Belgium Confirms Mehul Choksi In Country, Says Aware Of Extradition Request

Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi - one of India's most wanted in connection with the Punjab National Bank loan fraud case - is currently in Belgium, the European nation has confirmed to NDTV. In a communication, the Belgian foreign ministry confirmed that they are aware of his presence and "attaches great importance and attention to it".

Belgium, however, said they do not comment on individual cases. Even so, "the FPS Foreign Affairs continues to closely follow the developments in this important case".

Indian authorities have contacted their Belgian counterparts to start the process of Mr Choksi's extradition, news website Associate Times had reported. 

His nephew Nirav Modi, co-accused in the same case, is awaiting extradition from London.

Choksi, 65, wanted for his alleged involvement in Rs 13,500-crore loan fraud in Punjab National Bank along with Nirav Modi, has been living in Antwerp with his wife Preeti Choksi, a Belgian citizen.

Unconfirmed reports had said they acquired an 'F Residency Card'.
Choksi had left Antigua and Barbuda for medical treatment though he remains a citizen of the island nation. 

His absence made headlines after the Caribbean nation's Foreign Minister EP Chet Greene revealed it when he was in India to participate in the Raisina Dialogue, India's annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics,.

Without revealing where Mehul Choksi had gone, Mr Greene said he had left for medical treatment.

Mehul Choksi and his nephew, celebrity jeweller Nirav Modi, had skipped India in January 2018, weeks before the scam in PNB - the country's second largest bank, surfaced. 

Later, it became known that he had taken citizenship of Antigua two months before the scam surfaced.

In 2021, he was captured from Dominica while trying to flee to Cuba.
Mehul Choksi has claimed that the cases against him are a result of political conspiracy, and his properties in India were illegally attached by the Enforcement Directorate. 

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At $4 Trillion, India's GDP Doubles In Decade, Outpaces World With 105% Rise

India has been the fastest growing major economy in the world for the last ten years, with the latest data from the International Monetary Fund or IMF showing a staggering 105 per cent growth in the last decade.

According to the IMF, India's GDP currently stands at $4.3 trillion. The GDP was $2.1 trillion in 2015, when Narendra Modi's first term as prime minister less than a year in office. Since then, India has more than doubled its economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product or GDP.

India is on the cusp of overtaking Japan as the fourth-largest economy in the world. Japan's GDP currently stand at $4.4 trillion and India is poised to go past that mark by the third quarter of 2025. Should the average rate of growth continue the way it is, India will surpass Germany - the 3rd-largest economy globally - by the 2nd quarter of in 2027. Germany's GDP currently stands at $4.9 trillion.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called India's 10-year economic performance "outstanding", hailing the country for doubling its GDP in a decade. Mr Goyal highlighted that India, which has topped the world with a growth rate of 105 per cent in 10 years, has outperformed other major economies like China (76 per cent), USA (66 per cent), Germany (44 per cent), France (38 per cent) and UK (28 per cent).

India has outperformed all the nations in the G7, the G20, and the BRICS.

"The global shift is real! PM Narendra Modi-ji has led India to double its GDP in the last decade, positioning it to become the third-largest economy globally soon," Mr Goyal said.

'THE BIG TWO'

While India topped the list in terms of pace of growth, the top two spots in terms of size of economy remained the United States ($30.3 trillion) and China ($19.5 trillion). Germany is in third place at $4.9 trillion, Japan in fourth at $4.4 trillion, and India at fifth at $4.3 trillion.

Breaking into the top two places will take India little over two decades at its current rate of growth. Though, it is interesting to note that as of March, 2025, US's national debt stands at $36.22 trillion, while China's national debt as of September, 2024 stands at $2.52 trillion. In comparison, India's overall debt as of September, 2024 stands at $712 billion.

INDIA'S GROWTH TRAJECTORY

India took 60 years for its GDP to reach the first trillion-dollar mark (in 2007). From $1 trillion to $2 trillion took 7 years (in 2014), Despite COVID-19, India reached the $3 trillion mark in 2021. The journey from $3 trillion to $4 trillion took just 4 years.

