April 3, 2026

Representational image AHMEDABAD: A special NIA court here refused temporary bail to a man accused in a 500-kg heroin smuggling case. He had sought 30-day release to convince his wife not to seek divorce, reports Saeed Khan. Gujarat ATS had arrested Manzoor Ahmed Mir from J&K in Oct 2018 in connection with the seizure of 500 kg heroin, which was allegedly smuggled into India from Pakistan via the sea route. The consignment was delivered to an Indian vessel named Nagani Mustufa in Indian maritime waters. Mir’s application read, “As the applicant is not able to maintain his wife, due to grudge, his wife filed a divorce petition, and the applicant wants to convince his wife not to take divorce from him.” He stated he had nothing to do with the contraband consignment and was only a trader dealing in fruits, vegetables, carpets and shawls. The court suggested Mir can contest the divorce petition through video-conference or through his mother, maternal uncle, or his sisters.About the AuthorSaeed KhanSaeed Khan is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India at Ahmedabad. He reports on all the courts in the city and legal issues. He occasionally reports on cultural and social issues as well.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress Leader Nana Patole’s ‘Rahul Like Ram’ Remark Sparks Row; BJP Hits BackWest Bengal SIR Brings Home A Man Presumed Dead For 28 Years In UP’s MuzaffarnagarIndia And Pakistan Exchange List Of Nuclear Installations Under 1988 Agreement‘Vote Theft In Bengal’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Slams ECI Over SIR, BJP Fires Back180 Kmph While You Sleep! India’s Latest Vande Bharat Sleeper Marks New Era. Check Fares, FeaturesBJP Leader Attacks Shah Rukh Khan Over KKR’s Bangladeshi Cricketer Amid Hindu Lynching in BangladeshRajnath Singh Links Lord Ram’s Ethics To Operation Sindoor, Says India Fought Terror With DignityCleanliness Crown Cracks As Indore Loses 13 Lives To Poisoned Water And Administrative Lapses’India Belongs To Everyone’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat After Tripura Student Dies In Racial AttackIndia’s Silent Warriors On Kartavya Path Bring Army’s Battle-Tested Animals To Republic Day Parade123PhotostoriesHow to make Banana Almond Cake in a pressure cookerVande Bharat Sleeper Train Launch Soon On This Route! Indian Railways’ New Train Better Than Rajdhani – Check Photos, Ticket Price & Top 10 Facts10 iconic dishes the Mughals gave to IndiaCalcium isn’t enough: The bone mineral women forgetKidney damage: 10 symptoms of kidney problems people mistake for dehydration3 bitter truths about packaged foods you didn’t knowInside ‘Bigg Boss 19’ fame Ashnoor Kaur’s tech-savvy Mumbai homeFrom Arjun Tendulkar-Saaniya Chandhok to Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce: 5 most-anticipated celebrity weddings of 2026How to make Hara Bhara Kebab for evening snackingTV celebs like Ashnoor Kaur, Hina Khan are welcoming 2026 with open arms in unique ways; here’s how – See Inside123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

Vamsikrishna01 mins mins
