Month: January 2026

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan expressed pride in his grandson, Agastya Nanda, as his latest film, ‘Ikkis’, opened strongly at the box office in early 2026.

Taking to X, he posted the collection shared by the makers which shows ‘Ikkis’ has opened 2026 on a solid note at the domestic box office, collecting Rs 22.05 crore within its first four days of release.

The film registered a strong opening, earning Rs 7.28 crore on Day 1, followed by Rs 4.02 crore on Day 2. The momentum picked up over the weekend with collections of Rs 5.05 crore on Day 3 and Rs 5.70 crore on Day 4, taking the total India net box office collection to Rs 22.05 crore.

He wrote in the caption expressing his excitement, “YO .. Agastya .. way to go ..”

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, ‘Ikkis’ is a war biopic based on Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra.The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Suhasini Mulay, Sikander Kher, and Rahul Dev. It was released on January 1, 2026.

Big B, who recently attended a previous screening of the upcoming war biopic, took to his blog and penned a heartfelt note.Revisiting some rare memories from the time when Agastya was born to watching him on the big screen, Amitabh Bachchan wrote, “Emotions flow.. As do they tonight when you witness the grandson excel in IKKIS .. the time when his Mother, Shweta is being rushed to Breach Candy Hospital as she encounters final labour pains .. his birth .. holding him barely a few hours later, and discussing whether his eyes were blue .. to the time when he grew a bit and holding him in my arms, and he fiddles with my beard .. to his growth .. to the final personal decision of his to be an actor, and tonight to see him in frame, unable to take my eyes off each time he fills the frames of the film.”

Hailing Agastya’s performance in the film, Big B described how he showcased an “unfiltered honesty” while portraying Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal.”When he is in the frame you only watch him .. and this is not a grandfather speaking, this is a hardened viewer of cinema.. And the film flawless in its presentation.. its writing.. its Direction..And when it ends .. the eyes filled with tears of joy and pride.. unable to speak out.. In silence. The silence that belongs to me.. my understanding.. no other,” he concluded. (ANI)

Actor Mahhi Vij on Monday called out the media and a section of social media users for assuming that her recent posts on Instagram were directed at her husband, Jay Bhanushali.

Mahhi and Jay officially announced their separation on Sunday. However, ever since they made their divorce announcement, various speculations have been surfacing about what led to their decision to part ways.

Irked with all the hullabaloo around their divorce, Mahhi took to Instagram and shared a picture with Jay in which the two can be seen making a peace sign.

“Yeah this is us. For likes n comments, media can stoop to any level my stories are not for Jay… Stop making it dirty just like your journalism,” she posted.

Mahhi and Jay were married for 14 years. They became foster parents to two kids- Rajveer and Khushi and welcomed their daughter Tara via IVF in 2019.

On Sunday, they shared the separation news with their fans through a joint statement on social media.The couple, known for their long-standing partnership both on and off screen, emphasised that the decision to part ways was mutual and taken with care, respect and consideration for their family.

On Sunday, Jay and Mahhi posted a joint note on their Instagram Stories. In the message, they said they have chosen to “part ways” but will continue to stand by values like “peace,” “growth,” and “kindness.”

They made it clear that the decision was “mutual” and taken with care and respect for each other.”Today, we choose to part ways on a journey called life, yet continue to have each other’s backs. Peace, growth, kindness, and humanity have always been our guiding values for the sake of our children, Tara, Khushi, and Rajveer.”

They went on to share that there is “no villain in this story” and asked people not to jump to conclusions. Stressing that they choose “peace over drama,” the couple requested love, respect, and kindness as they move forward in life.”

“We commit to being the best parents, the best friends, and doing whatever it takes to do what is right for them. Though we walk separate paths, there is no villain in this story, and no negativity attached to this decision,” they added.

“Before any conclusions are drawn, please know that we choose peace over drama and sincerity above all else. We continue to respect one another, support one another, and remain friends, as we always have. With mutual respect, we ask for your respect, love, and kindness as we move forward. Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali,” the statement further read. (ANI)

Former cricketer Ambati Rayudu and his wife, Chennupalli Vidya, have been blessed with a baby boy.

