Month: February 2026

In the ongoing death case linked to singer Zubeen Garg, the Court of the District and Sessions Judge on Friday examined documents filed by the two accused, Shyamkanu Mahanta and Siddhartha Sharma.

After the hearing, Zubeen’s wife, Garima, spoke with the media and informed them that Siddharth Sharma filed a discharge petition during the last hearing, with arguments scheduled for February 16.

She added that further proceedings in the matter will take place on the same day, marking a crucial development in the case.

“Siddharth Sharma had filed a discharge petition on the last hearing. The argument will be held on the 16th… everything will be done on 16th,” Garima said.

Advocate Apurba Sarma told ANI, “Today, the case was fixed for hearing on the petition filed by Shyamkanu Mahanta. It has been heard, and an order will be passed on the 16th. Shyamkanu Mahanta filed a petition to refreeze his bank accounts. So, that has been heard, and an order will be passed on the coming 16th. Siddharth Sharma has filed three more petitions, and he is seeking all the documents, including digital copies of all the documents submitted before this court. The prosecution has objected to all of them, and the objections will be heard on February 16th, and the Court will pass an order on that day… We demand from the Government of Assam and India that a fast-track court be established that will conduct daily hearings…”

Last month, the family of Zubeen Garg had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the constitution of a special court, expedited trial in Assam and appropriate diplomatic-legal intervention in Singapore following his death on September 19, 2025.

In the letter, the family described Garg as “not only a member of our family but a cultural voice of Assam and India’s North-East”, adding that his sudden passing left behind a grieving family and millions of followers seeking clarity on the circumstances of his death.

Taking to her official handle, Zubeen’s wife, Garima Garg, shared the letter, which reads, “Respected Sir, We, the family of Late Zubeen Garg, humbly place this memorandum before you with faith in the constitutional authority of your office and in the commitment of the Government of India to justice, dignity, and the rule of law. Zubeen Garg was not only a member of our family, but he was also a cultural voice of Assam and of India’s North-East.”

Garg, who died in Singapore in September last year, was “severely intoxicated” and had drowned in the waters off Lazarus Island after declining a life jacket, a Coroner’s court was told, according to a report by Lydia Lam in Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

The iconic singer, 52, was at a yacht party on September 19, 2025, and initially wore a life jacket but removed it and later declined to put on a second one offered to him, the chief investigating officer told the court in the opening of the inquiry, according to the news report.

At the time of the incident, he was “heavily intoxicated”, and several witnesses saw him attempting to swim back to the yacht before he went limp and began floating face-down in the water, the report said. (ANI)

Shafqat Munir, Senior Fellow at Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, described the victory of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the 13th National Parliamentary Election as marking a “new chapter,” highlighting that a democratically elected government will now shape the country’s foreign policy.

Speaking on the potential for revitalising India-Bangladesh ties, Munir said the relationship has experienced “quite a few ups and downs in recent times,” but expressed optimism about the future.

“This indeed marks a new chapter because we will now have a democratically elected political government with a very resounding mandate. Together, we will be able to repair and revitalise the relationship as it has gone through quite a few ups and downs in recent times. But to do that, the first task for both sides would be to rebuild trust and address the trust deficit that has developed. The messages emanating from the Indian leadership are indeed steps in the right direction,” he told ANI.

On PM Modi congratulating BNP chairman Tarique Rahman on the party’s landslide win, Munir described the Prime Minister’s outreach as “a very important gesture.”

He said, “This is a very important gesture by Prime Minister Modi. Resetting the ties with India and revitalising our relationship with India will be a key priority for the new government. That will have to be done by both sides, by rebuilding trust and confidence.”

Munir described the recent election as “a great day for Bangladesh” and called it a “resounding victory for BNP.” He further highlighted that the elections were peaceful, with minimal violence, and that voter turnout was high.

“This is a great day for Bangladesh. It is a resounding victory for BNP. It was a very peaceful election with very little violence and people came out in large numbers to vote. It’s a great beginning for Bangladesh, but the real journey lies ahead. The new government’s first priority would be to ensure stability. The nation comes together once again because significant healing and reconciliation are required. The key operational task for the new government would be to reset the economy and set all the economic priorities right,” he told ANI.

