3 Things

First, we talk with The Indian Express' Sujit Bisoy about a 20-year-old engineering student from Nepal who committed suicide at a university in Odisha.

Next, The Indian Express' Ajoy Sinha Karpuram discusses the Chhattisgarh High Court's recent ruling regarding the acquittal of a man who was convicted of raping his wife and committing quote-unquote unnatural offences. (13:07)

Lastly, we talk about the criticism over the alleged mismanagement during the ongoing Prayagraj Maha Kumbh and what Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had to say about it. (24:55)

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Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.
Today is the 19th of February and here are the headlines.


In a major development, Bharatiya Janata Party today confirmed after the legislature party meeting that senior leader and Shalimar Bagh MLA Rekha Gupta has been appointed as the new Chief Minister of Delhi, New Delhi MLA Parvesh Verma is set to become the Deputy CM, and Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta was appointed as speaker of the Delhi Assembly. The BJP returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, having won a clear majority of 44 out of 70 seats in the Assembly election, the results of which were declared on 8th of February. The swearing-in ceremony for the new chief minister is scheduled for tomorrow 20th of February at Ramlila Maidan.


Moving on to another major story, with many Nepali students who were asked to leave the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University campus in the aftermath of the suicide of an engineering student yet to return to their hostels. The Indian Express has learnt that senior Nepal embassy officials have raised concerns over their safety and security. Two senior officials from the Nepal embassy in Delhi are in Bhubaneswar to hold discussions with Odisha government representatives over the death of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, an engineering student at Odisha’s KIIT, and the safety of protesting Nepali students. Lamsal, who is from Nepal’s Kathmandu, died on campus Sunday evening, sparking a standoff between Nepali students and the university administration.


In another news making headline, the National Green Tribunal rapped the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Uttar Pradesh government for not submitting adequate details on faecal coliform and other water quality parameters, such as oxygen levels, in the river Ganga in Prayagraj. It granted the state government a week to place on record the latest water quality analysis reports from different points of the river at the Maha Kumbh Mela site in Prayagraj. A bench of NGT was hearing the matter on the compliance of a December order, wherein it had directed the UP government and the Central Pollution Control Board to ensure that water quality in rivers Ganga and Yamuna was fit to drink and bathe in during the Kumbh.


Meanwhile, in the news from the North, The Uttarakhand Cabinet today approved a new draft law banning people from outside the state from buying agricultural and horticultural land in 11 of the state’s 13 districts. The new draft law will be tabled in the ongoing Budget Session of the Assembly. In a tweet, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called it a “historic step”. Under the new draft law, people from outside the state, except for Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, will not be allowed to purchase horticultural and agricultural land, and district magistrates will no longer have the authority to approve land purchases.


On the global front, US President Donald Trump defended the Department of Government Efficiency’s decision to cancel a 21-million-dollar grant intended to support voter turnout in India today. Questioning the necessity of such financial aid, Trump cited India’s economic growth and high tariffs as reasons why US taxpayer money should not be allocated for this purpose. Trump during a press conference remarked, quote “Twenty-one million for voter turnout in India — why are we giving them this money?” unquote.


This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express

First, Varinder Bhatia details The Indian Express investigation, conducted in collaboration with CBC News, to track Simran Preet Panesar, one of the key figures in Canada's biggest gold heist.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Anonna Dutt about space mission technologies developed by ISRO that can be utilized in everyday life. (09:45)

Lastly, we discuss Ranveer Allahbadia's Supreme Court plea hearing and what the apex court had to say about his 'obscene' remarks. (19:02)

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Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 18th of February and here are the headlines.

The Supreme Court granted podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia interim protection from arrest over alleged objectionable comments on his YouTube show, "India’s Got Latent." Despite this, the court condemned his language, describing it as perverse and shameful. Justice Surya Kant criticized Allahbadia's choice of words, saying they would embarrass parents, brothers, sisters, and society at large. He expressed disgust, asking what other standard of obscenity would apply in this country. Allahbadia’s lawyer was reprimanded for defending the program's language, while the court made strong remarks on the perverted content.

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, criticized the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the handling of the Maha Kumbh, calling it a "Mrityu Kumbh" (Death Kumbh). She claimed that bodies had been hidden to reduce the death toll and pointed out the lack of proper arrangements for the poor at the event. Banerjee emphasized the need for better planning, stating that while VIPs had tents worth Rs 1 lakh, the poor were left unassisted. She called for measures to prevent stampedes and ensure safety at such religious gatherings.

