Month: February 2025

Devotees from across the country arrived in large numbers at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj in the early hours of Wednesday on the last ‘Snan’ of the Maha Kumbh, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri.

Drone visuals showed a sea of devotees at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip on the last day of Maha Kumbh.

One devotee spoke to ANI and expressed her excitement about visiting the Maha Kumbh on its last day.

“I cannot express my sentiments in words… We came here with a lot of excitement… We came here because it is the last day of the Maha Kumbh. We are fortunate to have the blessings of Maa Ganga,” a devotee said.

The first Amrit Snan of Paush Purnima began on January 13, followed by Snan on Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12, and the last snan on February 26, Maha Shivaratri.

Several Akharas participated in the Maha Kumbh, including Niranjani Akhada, Ahwan Akhada, and Juna Akhada, the largest Akhada in the Sanyasi tradition.

Akharas play a crucial role in the Shahi Snan. Akharas are religious orders of monks belonging to various sects, including Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Udasi. Each Akhara has its head, known as the ‘Mahamandaleshwar.’

In response to the massive number of devotees expected to arrive at the Maha Kumbh, the Prayagraj District administration has deployed extra forces and ensured better coordination with railway and airport authorities for better management.

Prayagraj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar emphasised efforts to manage traffic and parking efficiently, ensuring a hassle-free experience for devotees.

“Tomorrow is the last ‘Snan’ on Maha Shivratri. We are ready with all our preparations. We deploy extra forces on the big ‘Snan’ days. We have good coordination with the railways and airport authorities. We have directed our officers to better management of the parking spaces so that traffic would be under control. Senior officials are deployed at all the junctions and parking spaces for better management…We have issued a traffic advisory in the morning today,” the Prayagraj DM said on Tuesday.

The Maha Shivaratri, also known as the great night of Shiva, is considered auspicious for spiritual growth and signifies the victory over darkness and ignorance. It also marks the divine marriage of Lord Shiva–the lord of destruction–with Goddess Parvati, the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty, also known as Shakti (power).

According to Hindu mythology, on the night of their wedding, Lord Shiva was escorted to Goddess Parvati’s house by a diverse group of Hindu gods, goddesses, animals, and demons. The Shiva-Shakti duo is considered the epitome of love, power, and togetherness. The festival marking their sacred union, Maha Shivratri, is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm across India.

On Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath posted on X, “More than 1.30 crore devotees today and over 63.36 crore devotees so far have taken a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam at Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj, a living symbol of India’s faith and Sanatan’s harmony. The festival of humanity. Hearty congratulations to all revered saints and devotees who received the holy benefit of the sacred bath today in this ‘Mahayagna’ of unity! Hail Mother Ganga!”

In response to the massive influx of devotees on the last day of Maha Kumbh, large-scale sanitation and cleanliness efforts have been implemented.

It has set a new Guinness World Record with 15,000 sanitation workers participating in a cleanliness drive across multiple venues. However, the final results of this record attempt are expected to be announced on February 27.

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways has undertaken special arrangements for Maha Shivaratri, planning to run more than 350 additional trains from Prayagraj to facilitate the return of pilgrims following the final Amrit Snan of Maha Kumbh 2025 on February 26, said Indian Railway in a statement.

A large congregation of devotees from across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal has gathered at the Sangam, leading to an unprecedented demand for transportation.

In view of the anticipated rush, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and Northern Railway have been directed to remain on high alert. Previously, on Mouni Amavasya, over 360 special trains were deployed to transport more than 20 lakh passengers safely. A similar plan has been implemented for Maha Shivaratri, with extra rakes positioned near Prayagraj for emergency use.

Railway officials have implemented an internal movement plan at Prayagraj Junction, ensuring that pilgrims are directed to specific shelters based on their destinations before being guided to their respective trains. In cases of overcrowding, emergency plans were activated, directing passengers to hold areas such as Khusro Bagh before being escorted safely to boarding platforms.

Meanwhile, in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, devotees arrived in huge numbers at Shri Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Mandir on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

Similarly, devotees reached Mahipalpur’s Shiv Murti Temple. (ANI)

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday (local time) that the United States will introduce a “gold card” for wealthy foreigners, granting them the right to live and work in the country, with a pathway to citizenship, in exchange for a USD five million fee, CNN reported.

The CNN report, citing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the gold card will replace the existing EB-5 immigrant investor visa program.

“They’ll have to go through vetting, of course,”the CNN report, citing the Commerce Secretary, said. “To make sure they’re wonderful world-class global citizens.” Lutnick added.

Trump made the announcement during a media availability in the Oval Office, where he also signed an executive action investigating the copper industry and answered questions on various topics.