Representational image AHMEDABAD: A special NIA court here refused temporary bail to a man accused in a 500-kg heroin smuggling case. He had sought 30-day release to convince his wife not to seek divorce, reports Saeed Khan. Gujarat ATS had arrested Manzoor Ahmed Mir from J&K in Oct 2018 in connection with the seizure of 500 kg heroin, which was allegedly smuggled into India from Pakistan via the sea route. The consignment was delivered to an Indian vessel named Nagani Mustufa in Indian maritime waters. Mir’s application read, “As the applicant is not able to maintain his wife, due to grudge, his wife filed a divorce petition, and the applicant wants to convince his wife not to take divorce from him.” He stated he had nothing to do with the contraband consignment and was only a trader dealing in fruits, vegetables, carpets and shawls. The court suggested Mir can contest the divorce petition through video-conference or through his mother, maternal uncle, or his sisters.About the AuthorSaeed KhanSaeed Khan is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India at Ahmedabad. He reports on all the courts in the city and legal issues. He occasionally reports on cultural and social issues as well.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress Leader Nana Patole’s ‘Rahul Like Ram’ Remark Sparks Row; BJP Hits BackWest Bengal SIR Brings Home A Man Presumed Dead For 28 Years In UP’s MuzaffarnagarIndia And Pakistan Exchange List Of Nuclear Installations Under 1988 Agreement‘Vote Theft In Bengal’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Slams ECI Over SIR, BJP Fires Back180 Kmph While You Sleep! India’s Latest Vande Bharat Sleeper Marks New Era. Check Fares, FeaturesBJP Leader Attacks Shah Rukh Khan Over KKR’s Bangladeshi Cricketer Amid Hindu Lynching in BangladeshRajnath Singh Links Lord Ram’s Ethics To Operation Sindoor, Says India Fought Terror With DignityCleanliness Crown Cracks As Indore Loses 13 Lives To Poisoned Water And Administrative Lapses’India Belongs To Everyone’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat After Tripura Student Dies In Racial AttackIndia’s Silent Warriors On Kartavya Path Bring Army’s Battle-Tested Animals To Republic Day Parade123PhotostoriesHow to make Banana Almond Cake in a pressure cookerVande Bharat Sleeper Train Launch Soon On This Route! Indian Railways’ New Train Better Than Rajdhani – Check Photos, Ticket Price & Top 10 Facts10 iconic dishes the Mughals gave to IndiaCalcium isn’t enough: The bone mineral women forgetKidney damage: 10 symptoms of kidney problems people mistake for dehydration3 bitter truths about packaged foods you didn’t knowInside ‘Bigg Boss 19’ fame Ashnoor Kaur’s tech-savvy Mumbai homeFrom Arjun Tendulkar-Saaniya Chandhok to Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce: 5 most-anticipated celebrity weddings of 2026How to make Hara Bhara Kebab for evening snackingTV celebs like Ashnoor Kaur, Hina Khan are welcoming 2026 with open arms in unique ways; here’s how – See Inside123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant


To convince wife against divorce, man seeks bail; NIA court denies

AHMEDABAD: A special NIA court here refused temporary bail to a man accused in a 500-kg heroin smuggling case. He had sought 30-day release to convince his wife not to seek divorce, reports Saeed Khan. Gujarat ATS had arrested Manzoor Ahmed Mir from J&K in Oct 2018 in connection with the seizure of 500 kg heroin, which was allegedly smuggled into India from Pakistan via the sea route. The consignment was delivered to an Indian vessel named Nagani Mustufa in Indian maritime waters. Mir’s application read, “As the applicant is not able to maintain his wife, due to grudge, his wife filed a divorce petition, and the applicant wants to convince his wife not to take divorce from him.” He stated he had nothing to do with the contraband consignment and was only a trader dealing in fruits, vegetables, carpets and shawls. The court suggested Mir can contest the divorce petition through video-conference or through his mother, maternal uncle, or his sisters.