The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha has faced criticism after a 20-year-old engineering student from Nepal died by suicide. The university terminated two security staff members and suspended two hostel officials and an administrative officer. The student had earlier complained about mistreatment from a batchmate, a 21-year-old from Lucknow, who has been arrested. The situation escalated with protests against the university's handling of the incident and allegations of racial behavior. Over 500 Nepali students were initially evicted but were reinstated after intervention from the Nepal embassy.

President Droupadi Murmu has authorized the prosecution of AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. The sanction was requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs, citing adequate evidence. Jain, 60, will face prosecution under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with the prosecution of public servants for crimes committed during official duties. The move follows a thorough investigation by the Enforcement Directorate regarding allegations of corruption and financial misconduct.

Following extensive talks in Saudi Arabia, the United States and Russia have agreed on four principles to restore diplomatic relations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that both countries aim to reestablish functional missions in Washington and Moscow. A high-level team will be appointed to help negotiate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. The discussions will also explore potential geopolitical and economic cooperation once the conflict ends. Rubio emphasized that ongoing engagement would continue to ensure progress on these issues, with both sides committed to a productive resolution.

This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.

First, The Indian Express' Dheeraj Mishra explains what led to the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station and how it could have been prevented.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Raakhi Jagga about the controversy surrounding US deportation flights carrying Indian deportees to Punjab and why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the Centre of maligning the state.

And finally, we discuss with The Indian Express' Parthasarthi Biswas the rise in crop insurance among Maharashtra’s farmers as they try to protect themselves against erratic weather conditions.

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 17th of February and here are the headlines.

Protests erupted at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar after 20-year-old Nepalese student Prakriti Lamsal was found dead in her hostel room. Lamsal, a B.Tech student in computer science, was suspected to have committed suicide. Police detained a batchmate in connection with the case and filed an FIR under abetment to suicide. Investigations are ongoing, while the university and local authorities face growing scrutiny following the incident.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice regarding a plea to hold Uttar Pradesh authorities in contempt for demolishing part of the Madni mosque in Kushinagar. The plea claims the demolition violated the court's November 2024 ruling, which required prior notice. The court has also barred further demolition at the site until further orders. The case draws attention to the clash between local authorities and religious community leaders over the mosque's fate.

The Assam Police have filed a case against a Pakistani climate policy expert, following allegations of her involvement in India’s internal affairs. The case follows comments by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who raised concerns over Elizabeth Gogoi, wife of Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, and her past work with the Climate Development and Knowledge Network. Sarma and BJP officials have questioned her foreign ties and a 2015 meeting between Gaurav Gogoi and the Pakistani High Commissioner to India.

A Sessions Court in Goa sentenced Vikat Bhagat to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a British-Irish backpacker in 2017. Bhagat was convicted under sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence). The victim, a 28-year-old dual citizen, was found near a Goa beach during a holiday with a friend. She had previously studied at Liverpool John Moores University and was from Buncrana, Ireland, traveling on a British passport.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of talks with Russian officials, focused on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Rubio's visit follows discussions between U.S. and Russian officials, including a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Alongside national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Rubio will meet with Russian officials to address global tensions, including the war and prisoner swaps, during this diplomatic mission.

This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump met for their first bilateral meeting last week after Trump returned to office. The two leaders discussed new initiatives and issues at length, across various fields, from trade and defence to peace and war, marking the start of a new chapter in US-India relations. 

In today's episode we are joined by The Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy to dicuss the key takeaways from PM Modi's visit to the US.

Hosted by Niharika Nanda 
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda, Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.
Today is the 14th of February and here are this week’s headlines.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a four-day trip to France and the US, starting Monday. In France, Modi co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron from 10 to 12 of February. During his visit, he also inaugurated India’s first consulate in Marseille and paid tribute to Indian soldiers at the Mazargues War Cemetery. Before embarking on his visit Modi referred to both Macron and US President Donald Trump as his "friends" and emphasized strengthening international cooperation in the fields of technology and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, Manipur's Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, resigned, setting off discussions about his replacement. The BJP's central leadership is expected to take time in finalizing a consensus candidate. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has asked Singh to remain in office until alternative arrangements are made. Meanwhile, Singh recommended suspending the Assembly, allowing time for MLAs to agree on a new leader. With no clear majority support for a successor, the Centre may consider imposing President's Rule. The resignation led to the nullification of an earlier order to convene the Assembly.