On Monday, Ambati took to Instagram to share the good news with his fans and followers. He posted a photo from the hospital, in which his wife can be seen lying beside their newborn.

“Happy to have been blessed with a baby boy…” he captioned the post.

As soon as he announced the arrival of the newborn, fans and members of the film industry chimed in the comment section to extend their best wishes to Ambati and Chennupalli.

“Congratulations brother,” former cricketer Shikhar Dhawan commented.

“Congratulations Raydu,” star cricketer Harbhajan Singh wrote.

Ambati Rayudu and Chennupalli tied the knot in February 2009. They are already doting parents to two daughters.

In 2023, Ambati Rayudu announced retirement from all forms of Indian cricket.

Taking to X, Ambati wrote, “It has been an emotional night that culminated in a special IPL win. On that high note, I would like to announce my retirement from all forms of Indian cricket,” Rayudu penned down his emotional journey.

“When I took up the cricket bat as a kid playing with the tennis ball at home, I didn’t imagine the wonderful journey that would follow for more than two decades,” he added.

The Andhra boy has played 55 ODIs for India where he had scored 1694 runs with an average of 47.05. His best knock was unbeaten 124 runs. He scored three centuries and 10 fifties in ODI cricket for India. He has also played six T20I matches for India and smashed 42 runs.

The former player remembered his debut match and cherishing the moment, he said, “I consider it my greatest honour to have represented my country from the Under-19 to the highest level. I still remember the day I received my India cap for the first time in 2013 – it is a memory I will cherish forever.”

“I would like to thank the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) and the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) for showing faith in my ability and providing me with the opportunity to express myself on the field,” he added. (ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in the state, saying that ECI is “running on WhatsApp.”

Her remarks come after laying of the foundation stone for the Ganganagar Setu over the Muriganga river on Monday.

Addressing a public gathering in Gangasagar, Banerjee said, “The Election Commission is running on WhatsApp. I am very sorry to say this, but one day such an Election Commission will vanish.”

Referring to earlier statements by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the Chief Minister alleged that the SIR process was being “used to harass Bengal.”

Abhishek Banerjee had earlier claimed that during the SIR exercise, 45 people lost their lives, six were hospitalised, and 29 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) attempted suicide. He had also accused the ECI of failing to answer basic questions raised by the party.

“All policies of ECI are being made via WhatsApp; this is a WhatsApp Commission,” Abhishek Banerjee had earlier alleged.

The Chief Minister also alleged that “names were being arbitrarily deleted” from voter lists, adding that “Bengal never bowed before, and Bengal will never bow down in front of you.”

“People above the age of 85 are being summoned, some appearing with oxygen support. Pregnant women are also being summoned. After living in this country for so long, do they still need to prove that they are voters and citizens of this nation?,” she further said.

Emphasising Bengal’s pluralistic identity, Banerjee said, “Some pray in temples, some in mosques, some in gurudwaras — that is Bengal,” while warning that with elections approaching, attempts were being made to create unrest and raise “false questions.”

This bridge will be completed in the next 2-3 years. The total cost for this modern bridge project is approximately Rs 1700 crores. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Uttarakhand government on what it had done against those who had encroached on thousands of hectares of forest land and slammed the authorities for sitting as silent spectators.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, “What seems shocking to us is that the state of Uttarakhand and its authorities are sitting as silent spectators when the forest land is being systematically grabbed in front of their eyes.”

It asked the state government to file within two weeks a comprehensive counter affidavit having details of the site plan, the approximate details of the constructions raised, and the nature of those constructions in the government or forest land so that it can decide whether a deeper probe is necessary.

“Each and every person holding an executive position in the state is accountable for the consistent and perceived negligence,” said the CJI.

The matter concerning the unauthorised occupation of protected land in the hill districts came up before the bench when it took suo moto cognisance of the illegal grabbing of forest land.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the state said that an interim report has been filed, and since documentation of 1950 was required, the government has also written to Uttar Pradesh to furnish some documents.