He stated that sales of the gold cards would begin in about two weeks and suggested that millions could be sold. “From the legal standpoint, it’s totally legal to do,” he said.

When asked if Russian oligarchs would be eligible to buy the cards, Trump responded: “Yeah, possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people,” CNN report added.

During the event, Trump also admired a map of the newly renamed Gulf of America, and said, “I’m just admiring it as I look at it. I’m getting teary-eyed — but I don’t want you to say, ‘Trump broke down and started crying.'”

Continuing his remarks, Trump slammed the Associated Press, calling it “radical left.”

“I think they’re Radical Left. I think they’re third-rate reporters … They don’t treat us fairly,” he said.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt defended the administration’s stance on the Associated Press, asserting that questioning the US President is a privilege, not a legal right.

During the briefing, Trump was seen distributing pamphlets that read, “Trump was right about everything.”

“Look. You see that? Trump was right about everything… Would anybody like one?” he said. (ANI)

Legendary star Dharmendra’s latest Instagram post is dedicated to actress Alia Bhatt.

Dharmendra has worked with Alia in Karan Johar’s directorial ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ in 2023. On Tuesday, Bollywood’s He-Man took a stroll down memory lane and shared a picture with Alia from the promotions.

In the caption, he showered love on Alia, calling her “loving bahu” and “pretty beti.”

“An excellent artist, loving Bahu, Pretty Beti. Always pray for RK,” he wrote.

‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ starred Ranveer and Alia in lead roles, and was released on July 28, 2024. The film received much love from the audience, becoming a major hit.

The movie also starred Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi, alongside Tota Roy Chowdhury, Churni Ganguly, Aamir Bashir, and Kshitee Jog.

In the coming months, Dharmendra will also be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s ‘Ikkis’, which is touted to be a war drama based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. The soldier was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously and lived an exemplary life.

The film also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda. (ANI)

The heatwave may not have arrived yet, but Fatima Sana Shaikh is surely feeling its effects.

The ‘Dangal’ actress took to her Instagram account on Tuesday to share a series of stunning black-and-white pictures that reflected her mood as summer approaches.

The pictures showed Fatima lying on a bed with an unimpressed expression. She looked effortlessly elegant in a stylish black saree, with the monochrome effect giving her a timeless and classic appeal.

Along with the photos, the actress added a funny caption about how the “mood shifts” when one realizes that summer is about to come.

“If ‘Heatwave aane wala hai padh ke, mood off ho gaya’ had a face. This is just that,” read her post.

Take a look:

Earlier in October, Fatima, who walked the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI 2024, spoke about her off-screen fashion preferences.

“Usually, I prefer to wear sarees, but I don’t really follow any trends. Typically, by the time I hear about a trend, it has already passed,” she told ANI.

As for her upcoming projects, she mentioned, “I am very excited for a project that is coming soon. I don’t know if I can talk about it; I’ve read about it somewhere, but I’m not sure if I can disclose it. But I am very excited.”

“Next year, everything will come out. I have worked a lot this year; everything will come!” she added.

Meanwhile, the actress, who was last seen in Dhak Dhak and Sam Bahadur, is now set to star in Anurag Basu’s Metro In Dino. (ANI)

Soha Ali Khan, her husband Kunal Kemmu and daughter Inaaya celebrated Herath with the Lootcase actor’s parents.

Taking to Instagram, Soha posted a video from her fam-jam Maha Shivratri celebrations. Look at how cute Inaaya looks in ethnic attire.

“Herath Mubarak ! #happymahashivratri love peace and prayer (red heart emoji),” she captioned the post.

In the video, we can see Kunal and Soha performing puja with their family.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kunal is all set to direct his second project soon.

In an interview with ANI, he shared that he will be directing a movie for which the shoot will start by the end of 2025.

He also talked about working with Saif Ali Khan in ‘Go Goa Gone’ and would love to direct its sequel if given a chance.

“I briefly got to work with Saif in Go Goa Gone. So I really enjoyed doing that. I mean, it would be lovely to work with these guys (Saif and Sharmila Tagore). Not just because they’re family, but also because they’re great actors who I really respect the work of. If they ask me to direct a sequel to Goa Goa Gone, I’ll definitely make it,” said Kunal.

Go Goa Gone was directed by the renowned filmmakers Raj & DK. It starred Saif Ali Khan, Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das, and Anand Tiwari in the lead roles. It was released in 2013. The film follows a group of friends who go to Goa for a vacation and find themselves fighting zombies. (ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Arif Nisar, a key figure in Vuenow Marketing Services Ltd, in Delhi as part of a money laundering investigation linked to the company and its associated entities, said the agency in a statement on Tuesday.

