Jan 19 news LIVE: CBI questions TVK chief Vijay for over 6 hours; no fresh summons

Congress names Ashraf Azmi as BMC group leader after poll drubbing

The Congress on Monday appointed Ashraf Azmi, a three-time corporator, as its group leader in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which recently went to polls.

Talking to PTI, Maharashtra Congress MLA Amin Patel said the party will convene a meeting of candidates who lost, many of them by slender margins, to discuss the situation and prepare for future challenges.

Azmi, who won from Kurla, has been made the Congress group leader in the new civic body, Patel said.

The Congress, which allied with the local outfits such as Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, and the Republican Party of India (Gavai) in the recently held polls, logged its historically lowest tally, managing just 24 seats in the 227-member BMC. The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won a clear majority in the cash-rich civic body, clinching 89 and 29 seats, respectively.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrives in Delhi

PM Narendra Modi receives UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the airport in Delhi.

Indians chanting slogans at Paris mime show spark outrage over civic sense

A viral video depicting a group of Indian men chanting slogans such as ‘Jai Maharashtra’, ‘Jai Shiv Sena’, and ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai’ near a street performer in Paris has ignited outrage on social media regarding public behaviour.

Shot in the crowded Montmartre area neighbourhood of the French capital, the video shows a man putting his arm around a mime performer (who uses silent, physical storytelling through body movements and facial expressions) and shouting slogans, while others join in.

The performer appears visibly uncomfortable in the video and is seen asking them to stop, but in vain as the Indians continue their chants.

This episode has kindled debate around civic sense, public behaviour abroad, and whether such displays of nationalism are appropriate in public spaces.

Delhi HC quashes 2016 I-T notices to Prannoy, Radhika Roy; Orders ₹1 lakh cost each

The Delhi High Court has quashed the 2016 income tax reassessment notices issued to NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, calling the move arbitrary and without jurisdiction.

The court also directed the Income Tax Department to pay ₹1 lakh each as token costs to the Roys, holding that reopening the case for a second time on the same issue amounted to harassment.

The notices related to alleged interest-free loans from RRPR Holding, NDTV’s promoter entity, for the 2009–10 assessment year—an issue already examined and closed earlier.

The court said no new facts emerged to justify fresh proceedings, ruling that the reassessment violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 300A of the Constitution.

Tamil Nadu Assembly to meet on January 20; Governor Ravi standoff in focus

The Tamil Nadu Assembly will convene on January 20 at 9.30 AM at Fort St George for its first session of 2026, with Governor R N Ravi scheduled to deliver the inaugural address.

With Assembly elections due by April, the session is expected to be stormy, as the AIADMK gears up to aggressively target the DMK government.

Uncertainty remains over whether Ravi will read the address. He has walked out or refused to read the government-drafted speech for three straight years, citing disputes over references and the national anthem.

The recurring face-off between Raj Bhavan and the DMK regime is likely to resurface, making the January 20 session politically charged.

One dead, four wounded in Czech town hall shooting

A shooting at a town hall in northern Czech Republic on Monday left one dead and four others wounded, including a police officer, police said.

Police said the suspect was fatally shot and there was no further danger.

The shooting took place at the Chribska town hall, police said. A motive for the shooting wasn't immediately clear.

Abhishek Banerjee hails SC order on EC as 'victory', says BJP’s SIR game is over

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday (January 19) interpreted the Supreme Court's direction to the EC to publish the names of electors called for hearings on account of logical discrepancies in enumeration forms as "two tight slaps on the faces of those who tried to deprive people of their fundamental right to vote".

Speaking at a rally at Barasat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, the TMC national general secretary said this "victory in court" would be followed by the party's "win in polls" likely to take place in April this year.

Referring to the BJP, Banerjee said, "This is a victory of 'Maa Mati Manush' and the people of West Bengal over those who tried to pick and choose one crore citizens and delete their names from electoral rolls. The Supreme Court gave two tight slaps on the faces of those who not only tried to starve the people of West Bengal, but also attempted to deprive them of their fundamental right to vote." "We defeated them in court today, we will trounce them during polls in April. Stay prepared, West Bengal is not UP, Bihar, MP or Gujarat. This state showed the path to the nation's Independence struggle, its renaissance. We do not bow our heads before outsiders," he added.

"The BJP's SIR game is over," Banerjee said, stating he also had information that the court has asked the poll body to provide receipts of documents submitted by electors appearing for hearings.

"So, Modiji, tell us now who is more powerful? The 10 crore people of West Bengal or BJP zamindars? The tormentors from outside or the toiling masses?" the TMC leader said at the rally.

SC asks MP govt to decide in two weeks on sanction to prosecute minister Vijay Shah

The Supreme Court on Monday (January 19) directed the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on granting sanction to prosecute state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his alleged objectionable remarks targeting Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi made in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi noted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has completed its probe and submitted its final report.

However, further proceedings have been stalled as the report awaits mandatory sanction from the state government under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with the promotion of communal hatred and ill-will.

During the hearing, the bench opened and perused the SIT's sealed cover report, noting that the panel had sought the government's sanction to prosecute him after investigating various aspects.

"The investigation is complete. The state must now take a call," the bench said, adding that the same issue be decided within two weeks and a report on it be filed.

The CJI deprecated Shah's conduct saying that it was "too late" for any apology.

Sensex falls 324 points as Reliance Industries drop over 3 pc

Rupee breaches 91/USD mark, ends 14 paise lower at 90.92 amid fund outflows

The rupee breached the 91-a-dollar mark for the second time in a month before ending 14 paise down at 90.92 (provisional) against the greenback on Monday (January 19), as renewed concerns over global trade uncertainties accelerated foreign fund withdrawal.

Despite weak American currency and lower crude oil prices, selling pressure in domestic equities pushed the Indian currency downward, forex analysts said.

Investors were also concerned after US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on European countries if they resisted his plan to control Greenland.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.68 and slid past the crucial 91.01 against the greenback during the session. It finally settled 14 paise lower at 90.92 (provisional) against the dollar, just 1 paise above its record low closing level.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.23 per cent lower at 98.97.