“First, you explain your conduct. You came into existence in 2000 (Uttarakhand was carved out from the northwestern part of Uttar Pradesh in the year 2000). What have you done after that? Otherwise, we are going to ask the accountability of each one of you. If you allow the people to construct their houses, you allow their generation to live there and suddenly, only because of the court order, you want to take shelter behind that, now that the court is asking,” said the bench.

To this, the counsel said that state had issued eviction notices to the alleged encroachers.

“So from 2000, you took 23 years to wake up and find out that your land has been encroached,” responded the CJI.

“We will hold each and every one in your executive accountable. God knows who the encroachers are, with which politician or which authority or who are the influential persons who are hobnobbing,” added the bench.

On December 22, the top court had slammed the authorities for sitting as “silent spectators” while largescale encroachment and illegal grabbing of forest land by private entities took place infront of their eyes.

It had initiated a suo motu case over encroachment and illegal grabbing of forest land in Uttarakhand and directed the Chief Secretary and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to constitute an Enquiry Committee and submit a report.

The apex court in an interim order had also restrained private entities from alienating the subject land or creating third-party rights thereon.

No construction shall take place in the subject area and the forest department shall take possession of all vacant land, other than residential houses, the bench had ordered. (ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has seized two high-end cars — a Land Rover Defender and a BMW Z4 — belonging to social media influencer and Youtuber Anurag Dwivedi during search operations conducted last week in Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in connection with an illegal online betting and gambling case.

The raids were conducted on December 31, 2025, and January 1, 2026, at nine locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Lucknow, and Varanasi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

“These premises are linked to Social Media Influencer and YouTuber Anurag Dwivedi, and various online gaming and betting applications suspected to be involved in the generation and laundering of Proceeds of Crime (POC),” said the ED in a statement.

In addition to the two high-end cars, ED said, several incriminating documents and digital devices have been seized.

Earlier, on December 17, 2025, the ED conducted searches at 10 premises in Lucknow, Unnao, and Delhi linked to Anurag Dwivedi. During the searches, four high-end vehicles, Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes, Ford Endeavour and Thar, along with incriminating documents, digital devices and cash of approximately Rs 20 lakh were seized.

“The seized material revealed real estate investments in Dubai through hawala channels, and movable assets worth approximately Rs 3 crore in the form of insurance policies, fixed deposits and bank balances were frozen under Section 17(1A) of PMLA, 2002,” it said.

ED initiated an investigation based on a First Information Report registered by the West Bengal Police in connection with illegal online betting operations.

“It was revealed that an online betting panel was being operated from Siliguri by accused persons Sonu Kumar Thakur and Vishal Bhardwaj using mule bank accounts and digital platforms.”

ED investigation further established that “Anurag Dwivedi actively promoted illegal betting platforms, received POC through hawala channels and mule accounts, and acquired immovable properties in Dubai out of such proceeds.”

“It was also found that Anurag Dwivedi has left India and is presently residing in Dubai and has failed to appear before the ED despite issuance of multiple summons,” said the ED.

Earlier in the same case, the ED had arrested three persons and filed a Prosecution Complaint before a special PMLA court in Kolkata on August 1, 2025.

The ED had also frozen and attached movable assets worth Rs 27 crore in the instant case. (ANI)

Days after he was relieved from the post of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa unit president, Amit Palekar resigned on Monday, citing “self-respect and clarity.”

In a post on X, Palekar shared his resignation letter written to party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and party’s in-charge for Goa Atishi and wrote, “I am resigning from the @AamAadmiParty today. This decision comes after deep introspection and with a clear conscience. Positions matter less than principles. Power matters less than purpose. I choose to stand by my convictions and the people of Goa. The journey continues.”

Recently, after the party’s poor performance in local body polls in Goa, AAP relieved Palekar from the presidential post and gave the responsibility to Shrikrishna Parab.

In the letter dated January 5, Palekar said that he has tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party. “I did not enter public life in pursuit of posts or positions. I joined the party believing in its promise of an alternative political culture, one anchored in transparency, internal democracy, and respect for grassroots voices. Over time, however, it became increasingly difficult to reconcile these ideals with the way decisions are presently taken and communicated.”