In another news making headline, Ranveer Allahbadia, founder of the popular YouTube channel ‘Beer Biceps’, has become the subject of a Mumbai police probe for the allegedly obscene comments he made during a guest appearance on Samay Raina YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’. Maharashtra cyber police summoned several celebrities, including comedian Tanmay Bhatt, actor Rakhi Sawant, and influencer Uorfi Javed.Meanwhile, Samay Raina's lawyer sought more time for her client as he is travelling overseas, but the state cyber police refused to give any time and served him a second notice asking him to remain present before them on 17th of February. 

In other news, the Uttarakhand High Court addressed concerns about the Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand Act, 2024, particularly regarding live-in relationships. The court emphasized the importance of self-respect and privacy, especially for children born from such relationships. Chief Justice G Narender questioned the regulation of live-ins and the declaration of such marriages as void or criminal. The petition challenging these provisions highlights concerns about the infringement of religious rights and the adverse impact on individuals involved in live-in relationships.

Meanwhile, in news from the parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the new Income Tax bill in Lok Sabha on Thursday. The new Income Tax Bill will replace the six-decade old Income Tax Act and will likely come into effect from 1st of April, 2026. With no major structural changes in the new Bill, experts say its majorly a simplification exercise and its key features are — crisp language, removal of extra provisos and explanations along with expanded definition of income. In the new I-T Bill, virtual digital assets have been included in the definition of property to be counted as a capital asset of the assessee and several provisions have been provided in tabular format such as TDS provisions, presumptive taxation rates, assessment time limits among others.

This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express

First, in light of multiple FIRs being filed against YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, including charges of “obscene acts,” The Indian Express' Ajoy Sinha Karpuram explains what actually constitutes obscenity and how laws surrounding it have evolved over the years.

Next, The Indian Express' Brendan Dabhi discusses scientists' groundbreaking efforts to produce a "lab-grown baby" using only stem cells. (14:08)

Finally, The Indian Express' Aditi Raja tells us about a municipality in Gujarat that transformed a massive amount of single-use plastic into a valuable civic amenity. (21:02)

Hosted and written by Shashank Bhargava
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 13th of February and here are the headlines.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold talks with US President Donald Trump, after his meeting with the country’s intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard. PM Modi is currently on a two-day visit to the United States, landing in Washington DC after wrapping up his visit to France where he co-chaired the Paris AI Action Summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. PM Modi is set to be the third foreign leader to be hosted by the White House since President Trump took office on January 20 for the second term.

Meanwhile, in news from the parliament, Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the new Income Tax bill in Lok Sabha. The new Income Tax Bill will replace the six-decade old Income Tax Act and will likely come into effect from April 1, 2026. With no major structural changes in the new Bill, experts say its majorly a simplification exercise and its key features are — crisp language, removal of extra provisos and explanations along with expanded definition of income. In the new I-T Bill, virtual digital assets have been included in the definition of property to be counted as a capital asset of the assessee and several provisions have been provided in tabular format such as tax deducted at source provisions, presumptive taxation rates, assessment time limits among others.

In other news, The Adani Group has withdrawn from a 484 megawatt wind project in northern Sri Lanka after the government in Colombo allegedly moved to renegotiate the terms of the project. Adani Green Energy Ltd told Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment yesterday that it would “respectfully withdraw” from the wind project following discussions with officials who indicated that fresh committees would be formed to “renegotiate the project proposal”. The wind project has been under intense scrutiny since the election of Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in September last year, after he promised to cancel the “corrupt” project in the runup to the elections.

Meanwhile, facing growing revenue and fiscal deficits and a mounting debt, the Mamata Banerjee government diverted some of its spending on social welfare from its flagship Lakshmir Bhandar scheme to one for building rural houses, in the Budget tabled yesterday. The Chief Minister, who has accused the Centre of not releasing “a single paisa” for the PM Awas Yojana in Bengal, had announced the Banglar Bari housing scheme in December last year.

In news from Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi today amid speculations of trouble within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra after NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar recently felicitated Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Thackeray, the former Maharashtra minister, is also likely to meet AAP national convenor and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal later in the day.

This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express