2018, he was also given the additional charge of Odisha. Later, he was appointed Governor of Goa. He also served as the Governor of Meghalaya until October 2022.

Malik was born in Hisawada village of Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat in a Jat family on July 24, 1946. In 1968, the former J7K Governor began his political career after elected as the students union president. In 1974, Malik was elected an MLA of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal. He also served as a Rajya Sabha MP. He was elected as Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh on Janata Dal ticket in 1989.

In 1996, Malik again contested the Lok Sabha elections from Aligarh. However, he lost the polls. In 2012, Malik also served appointed National Vice-President of the BJP.

Satyapal Malik’s Criticism For The Narendra Modi Government:

In recent times, the former J&K Governor was in the news for his criticism of the Narendra Modi government. In an interview in 2023, he alleged lapses in security arrangements which led to the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. He claimed that the Centre turned down the CRPF’s request for aircraft for its convoy movement.

CRPF soldiers were attacked when they were travelling by road in Pulwama district. Notably, he was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir when the attack took place. At least 40 CRPF soldiers lost their live sin the terror attack.

Malik also supported the farmers’ protest against the three farm laws passed by the Centre in 2020.

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to question Reliance Group Chairman and Managing Director Anil Ambani on Tuesday, August 5, in connection with a multi-crore money laundering and loan fraud case. The probe involves financial irregularities amounting to a staggering Rs 17,000 crore, with a specific focus on a Rs 3,000 crore loan fraud linked to Yes Bank.

Anil Ambani has already reached the ED office in Delhi for questioning. Visuals of his car reaching the investigation agency’s office have surfaced on the internet. The interrogation comes days after the agency intensified its investigation into financial dealings linked to companies associated with Ambani’s Reliance Group.

Recently, the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against Anil Ambani on August 1, effectively restricting his international travel without prior approval from the agency. Officials confirmed that Ambani could be detained at any Indian airport if he attempts to leave the country.

ED Searches On Multiple Locations Linked To Anil Ambani

The latest development follows an extensive crackdown by the ED last week, during which over 50 locations linked to Anil Ambani, including offices and premises in Mumbai and Delhi, were raided. The operation was conducted under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). More than 25 individuals were also questioned as part of the ongoing probe.

The case reportedly centres around loans disbursed by Yes Bank to various firms under the Reliance Group between 2017 and 2019. Preliminary findings suggest that a major portion of the funds were allegedly diverted to shell companies or siphoned off to other entities within the group. Investigators are also probing potential kickbacks paid to top officials at Yes Bank during the loan disbursement process.

The ED’s probe aims to uncover whether these funds were used for legitimate business activities or laundered through a web of fake firms. The agency is also looking into possible violations of banking norms and financial misappropriation on a large scale.

Bapatla: Six migrant workers from Odisha lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries in a quarry accident at a construction site in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district, an official said.

The incident prompted swift action from the state government, with a criminal case registered against the quarry management, officials said on Sunday.

Bapatla District Collector J Venkata Murali confirmed that the mishap involved labourers working at the quarry when a section of the site collapsed.

He said, “As per the instructions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, a criminal case has been registered against the quarry management. A comprehensive investigation will be carried out in coordination with the police and relevant departments.”

Of the eight injured, one remains in critical condition and is receiving treatment at GBR Hospital in Narasaraopet.

He said, “All of them were migrant workers from the state of Odisha. The eight injured workers are undergoing treatment at GBR Hospital in Narasaraopet. Among them, one is critically injured. Each of the deceased workers’ families will receive Rs 14 lakh as compensation, which will be provided by the quarry management. The government has also assured that all medical expenses of the injured workers will be borne in full until their complete recovery.”