“When dialogue and consultation are limited, and decisions flow only from the top, it does not weaken individuals but strains institutions. For a movement that set out to redefine democratic functioning, this divergence has been deeply disheartening,” he added.

Palekar said that he has taken this decision not in anger or haste, but in self-respect and clarity.

The letter reads, “That said, I remain grateful to the party for the platform it gave me and for the many learnings this journey has offered. I have always worked sincerely and to the best of my ability in the interest of the organisation, alongside committed karyakartas who gave their time, trust, and energy selflessly. I hold deep respect for them.”

“After much reflection, I have chosen to step away, not in anger or haste, but in self-respect and clarity. This decision has been taken keeping in mind my fellow workers, and most importantly, my people of my St. Cruz Constituency,” the letter added.

Saying that this is not an end, but a new beginning, Patekar expressed his commitment to Goa and the people of the state and said he will continue to work for accountability, people-centric governance, and justice, and to serve the best interests of my constituents.

“My commitment to Goa and to principled public life remains unwavering. I will continue to work for accountability, people-centric governance, and justice, and to serve the best interests of my constituents, because these values are larger than any one party. I also stand firmly with my belief of united opposition for the interest of Goa and Goans. I sincerely thank all volunteers, supporters, and well-wishers who walked this joumey with me. Their faith and goodwill remain a source of strength. This is not an end, but a new beginning,” Amit Palekar said. (ANI)

Rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak on Monday after being granted a 40-day parole, officials said.

This is not the first instance of parole granted to the self-styled godman, whose temporary releases in the past have drawn political criticism and security concerns,

In the month of August, Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted a 40-day parole, his counsel, Advocate Jatinder Khurana.

Speaking to ANI, Khurana stated, “Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been given a 40-day parole under the law. Every convict has the right to avail a 70-day parole and a 21-day furlough in a year. During this parole period, he will stay at his ashram in Sirsa.”

Earlier on April 9, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was granted a 21-day furlough, marking the 13th time he has been temporarily released from prison since his conviction.

His lawyer, Jitendra Khurana, confirmed the development, stating that the furlough was approved through proper legal channels.

“There is nothing extraordinary in this. It is the legal right of a prisoner to receive up to 70 days of parole and 21 days of furlough in a year. This is not a favour but part of the due legal process,” Khurana said.

Since his incarceration, Ram Rahim has received multiple paroles and furloughs.

He was first granted a one-day parole in 2020, followed by a 12-hour parole in 2021. In 2022, he received 21 days of furlough and 30 days of parole.

The following year, 2023, saw him out on two furloughs and 40 days of parole. In 2024, he was granted a 50-day furlough and a 20-day parole. Now, in 2025, this marks his second release from prison.

Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana, for raping two of his disciples. (ANI)

Special NIA court at Patiala House on Monday remanded Yasir Ahmed Dar to judicial custody till January 16. He was produced before the court after expiry of his NIA custody. He was arrested last month by the NIA.

The accused was produced before the court amid heavy security.

Principal District and Session judge (Special NIA Judge) Anju Bajaj Chandana remanded Dar in Judicial custody after hearing submissions of counsel for the agency. The court held the hearing in a closed room.

On December 36, the court had extended the custody of Dar.

A total of 15 people were killed and over two dozen others injured in the Delhi blast that occurred around 7 pm on November 10 in a moving Hyundai i20 car driven by one alleged suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi.

NIA has forensically established the identity of the deceased driver of the vehicle-borne IED as Umar Un Nabi, a resident of Pulwama district and Assistant Professor in the General Medicine Department in Al Falah University at Faridabad.

The anti-terror agency has also seized another vehicle belonging to Nabi. The vehicle is being examined for evidence in the case, in which NIA has so far examined 73 witnesses, including those injured in the blast that rocked the national capital.

Working in close coordination with Delhi Police, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Haryana Police, Uttar Pradesh Police and various sister agencies, the NIA is continuing its investigation across states. (ANI)