As per the ED, Nisar, who holds a 75 per cent stake in Zebyte Infotech Pvt Ltd (ZIPL) and is a mentor and founder of the VMSL group, was arrested on Monday, February 24, following a search operation at his premises under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

ED, Jalandhar has conducted search operation at the premises related to Arif Nisar at Delhi on 24.02.2025 under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002 in connection with money laundering investigation against M/s Vuenow Marketing Services Ltd. and related entities and persons. The…

— ED (@dir_ed) February 25, 2025

The agency said ED’s Jalandhar zonal office arrested Nisar and seized various incriminating documents and records during searches. Nisar was later produced before a special court in Jalandhar, which granted his 8 days of custody on ED remand till March 4.

ED initiated an investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) Police, Uttar Pradesh, under various sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The FIR was registered on the basis of information shared by the ED.

ED said its investigation revealed that Zebyte Infotech Pvt Ltd and Zebyte Rental Planet Pvt Ltd were rotating money from new investors to old investors under the guise of subleasing cloud particles. “As such, no rental income was generated from any clients who purported to have taken cloud particles on rent.”

As per the ED, Nisar, who holds 75 per cent shareholding in ZIPL, is a mentor and founder of VMSL group and a close associate of Sukhvinder Singh Kharour, in connivance with other persons, generated Proceeds of Crime (POC) to the tune of thousands of crores by inducing various investors to invest their money in the guise of selling them cloud particles and leasing back those particles (SLB model) on promise of high rental returns, without having any substantial infrastructure and clients for the same. “The POC was invested in the purchase of assets and also diverted in personal accounts of Arif Nisar and others.”

Earlier, searches were also conducted at various premises of Vuenow Marketing Services Ltd and related entities under provisions of PMLA on November 26 last year and January 17 this year. (ANI)

A former jail official has alleged that AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal “did not take action, delayed or resorted to compromise” over complaints about “illegal things happening”. The former Tihar jailor also revealed that during the time when Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy was imprisoned in Tihar Jail, air hostesses of Sahara Airlines “used to come to Roy and remain with him for hours”.

Sunil Kumar Gupta, a former Tihar Jail PRO, also said that there were whiskey bottles in the place where the late Sahara Group chief was lodged.

Gupta told ANI in an interview that he had first complained to the then DG (Prisons) about the illegal things, but he paid no heed. Gupta said he later went to Kejriwal, who was then the Chief Minister, with the complaint that those facilities were being provided “in cahoots with” the Jail Administration.

He said “ultimately, nothing concrete was done” and Subrata Roy “continued enjoying the facilities”.

Gupta recounted his tenure and alleged that late Subrata Roy Sahara was provided special favours by the jail administration when he was an inmate, that Kejriwal didn’t take any action when he approached him.

“He (Subrata Roy Sahara) was provided with a video conferencing facility (as allowed by the Supreme Court). But besides that, air hostesses of Sahara Airlines used to come to him and remain with him for hours. I had seen whiskey bottles there…I had told Arvind Kejriwal everything. But I think he might have thought that he wouldn’t be able to do anything against an IPS officer, or maybe he compromised,” Gupta said.

Gupta alleged that the Tihar Jail Administration buckled before the Sahara chief, who passed away in November 2023, and that the facilities were provided to him on the suggestion of Jail Administration to the court.

“Subrata Roy Sahara (late Sahara Group chief) owed thousands of crores of rupees to several people. So, Supreme Court had sentenced him to jail. He was first kept in regular jail. He then said that he has to sell off hotels and with the money that would be generated, he can pay back lenders. He had sought permission from the court for video conferencing with several buyers of his hotels, who belonged to western countries and that the sale can’t go through unless this happens. Supreme Court asked the jail administration for a solution,” Gupta said.

“Jail administration said that it is not possible to happen while being in jail…It could be done from outside the jail. He was then shifted to the court complex that had video conferencing facility, he had also brought in his own facility…He used to sleep at night in the same complex…The Supreme Court’s direction said that everything has to be done legally. But I saw that a lot of illegal things were happening…Before this, the Delhi High Court had called me and it said that there are several complaints of bribery and extortion at the jail,” Gupta added.

Gupta said he raised this issue in meetings that were chaired by DG Prisons.

“DG Prison felt I was complaining against him. So, he did not take it well…The then DG paid no heed and did not take any action. I was left with no choice. So, I approached (the then) CM Arvind Kejriwal…In the presence of Jail Minister, I told him (the then CM Kejriwal) everything about the facilities of Subrata Roy Sahara and that these facilities are being provided in cahoots with jail administration,” he said.