At this pace, should the progression continue the way it is, India is poised to add a trillion dollars to its GDP every 1.5 years, and could likely become a $10 trillion economy by end of 2032.

(Disclaimer: Data for this article is as per the data available on the IMF website)
 

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Huge Row In Rajasthan Over Rana Sanga Explained

A massive row over history is brewing in Rajasthan after a Samajwadi Party leader made a remark about Rana Sanga, the 16th Century ruler of Mewar, that riled up the leaders in Rajasthan, where Rana Sanga and his grandson Rana Pratap are revered. Samjawadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman alleged that Rana Sanga brought Babur into India to defeat the Lodhi kings, a view that historians say is a misconception.  

Starting with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal -- who said the remarks are against the sentiments of the state's people - his remarks have been criticized by many. Protests have been held in Udaipur, the former Kingdom of Sanga and Rana Pratap, where there is still a repository of collective memories. The matter had ripples in the state assembly today and a right-wing Rajput group, Karni Sena, has threatened that they will "chop off the tongue" of the Samajwadi Party leader.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the comments by another leader of his party, Abu Azmi, who had praised Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. BJP leaders and Hindu groups have been protesting against what they called attempts to glorify Aurangzeb, alleging that he had unleashed atrocities on Hindus.

WHAT SAMAJWADI PARTY MP SAID

A purported video of the Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman's had surfaced recently in which he is heard saying that Rana Sanga was a "traitor" who brought Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. Then, during a debate on the functioning of the Home Ministry in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Mr Suman doubled down on his comments linking d Rana Sanga to Babur's invasion of India.

"BJP leaders often claim that Muslims have the DNA of Babur. But who invited Babur to India? It was Rana Sanga who brought him to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. By that logic, if Muslims are Babur's descendants, you are also the descendants of Rana Sanga -- a traitor," he was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

Muslims in India do not idolise any Mughal emperor, he said. "They consider Mohammed Sahab and Sufi saints' traditions as their ideals," he added.

TROUBLE IN ASSEMBLY

In Rajasthan Assembly today, BJP MLA Shrichand Kriplani opposed this statement through Point of Information and demanded parliamentary action. As soon as he raised the issue, Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma objected and said that this topic cannot be discussed in the House. At this, BJP MLAs registered strong protest and targeted Congress.

Raising slogans against the Congress, the BJP MLAs questioned why the insult of Rana Sanga cannot be discussed in the house.

Vishwaraj Mewar, an erstwhile royal from Mewar, has slammed SP leader over remarks on Rana Sanga. He said they are misleading the people by giving misinformation in the upper house, they are trying to create divide in the society by making such comments they have not only hurt the sentiments of Rajasthanis but of India too.

ROW REACHES DELHI 

"These days, discussions are happening on historical figures. While someone crticises the great and glorious king like Rana Sanga saying he betrayed the country, others are busy advocating Aurangzeb," said senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has called it a distortion of history. "The spirit of independence that Maharana Sanga ignited not only saved India from being enslaved but also gave a huge contribution in keeping the culture of India eternal," said Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Only people with "trivial intellect" and "small heart" make such statements, he added.

"Rana Sanga has been the identity of Bharat. Throughout his life, he fought against Babar and other invaders. Glorifying an invader instead of the one who protected the country is quite indecent and inappropriate," said BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma.

BJP MP Shashank Mani termed the SP MP's remarks as "condemnable" and said the people should salute great men like Rana Sanga instead of making such "inappropriate" comments.

AKHILESH YADAV'S GALILEO JIBE

Sanajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has attacked the BJP, asking it not to dig up historical events selectively.

"If BJP continues to flip through history, people will also remember that during Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation, no one anointed him by hand. It is said that he was anointed using the toe of a left foot. Will the BJP condemn this today?" he said.

Drawing an analogy, Yadav referred to Galileo's persecution for his claim that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

"Galileo was punished for his scientific assertion, and centuries later, the Church apologised for its mistake. If the BJP respects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will they apologise for the fact that he was anointed with a left foot toe?" he said.

WHO WAS RANA SANGA

Rana Sanga or Sangram Singh I, the grandfather of Maharana Pratap, is one of the most beloved kings of Rajasthan, who ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528. In a culture that prizes valour, he had an illustrious military career, defeating the Sultans of Delhi, Malwa and Gujarat in 18 pitched battles.