The message comes amid a wave of international acknowledgements following the BNP-led alliance’s landslide success in Thursday’s polls, alongside the official declaration of results for 297 parliamentary constituencies by Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC).

Results for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 remain suspended and will be announced later, while the outcome of one other constituency was deferred earlier, as reported by Prothom Alo.

In the parliamentary results for these 297 seats, the BNP and its allies secured a decisive 212 seats, marking a landslide victory. (ANI)

Anand Ramanand Sagar Chopra, son of the legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, is no more.

He breathed his last in Mumbai on February 13, 2026.

Sharing the news of his demise, his family in a note stated, “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our dear father Anand Ramanand Sagar Chopra…Your prayers and blessings for his peaceful journey are sincerely appreciated. Sagar Family.”

Anand’s funeral was held at Pawan Hans Crematorium. Several members of the film industry, including Poonam Dhillon, Bhagyashree, and Ramesh Sippy, attended his last rites.

A prayer meeting in fond memory of Anand is likely to take place on Monday.

Anand, 84, is survived by wife Nisha Sagar, son Shakti Sagar, daughter Gauri Sagar, son Amar Sagar, daughter-in-law Vaishali Sagar, grand daughter Aanya Sagar, and grandson Arjun Sagar.

Son of legendary Ramanand Sagar, creator of the original 1987 TV series Ramayan, Anand Sagar was part of the second generation managing Sagar Pictures Entertainment.

Anand Sagar made a lasting impact on Indian mythological storytelling, most notably with the 2008 television epic Ramayan. In addition to his work in television, he was also associated with the film Armaan, whose popular song ‘Ramba Ho Ho Ho’ was recently recreated for the Ranveer Singh starrer ‘Durandhar’. (ANI)

US President Donald Trump said that for 47 years, Iran has been just prolonging talks while several lost their lives.

Trump, in his gaggle with the press, said that he would get it “settled for once and for all.”

He said, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we’ve lost a lot of lives while they talk. Let’s see what happens. In the meantime, tremendous power has arrived and additional power, as you know, and other carriers are going out shortly. So we’ll see it out. Get it settled for once and for all, and that’ll be good.”

Trump indicated that U.S. deployments are increasing, referencing the movement of “a very big carrier group.”

“We have a situation right now where we have sent a very big carrier group to Iran. I would love to see if we could make a deal. They’ve been difficult to make a deal with. I thought we would have had a deal last time. They wish they did and that’s what we did, Midnight Hammer,” he said.

Trump further reiterated his claim that he ended “eight wars in 10 months,” and the Russia-Ukraine conflict was the toughest of all.

“We are also bringing peace all over the world. I ended eight wars in just 10 months. We have a couple more to go, but one in particular, Russia-Ukraine. It’s a mess. It’s a horrible thing. I think we’ll get there. It takes two to tango. You have to remember that and we have to get there,” he said.

Trump paid a visit to Fort Bragg, where he took aim at his predecessor, Joe Biden and even brought a Republican Senate candidate to the stage.

As per CNN, he critiqued “radical left” decision to rename Fort Bragg during the Biden administration. Fort Bragg was initially named for a Confederate general. It was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023, and then renamed Fort Bragg for a different Bragg, a World War II paratrooper, shortly after Trump returned to office. (ANI)

The ‘Lalla Anthem’ song from the Anil Kapoor-starrer ‘Subedaar’ was unveiled on Friday.

Sharing the track, the makers dropped a powerful message: “A warning from Subedaar – Lalla tu humse na bhidiyo #SubedaarOnPrime, New Movie, March 5”

Featuring the electrifying presence of the Bharat Army, cricket icon Harbhajan Singh, the dynamic Radhikka Madan, who stars alongside Anil Kapoor in the film, and Shefali Bagga, the anthem seamlessly blends patriotism with pop-culture swagger. The visuals embody the grit, pride, and indomitable spirit of a soldier, while the beats ensure the energy lingers long after the song ends.

Recently, the teaser of Subedaar was unveiled, in which the ‘Mr. India’ actor is seen as Subedaar Arjun Morya, a retired soldier trying to live a normal life in a fast-changing world. However, his past and the system around him do not let him remain quiet for long.

The one-minute-seventeen-second teaser gives a quick glimpse of Arjun Maurya, a retired soldier navigating a world where his traditional values face modern challenges. Kapoor’s character faces off against crime and corruption, all while struggling with strained family relationships.