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Image: IANS The Election Commission on Thursday transferred the probe into the gherao of judicial officers dealing with cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal’s Malda to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).A spokesperson for the poll body said an NIA team is expected to arrive in the poll-bound state on Friday to begin the probe.”…In this regard, I am directed to request that the necessary inquiry/investigation into the matter be conducted and a preliminary inquiry report be submitted directly to the Hon’ble court as per the above directions,” the EC said told the NIA DG through a letter. The Supreme Court on Thursday criticised the West Bengal administration for its “complete failure” and inaction over the “deplorable” gherao and attack on seven judicial officers in Malda district during the electoral rolls revision drive.The court directed that the incident be investigated by either the CBI or the NIA and also ordered the deployment of central forces in the state.The strong response followed reports that the officers, including three women, were detained in Malda by a group of voters whose names had been removed from the electoral rolls.The court observed that it was incumbent upon the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to inform the Election Commission and seek the deployment of central forces to ensure the safety of the judicial officers. It also permitted the Election Commission to request either a CBI or NIA probe into the incident.The incident occurred during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Seven judicial officers, including three women, were surrounded and held hostage for several hours by protesters.Officials said the protest began outside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office when a group of people demanded a meeting with the officers. After they were denied entry, the crowd began demonstrating around 4.00 pm and later blocked the premises, with the protest continuing late into the night.Following the incident, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to engineer the cancellation of the West Bengal polls and impose President’s rule in the state. Addressing a rally in Sagardighi, she also criticised the Election Commission for failing to maintain law and order.Voting for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while the counting of votes will take place on May 4.In the 2021 Assembly elections, held in eight phases, the Trinamool Congress won 213 seats in a decisive victory over the BJP, which secured 77 seats. The Congress and the Left Front did not win any seats in that election.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAs Iran War Jolts Pakistan’s Economy, India Acts as Key Stabiliser for NeighboursMEA Confirms India Attending UK-Hosted Meeting To Discuss Reopening Strait Of HormuzTamil Nadu Elections 2026: M.K. 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Image: IANS The Election Commission on Thursday transferred the probe into the gherao of judicial officers dealing with cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal’s Malda to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).A spokesperson for the poll body said an NIA team is expected to arrive in the poll-bound state on Friday to begin the probe.”…In this regard, I am directed to request that the necessary inquiry/investigation into the matter be conducted and a preliminary inquiry report be submitted directly to the Hon’ble court as per the above directions,” the EC said told the NIA DG through a letter. The Supreme Court on Thursday criticised the West Bengal administration for its “complete failure” and inaction over the “deplorable” gherao and attack on seven judicial officers in Malda district during the electoral rolls revision drive.The court directed that the incident be investigated by either the CBI or the NIA and also ordered the deployment of central forces in the state.The strong response followed reports that the officers, including three women, were detained in Malda by a group of voters whose names had been removed from the electoral rolls.The court observed that it was incumbent upon the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to inform the Election Commission and seek the deployment of central forces to ensure the safety of the judicial officers. It also permitted the Election Commission to request either a CBI or NIA probe into the incident.The incident occurred during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Seven judicial officers, including three women, were surrounded and held hostage for several hours by protesters.Officials said the protest began outside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office when a group of people demanded a meeting with the officers. After they were denied entry, the crowd began demonstrating around 4.00 pm and later blocked the premises, with the protest continuing late into the night.Following the incident, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to engineer the cancellation of the West Bengal polls and impose President’s rule in the state. Addressing a rally in Sagardighi, she also criticised the Election Commission for failing to maintain law and order.Voting for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while the counting of votes will take place on May 4.In the 2021 Assembly elections, held in eight phases, the Trinamool Congress won 213 seats in a decisive victory over the BJP, which secured 77 seats. The Congress and the Left Front did not win any seats in that election.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAs Iran War Jolts Pakistan’s Economy, India Acts as Key Stabiliser for NeighboursMEA Confirms India Attending UK-Hosted Meeting To Discuss Reopening Strait Of HormuzTamil Nadu Elections 2026: M.K. 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Vamsikrishna 0