Against Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, he fought two decisive battles against- decisively winning the one in Bayana in 1527.

Rana Sanga had decimated the Mughal army, over-running Babar's camp and carrying away as the spoils of war everything from arms and ammunition, musical instruments and even tents. Some of these items are on display in the museums of Udaipur.

The Rana, though, lost the battle of Khandwa two months later, when Babar brought in his cannons. After the battle, he had died of his wounds.

DID RANA SANGA INVITE BABAR TO DELHI

There is no historical evidence that Rana Sanga invited Babar. 

Documentary sources say Babar, who was eyeing India after losing Samarkand, was invited by Daulat khan Lodhi, a relative then Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi.

Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 and founded the Mughal Empire, which ruled for the next 200 years.

"Rana Sanga had already defeated Ibrahim Lodhi once, so why would he need Babur's help, and in fact Rana Sanga had fought against Babur in Bayana," pointed out historian Chandraprakash Sharma.

BAYANA TODAY

Despite the identity politics being played out over the contribution of Rana Sanga, Bayana, 30 km from Bharatpur where his great battle with Babur took place, lies neglected, forgotten and forlorn. 

The historical fortress that Rana Sanga beseiged and over-ran is falling to ruins. There is but one signboard pointing visitors to the historic battlefield of Bayana where the war was fought.

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"Apologise For What Happened On Show, Will Ensure No Recurrence": Samay Raina

Comedian Samay Raina on Monday expressed regret over a series of remarks that were made on his now-deleted web show "India's Got Latent", and promised to be more careful in ensuring that such incidents are not repeated, sources said.

In a statement to the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, Mr Raina, who got into trouble over Podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia's remarks in February that led to a massive furore, "admitted his mistake" and "apologised for whatever happened during the show". 

The comedian also said that "everything happened in a flow during the show and that he did not intend to say what he said", the sources added.

He promised to be more careful and ensure that such incidents are not repeated. 

Besides, the comedian said the entire controversy surrounding his show has taken a toll on his mental well-being. "He said that his Canada tour did not go well. He apologised and said he knew he was wrong," one of the sources said. 

Mr Raina, who recently returned from abroad, appeared before the probe agency at its headquarters in Mhape, where he recorded his statement for over five hours, another source said. The agency had earlier summoned him several times in the case. 

In February, Mr Allahbadia's remarks about parents and sex on the "India's Got Latent" show kicked up a political storm in the Maharashtra political circle, with many calling out for a ban on his podcast. Politicians, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and opposition leaders of the state, criticised him for exploiting freedom of speech.

The issue echoed in Parliament where Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske called for a law to regulate social media. Multiple FIRs were filed against Mr Allahbadia, Mr Raina and others linked to the show. They were also summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW).  

Mr Allahbadia has apologised twice for his remarks and Mr Raina - who deleted his show - earlier this month rescheduled his India comedy tour in the aftermath.

Mr Raina's shows in Gujarat were also reportedly cancelled in February following the outrage.

Last month, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to Mr Allahbadia while calling his comments "vulgar", and saying he had "dirty mind" which put the society to shame. 

Besides Mr Raina and Mr Allahbadia, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani and comics Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Makhija were also charged in cases registered by the Guwahati Police and the Maharashtra Police's Cyber Cell.

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Who Is Vignesh Puthur: MI Spinner From Kerala Who Impressed On IPL Debut

Mumbai Indians spinner Vignesh Puthur impressed everyone on his IPL debut as he took the wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube during the IPL 2025 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. The left-arm wrist spinner was the impact player for MI as he replaced Rohit Sharma. In his very first over, he took the massive wicket of CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad who was caught by Will Jacks in the deep. He continued to bowl brilliantly as Shivam Dube completely miscued a shot off his bowling and was caught by Tilak Varma at long-on to cap off a sensational debut for the youngster.

He impressed some more as he also dismissed Deepak Hooda for 3.