“Arvind Kejriwal asked me if I could shoot a video of it. I told him it wouldn’t be right for me and he could come here and check it for himself. He then said that DG Prison is an IPS officer who comes under Central government and we do not know if we can do anything about him…He also said that if everything is found in the raid, action would need to be taken against the Superintendent. I told him that when you take action against the Superintendent, he would say that he was doing everything at the behest of Director General. He was fine with it…I was happy…But two days later, DG told me that it was not good of me to approach (the then CM), and I implicated a ‘gareeb aadmi’…But nothing was done about it,” he added.

Gupta said the Jail Minister visited the headquarters and told the concerned DG and “other officers to not do anything wrong hereon”.

“Ultimately nothing concrete was done. He (Subrata Roy Sahara) continued enjoying the facilities. Jail administration buckled before him…Then they started harassing me…I met (the then) Lt Governor. He told me to speak with his Secretary, I did that and explained everything to him…but nobody paid any heed to whatever I said…When I was retiring, I was served a 15-page chargesheet regarding irregularities in a 10-year-old course…This was just to harass…I was exonerated after four-five years and the Government withdrew the chargesheet. But I was so troubled for those 5 years…I knew this would happen,” he said.

Subrata Roy had faced controversies and fought legal battles over accusations of his firms circumventing regulations in schemes floated by these companies. (ANI)

The CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Tuesday won 15 out of 30 wards in local body bypolls held across Kerala, according to the results released by the State Election Commission (SEC).

The SEC conducted the bypolls in local body wards in 13 districts in the State, excluding Wayanad district.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 12 wards and three independent candidates won the by-polls, but the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) failed to win a single seat.

The by-elections were conducted in 30 wards across 13 districts, excluding Wayanad. In two wards of Kasaragod district–Kolikkunnu in Madikai Grama Panchayat and Pallippara in Kayyur-Cheemeni Grama Panchayat– CPM candidates were elected unopposed.

Voting was held in 28 wards on February 24 and votes were counted on Tuesday. (ANI)

Actress Prajakta Koli and her fiance, lawyer Vrishank Khanal, are counting down the days to their wedding, and their pre-wedding festivities have been filled with love, laughter, and joy.

The couple recently shared adorable photos from their intimate haldi ceremony, giving their fans a glimpse into their special moments.

The photos, posted on Instagram, show Prajakta and Vrishank twinning in matching outfits, with Prajakta wearing a sleeveless pastel suit and traditional jewellery, while Vrishank opted for a printed kurta and pyjama.

In one photo, Prajakta is seen sitting on Vrishank’s lap as they dance together, while in another, she is seen caressing his chin as they share a sweet moment.

The couple’s haldi ceremony was an intimate affair, with close family and friends in attendance.

Prajakta and Vrishank have been dating for several years and announced their engagement in 2023. The couple has been together since before Prajakta’s rise to fame.

Recently, the couple shared photos from their mehendi ceremony, where Prajakta wore a stunning red suit, while Vrishank opted for a white kurta pyjama.

Later, Prajakta also shared an adorable post from one of their pre-wedding festivities.

Professionally, Prajakta was recently seen in season three of her web series, ‘Mismatched’, co-starring Rohit Saraf.

The series is available to stream on Netflix. (ANI)

As actor Shahid Kapoor celebrated his 44th birthday on Tuesday his brother Ishaan Khatter penned a heartwarming birthday note and shared adorable childhood photos of the actor.

Taking to his Instagram handle, the ‘Dhadak’ actor took a trip down memory lane and cherished his unforgettable moments with his brother Shahid Kapoor.

In the series of childhood photos, a teenage Shahid was seen holding baby Ishaan in his arms. In another snap, the actor was seen posing with Shahid by the seaside.

Ishaan also shared a behind-the-screen photo from the sets of a film. In the picture, Shahid was seen sitting in a car while Ishaan held a clapboard in his hands.

While sharing the pictures, the actor wrote, “Not much has changed! Still stealing your clothes. Happy birthday to the supernova big bro.”

On the occasion, the actor’s wife, Mira Kapoor, penned a heartwarming caption for Shahid. She wrote, “Love of my life, light of my world. Happy Birthday to my forever. In the middle of everything and at the end of it all, you’re the one. The magic is in you.”

Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor was last seen in Deva, co-starring Pooja Hegde. In the movie, Shahid portrays a rebellious police officer who delves into a high-profile case.

As he digs deeper, he unravels a complex web of deceit and betrayal, plunging into a perilous journey of investigation while Pooja Hegde is the leading lady in the role of a journalist.

Directed by acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, ‘Deva’ is an action-packed roller-coaster ride full of thrills and drama. It was released on January 31, 2025. (ANI)