Subedaar, which will be out on Prime Video on March 5, is directed by Suresh Triveni. (ANI)

Love is in the air ! As Valentine’s Day is around the corner, couples everywhere are going the extra mile to make their partners feel special. Celebrities, too, are turning up the charm, especially by flooding social media with heart-melting moments.

Look at all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s latest Instagram Story. It exudes just love, love, and love. He reshared Instagram post of Maheika, who made it to Delhi in time to cheer for Pandya at his T20 World Cup Match against Namibia.

She uploaded a cute picture of Pandya in which he can be seen holding a big bouquet of roses.

“Made it to Delhi in time. Man of the match of my life,” Maheika captioned the post.

Hardik reposted Maheika’s story and wrote, “Valentine and my baby’s birthday week starts.”

Hardik Pandya was previously married to model Natasa Stankovic. In July 2024, the couple announced their separation through a joint statement. They continue to co-parent their son, Agastya.

Hardik Pandya was at his best in the T20 World Cup match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, scoring 52 runs and taking two wickets. At one point, he was on a hat-trick as well but the Namibia batter managed to block one out to deny a hat-trick to the swashbuckling Indian all-rounder.

He won the Player-of-the-Match award for his all-round show with the bat and ball.

India posted a commanding total of 209/9 in 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan hammered a 24-ball 61, with six fours and five sixes. Hard hitter Hardik Pandya played a fantastic knock of 52 off 28 deliveries, including four boundaries and four towering sixes.For Namibia, captain Gerhard Erasmus (4/20) took a four-wicket haul.

Ben Shikongo (1/41), Bernard Scholtz (1/41), and JJ Smit (1/50) were also among the wicket-takers.Chasing mammoth 210, openers Louren Steenkamp (29 off 22 balls, with three fours and one six) and Jan Frylinck (22 off 15 balls, with three fours and one six) couldn’t convert their start.Captain Gerhard Erasmus (18 off 11 balls, with two sixes) also failed to score runs with the bat as none of the batters crossed the 30-run mark. (ANI)

Beaming with utmost joy and pride, megastar Chiranjeevi has announced the names of his son, actor Ram Charan, and Upasana Kamineni’s twin babies, marking a heartwarming moment for the Konidela family.

Taking to his Instagram handle, Chiranjeevi shared the first glimpse of the twins, with the proud grandfather appearing delighted as he held one of them in his arms.

In his caption, Chiranjeevi revealed the twins’ names as Shiva Ram Konidela and Anveera Devi Konidela.

“With boundless joy and divine grace. We are delighted to announce the beautiful names of our two little blessings. ‘Shiva Ram Konidela’ & ‘Anveera Devi Konidela’. Shiva Ram is a profound confluence of two eternal ideals. “Shiva” is inspired by Shiva Shankara Vara Prasad, reflecting inner strength, spiritual depth and stillness. “Ram” from Ram Charan embodies righteousness, compassion and moral courage. Together, the name signifies the harmony between inner power and responsible action. Anveera Devi is a rare and powerful expression of the Divine Feminine. Anveera represents fearlessness, resilience and divine protection, inspired by the blessings of Kanaka Durga Devi. A name that reflects grace, courage and unwavering strength. We seek your blessings for Shiva Ram and Anveera Devi as they begin their beautiful journey of life. With love and gratitude,” the actor wrote.

Along with the post, Chiranjeevi also shared a picture which shows Ram Charan and Upasana seated on chairs, with their eldest daughter, Klin Kaara, comfortably accompanying her father. Their parents joined the frame as the entire family came together for the naming ceremony of the twins.

Earlier this month, Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela welcomed twins, a baby boy and a baby girl. Ever since, wishes and blessings have been pouring in from fans across the country.

The happy news was shared by Ram Charan’s father, megastar Chiranjeevi, on social media.

Ram Charan and Upasana had welcomed their first child, a daughter named Klin Kaara, in 2023. The couple has so far kept her away from the public eye and has not revealed her face. (ANI)

Over the past few days, social media has been flooded with speculation that Hrithik Roshan has replaced Ranveer Singh in Don 3.