NEW DELHI: Politics in India seems to be in an era of freebies, where every party offers cash doles or concessions ahead of elections. Last year, the NDA offered Rs 10,000 to over 75 lakh women in Bihar just before the polls, which helped the alliance to achieve an overwhelming majority.Riding this trend, AIADMK and DMK have also placed their bets ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. In what the DMK calls the single largest financial aid extended to women in the state’s history, the government credited Rs 5,000 last month to 1.31 crore women under the ‘Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam’.Meanwhile, AIADMK’s manifesto promises Rs 2,000 per month under the ‘Kula Vilakku Scheme’ for all ration cardholders, to be deposited directly into the bank accounts of female heads of households. The party also pledged a “free refrigerator” for every rice ration-card holder if it returns to power.Interestingly, this is not the first time parties have tried to lure voters with pre-poll gifts. Welfare politics in Tamil Nadu dates back to the Dravidian movement, which framed the state as an active instrument of social justice.Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: M.K. Stalin vs AIADMK — Will Vijay Be the X-Factor? Chief minister from Congress K Kamraj can be seen as a pioneer of populist schemes in the state. He introduced Midday meal scheme along with free school uniforms for students.The scheme – designed to address malnutrition and encourage low-income families to send their children to school – significantly increased school enrolment and attendance, reducing dropout rates.Three seers of rice for Re 1In 1967, CN Annadurai promised three seers of rice for Re 1 through the state public distribution system (PDS). Though the scheme proved expensive and difficult for the government to sustain.After winning elections, Annadurai became the chief minister and implemented the scheme for sometime in a few pockets but later scrapped it owing to the financial burden. However, the move establsihed welfare as a political tool still used today.Noon meal scheme experimentAIADMK founder MG Ramachandran became chief minister in 1977 and extended welfare measures to improve school participation. The landmark noon meal scheme of 1982, later expanded, became one of the largest such programs globally, significantly boosting enrolment among children from poorer families.Subsequent governments led by M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa built on this model, adding benefits like free uniforms, footwear, and educational support.By the late 1980s and 1990s, welfare schemes also included consumer goods, reaching a turning point in 2006 when the DMK promised free colour TVs, rice at Rs 2 per kg, cooking gas connections, free electricity, and loan waivers for farmers and weavers. The TV scheme alone costs around Rs 3,600 crore and reached nearly 45 lakh households.Jayalalitha’s Amma canteen schemeIn 2011, promises escalated into a bidding war. DMK offered a mixer or grinder, AIADMK promised both; when free laptops were proposed for college students, Jayalalithaa extended it to high school students. Additional offerings included uniforms, footwear, 20 kg of free rice per month, and free cable TV.After returning to power, Jayalalithaa expanded welfare further, distributing mixers, grinders, fans, laptops, textbooks, goats and cows for rural households, gold for mangalsutras, subsidised scooters, and free electricity up to a set limit.Jayalalitha’s government also launched the Amma Canteen scheme in 2013. These canteens were designed to provide nutritious, hygienic food at heavily discounted prices to the urban poor, daily wage labourers, and students. Despite political changes in the state, the canteens have largely continued to operate due to their immense popularity and the essential service they provide to the working class.By 2016, the DMK promised milk at Rs 7 per litre, while AIADMK countered with farm loan waivers, 100 units of free electricity, two-wheeler subsidies for women, and gold for brides-to-be.Evolution of the social service schemesNow, the social justice schemes seem to shift toward cash transfers and universal benefits. The DMK’s free bus travel for women, introduced in 2021, saw 4–5 crore trips monthly, improving mobility for low-income women.AIADMK now proposes extending such benefits to men and offering Rs 2,000 per month to female household heads.The fiscal question, however, cannot be ignored. Tamil Nadu is not a poor state, but it cannot perform fiscal magic. The state has long defended borrowing as productive and growth-linked—a rationale that can more easily support schemes like subsidised breakfast and bus travel than promises such as a refrigerator for every ration-card holder.Such schemes carry substantial fiscal implications. Reportedly, the monthly cash transfer alone could cost around Rs 36,000 crore annually, while Tamil Nadu’s total welfare expenditure already ranges between Rs 45,000–50,000 crore per year. The state’s outstanding debt exceeds Rs 8 lakh crore, with annual interest payments of roughly Rs 40,000 crore.Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23 for all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. 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NEW DELHI: Politics in India seems to be in an era of freebies, where every party offers cash doles or concessions ahead of elections. Last year, the NDA offered Rs 10,000 to over 75 lakh women in Bihar just before the polls, which helped the alliance to achieve an overwhelming majority.Riding this trend, AIADMK and DMK have also placed their bets ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. In what the DMK calls the single largest financial aid extended to women in the state’s history, the government credited Rs 5,000 last month to 1.31 crore women under the ‘Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam’.Meanwhile, AIADMK’s manifesto promises Rs 2,000 per month under the ‘Kula Vilakku Scheme’ for all ration cardholders, to be deposited directly into the bank accounts of female heads of households. The party also pledged a “free refrigerator” for every rice ration-card holder if it returns to power.Interestingly, this is not the first time parties have tried to lure voters with pre-poll gifts. Welfare politics in Tamil Nadu dates back to the Dravidian movement, which framed the state as an active instrument of social justice.Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: M.K. Stalin vs AIADMK — Will Vijay Be the X-Factor? Chief minister from Congress K Kamraj can be seen as a pioneer of populist schemes in the state. He introduced Midday meal scheme along with free school uniforms for students.The scheme – designed to address malnutrition and encourage low-income families to send their children to school – significantly increased school enrolment and attendance, reducing dropout rates.Three seers of rice for Re 1In 1967, CN Annadurai promised three seers of rice for Re 1 through the state public distribution system (PDS). Though the scheme proved expensive and difficult for the government to sustain.After winning elections, Annadurai became the chief minister and implemented the scheme for sometime in a few pockets but later scrapped it owing to the financial burden. However, the move establsihed welfare as a political tool still used today.Noon meal scheme experimentAIADMK founder MG Ramachandran became chief minister in 1977 and extended welfare measures to improve school participation. The landmark noon meal scheme of 1982, later expanded, became one of the largest such programs globally, significantly boosting enrolment among children from poorer families.Subsequent governments led by M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa built on this model, adding benefits like free uniforms, footwear, and educational support.By the late 1980s and 1990s, welfare schemes also included consumer goods, reaching a turning point in 2006 when the DMK promised free colour TVs, rice at Rs 2 per kg, cooking gas connections, free electricity, and loan waivers for farmers and weavers. The TV scheme alone costs around Rs 3,600 crore and reached nearly 45 lakh households.Jayalalitha’s Amma canteen schemeIn 2011, promises escalated into a bidding war. DMK offered a mixer or grinder, AIADMK promised both; when free laptops were proposed for college students, Jayalalithaa extended it to high school students. Additional offerings included uniforms, footwear, 20 kg of free rice per month, and free cable TV.After returning to power, Jayalalithaa expanded welfare further, distributing mixers, grinders, fans, laptops, textbooks, goats and cows for rural households, gold for mangalsutras, subsidised scooters, and free electricity up to a set limit.Jayalalitha’s government also launched the Amma Canteen scheme in 2013. These canteens were designed to provide nutritious, hygienic food at heavily discounted prices to the urban poor, daily wage labourers, and students. Despite political changes in the state, the canteens have largely continued to operate due to their immense popularity and the essential service they provide to the working class.By 2016, the DMK promised milk at Rs 7 per litre, while AIADMK countered with farm loan waivers, 100 units of free electricity, two-wheeler subsidies for women, and gold for brides-to-be.Evolution of the social service schemesNow, the social justice schemes seem to shift toward cash transfers and universal benefits. The DMK’s free bus travel for women, introduced in 2021, saw 4–5 crore trips monthly, improving mobility for low-income women.AIADMK now proposes extending such benefits to men and offering Rs 2,000 per month to female household heads.The fiscal question, however, cannot be ignored. Tamil Nadu is not a poor state, but it cannot perform fiscal magic. The state has long defended borrowing as productive and growth-linked—a rationale that can more easily support schemes like subsidised breakfast and bus travel than promises such as a refrigerator for every ration-card holder.Such schemes carry substantial fiscal implications. Reportedly, the monthly cash transfer alone could cost around Rs 36,000 crore annually, while Tamil Nadu’s total welfare expenditure already ranges between Rs 45,000–50,000 crore per year. The state’s outstanding debt exceeds Rs 8 lakh crore, with annual interest payments of roughly Rs 40,000 crore.Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23 for all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMEA Confirms India Attending UK-Hosted Meeting To Discuss Reopening Strait Of HormuzTamil Nadu Elections 2026: M.K. 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