Puthur, the 24-year-old spinner from Malappuram in Kerala, was signed by MI for the base price of Rs 30 lakh. The youngster has not played for Kerala at senior level till now but he has played at the U-14 and U-19 levels. He currently plays for  Alleppey Ripples in the Kerala Cricket League.

The young spinner has also played in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. 

Puthur, the son of an autorickshaw driver and a homemaker, used to bowl medium pace before he was asked to try leg spin by local cricketer Mohammed Sherif. That changed the course of his career as he moved to Thrissur and became a big star in Kerala College Premier T20 league for St. Thomas College.

Earlier this year, he was sent to South Africa for SA20, where he was a net bowler for MI Cape Town.

Coming to the match, fifties by Rachin Ravindra (65 not out) and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (53) helped Chennai Super Kings kickstart their IPL 2025 campaign with a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

After Noor Ahmad's 4-18 and Khaleel Ahmed's 3-29 helped CSK restrict MI to 155/9, Gaikwad mixed aggression and timing to hit six fours and three sixes while bringing up his fifty in 22 balls, his fastest half-century in the tournament.

Despite wickets falling from the other end, Ravindra held one end firm to hit an unbeaten 45-ball 65, laced with two fours and four sixes, as CSK completed a nervy win. For MI, who have not won their first match of an IPL season since 2012, debutant Puthur's spell of 3-32 would be the biggest positive.

(With IANS inputs)

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"Only 2 Students...": CEO Asks Math Question To Job Interview Candidates

Bengaluru-based CEO Ashish Gupta has sparked a heated debate on LinkedIn, highlighting his concerns that Generation Z's social media proficiency may be coming at the cost of essential skills like problem-solving and financial literacy. In his LinkedIn post, "Gen Z Knows Reels, But Not Real Math", Mr Gupta argued that the younger generation's expertise in digital trends may not adequately prepare them to handle real-world challenges.

Mr Gupta shared his experience from a recent campus recruitment drive, where he interacted with over 50 students from various streams, including BBA and BCA. As part of the selection process, he presented a simple mathematics question, typically taught in Class 5. To his astonishment, only two students were able to answer correctly, while the rest of the group struggled to solve it.

The question was: "If a car travels the first 60 km at 30 km/h and the next 60 km at 60 km/h, what is its average speed?"

"Yet, when I asked them how they would market our product, they had tons of ideas about Instagram reels, viral content, and digital trends. This highlights a stark reality—Gen Z is highly skilled in social media but lacks fundamental problem-solving, logical reasoning, and financial literacy. If these trends continue, we may have a generation struggling with personal finance, decision-making, and analytical skills. As educators, employers, and mentors, we must bridge this gap. Critical thinking and basic numeracy are non-negotiable life skills,'' he wrote. 

See the post here:

Mr Gupta's post has ignited a lively online debate, with opinions divided on the issue. While some people agreed with Mr Gupta's concerns about the younger generation's math skills, others said it;s not right to generalise. 

One user wrote, "Sir, you've raised a valid point regarding math skills, however, I would like to understand what this question has to do with you hiring them. Are you hiring them for a sales profile? Then answering this question is irrelevant. If you're hiring a maths tutor, then I can understand your concern. Also, I can assure you this, lot of CEO's themselves cannot answer this question, yet they are where they are. Relevance of skills should be the main criteria, not basic aptitude tests."

Another joked, "Ashish Gupta , That was still tough, next time ask them 100 divided by half." A third said, ''Sir it may even be a problem of that particular cohort of the institute and may not be true for all."

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Video - Stuck On Track, A Desperate Dash: Train Hits SUV In Rajasthan

An SUV of a central police force was rammed by a train at a level crossing near Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Plant in Rajasthan.

CCTV footage of the accident has gone viral on social media.

Local reports said there were three personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the SUV. No casualties were reported.

The footage showed the level crossing didn't have boom barriers to stop vehicles before trains approached there.

Seconds before the accident, the SUV was seen taking a turn toward the crossing. Reports said the driver was not aware about the approaching train.

When the vehicle reached the tracks, a CISF man quickly got out of the front left seat and ran.

The train then rammed the SUV before the two other passengers could get out, and dragged it for several metres.

The accident happened during routine patrolling on Friday, reports said.

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