Putting the rumours to rest, Hrithik, on Friday, via a statement, clarified that there’s no truth to the reports as he “was never approached for the film”

“What started off as just a rumour has now taken on an entire life of its own, and it’s important to set the record straight. I would like to categorically clarify that I was never approached for Don 3 at any given time. Requesting media to steer clear of any such unverified reports,” the statement read.

In August 2023, Farhan had, in a special announcement video, revealed that Ranveer Singh will be the new Don in the third film of the hit franchise.

In the teaser, Ranveer was seen seated in a building with his back to the camera. He lit up a cigarette, introduced himself as Don, and then turned to face the camera.

Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan played the character in the earlier versions.

Reportedly, things did not go well between Ranveer Singh and Excel Entertainment, especially after the Dhurandhar star walked out of Don 3. However, neither Ranveer nor Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani have publicly addressed the issue so far.

It now remains to be seen who will step into the lead role in Don 3 or whether Ranveer and Excel Entertainment will resolve their differences and move ahead with what was originally planned. (ANI)

The Opposition MPs on Friday staged a protest outside the Makar Dwar in the Parliament House complex while demanding the resignation of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who is under fire after Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned his links with the infamous Jeffrey Epstein.

MPs from across the opposition parties held placards reading “Who’s grip, who’s choke” during the demonstration.

This comes after Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, claimed he has verified information linking Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to the recently released Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.

Addressing reporters, the Rae Bareli MP questioned why Ambani, whose name reportedly appeared in the Epstein-related files, has not been jailed. “I have said that I will authenticate the data I have. There are Department of Justice files on Epstein naming Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani.”

He further claimed that there was pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US nuclear deal and criticised the government’s handling of sensitive issues.

Responding to Gandhi’s remarks, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hit back at Rae Bareli MP and dismissed the allegations as baseless, describing them as “elements of buffoonery” and having “entertainment value.”

Later that day, soon after Gandhi’s remarks, Puri addressed a press conference at the BJP headquarters. Puri criticised Gandhi for walking out of the Lok Sabha after delivering his speech.

“We have a youth leader (Rahul Gandhi) who placed a few things before the Parliament today. He has a habit of making baseless allegations. There are two kinds of leaders: those who assume responsibility in the political system and dedicate their lives to social service, transforming the country, and those who devote their lives and ensure that, during their lifetime, the country moves from the 10th-largest economy to the 3rd-largest,” Puri said.

Mocking Gandhi, the Union Minister added, “What Rahul Gandhi does has a lot of entertainment value! On one hand, you have leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming the country and work around the clock, and then you have elements of buffoonery.”

Puri clarified that any contact he had with Epstein was limited to official interactions over eight years and had no connection to the sexual abuse allegations.

“These facts are known in the public domain. Three million emails have been released. I was in New York for eight years, from May 2009, when I was appointed India’s Ambassador to the UN. In 2017, I became Minister. There are references to possibly three or four meetings in eight years. Any contact I had with him has no connection to the serious allegations of sexual abuse filed by victims,” he explained. (ANI)

Farhan Akhtar is set to portray Bharat Ratna awardee and legendary Indian musician Pandit Ravi Shankar in director Sam Mendes’ ambitious project, ‘The Beatles- A Four-Film Cinematic Event.’

The four-part biographical series on the iconic British band has officially begun production in the UK and is slated for a global theatrical release in April 2028 under Sony Pictures, Variety has confirmed.

Akhtar joins an expanding international ensemble that includes Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher, Morfydd Clark as Cynthia Lennon and Harry Lawtey as Stuart Sutcliffe. The films will chronicle the lives of the Fab Four, with each instalment focusing on a different member of The Beatles.

Akhtar, known for his performances in ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and ‘The Sky Is Pink,’ as well as appearances in Marvel’s Ms. Marvel and most recently 120 Bahadur, takes on the role of Shankar, the globally celebrated sitar virtuoso who shared a deep musical association with George Harrison.

The principal cast features Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

Additional casting includes Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, James Norton as Brian Epstein, Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd, Harry Lloyd as George Martin and Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, as per Variety.

Behind the camera, Mendes directs all four films and produces alongside his Neal Street Productions partner, Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor, with Alexandra Derbyshire also producing.

The technical team includes cinematographer Greig Fraser and editor Lee Smith, among others. Production is underway. (ANI)