City Kolkata Financial News

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: India’s top telecom operators decried the sector regulator’s suggestion that the government grant service authorisation to companies offering communication services instead of entering into a contractual agreement, warning that such a move would ring in regulatory uncertainty and undermine investor confidence. All three private carriers — Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) — unanimously stated during a consultation process of the regulator that the current practice of contractual arrangement should continue as it provides regulatory certainty and predictability. But the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has not agreed to the demand of telcos.

Kolkata: Vodafone Idea's (Vi) talks with lenders and vendors are on track and the failure of the curative petition in the Supreme Court on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) issue would not affect those because the case was not factored into the company's business plan or discussions, people familiar with the matter said. A person familiar with the matter said the curative petition was not factored into any business plan given to the lenders. Even the techno-economic assessment that the lenders have done is favourable and does not talk about the curative ruling at all. «We are in active discussions with multiple banks. A key milestone in this process was the updating of the independent techno-economic evaluation initiated by the banks, which was completed recently,» a Vodafone Idea (Vi) spokesperson said in response to ET's queries.

Enforcement Directorate has summoned TMC MLA Sudipta Roy for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the Kolkata-based R G Kar Hospital and Medical College, official sources said Thursday. Roy is the president of the West Bengal Medical Council and also holds charge of the R G Kar Patient's Welfare Committee. He has been questioned by the CBI in this case as it is also probing the alleged irregularities. The premises of the MLA from Serampore apart from that of some others, was searched hy the ED on Tuesday. Roy has been asked to appear at the ED office in Kolkata on Thursday for questioning in the case, the sources said.

Kolkata court on Tuesday extended the CBI custody of ex-principal of RG Kar hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh and Tala police station officer in charge Abhijit Mondal for three days in the medic's rape and murder case. Since Ghosh and Mondal were not cooperating with CBI officers, an extension of their custody was required, the CBI informed the court. The agency said that its detectives were yet to get any evidence of gang rape in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital case. The CBI counsel also submitted that its sleuths have not yet found any evidence proving any direct involvement of Ghosh and Mondal in the rape or murder of the postgraduate doctor whose body was found in the hospital's seminar room on August 9.

RG Kar SC hearing LIVE Updates: The Supreme Court bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud will continue hearing the case of rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College.

West Bengal government invited the protesting junior doctors to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, to end the impasse over junior doctor's protest, which entered its seventh day in front of State Health Department Headquarters 'Swasthya Bhawan" and crossed 38 days. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has said in his letter that this is the «fifth and last» time the government is reaching out to the junior doctors for the meeting. "...This is the fifth and final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the Honourable Chief Minister and your delegates," the Chief Secretary writes in his letter, adding «In view of the Honourable Supreme Court order dated 9th September 2024, directing junior doctors to resume duties by 5 PM on the 10th September 2024, it is our bounden duty, as law-abiding citizens, to follow and adhere to the apex court's directive.» The junior doctors have been stressing on a five-point demand from the beginning of the protest. The demands include the resignation of the Commissioner of Police, Director of Medical Education (DME), Health Secretary and justice of RG Kar deceased PGT doctor who were brutally raped and murdered on August 9. Following the letter, junior doctors are holding general Body meetings.

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh and Tala Police Station officer-in-charge, Abhijit Mondal, were produced in Sealdah Court on Sunday. Both Ghosh and Mondal were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday in connection with the rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata. This development comes amid mounting pressure on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, over the brutal rape-murder case.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. It was in 2019 that filmmaker Ashwika Kapur got to know about the ritualistic hunting festivals, which take place in the seven south-western districts of West Bengal—also called jangal mahal, comprising areas such as Purulia, Jhargram and Bankura—between January and June every year.

heavy rain lashed parts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, on Sunday under the impact of a deep depression in the region, the IMD said. A deep depression is a more intense stage of a low-pressure system and typically precedes the formation of a cyclonic storm. The weather system lay about 40 km west-northwest of Kolkata and 130 km east-southeast of Bankura, it said.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that the deep depression that was formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh has moved slowly westward and subsequently, within the duration of 24 hours, its intensity will gradually weaken into a 'depression'. Along with it, the IMD has issued a warning for «very heavy to heavy rainfall» at a few places over Gangetic West Bengal, including Kolkata and «extremely heavy rainfall» at isolated places over south Gangetic West Bengal for today. According to the IMD, the deep depression formed over Gangetic West Bengal is likely to move slowly and maintain its intensity of deep depression till Sunday evening while it will gradually weaken into a depression during the subsequent 24 hours.

Suvendu Adhikari accused the involvement of Kolkata police in 'tampering evidence' after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the officer-in-charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mondal. In a post on X, Suvendu Adhikari said the arrest of Abhijit Mondal has established that the police were directly involved in tampering with evidence. «The arrest of Abhijit Mondal; Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tala Police Station (PS), has established that the Police were directly involved in tampering evidence and acted as a stimulant to create lacuna in order to derail the investigation into the Rape and Murder of the RG Kar PGT Lady Doctor. The procedural lapses were well orchestrated and closely monitored by the top officials of @KolkataPolice,» Suvendu Adhikari wrote on X.

junior doctors and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday was cancelled after the doctors' demand for video recording of the meeting was denied by the Kolkata Police citing security issues. Meanwhile, late in the evening, CBI arrested Sandip Ghosh and the officer-in-charge (OC) of Tala police station in connection with the rape-murder case. Earlier, chief secretary Manoj Pant and junior health minister Chandrima Bhattacharya were present along with Banerjee at the meeting originally scheduled to begin at 7.15 in the evening. All 35 doctors present were allowed into the chief minister's home.

Once again, with Donald Trump's departure from the ellipsoid office in 2021, I moved to the nearabouts of Bardhaman, the edge of Kolkata, to be precise. So, you can understand why being a migraine can be such a headache, something completely different from carrying any colonial or socialist hangover. One feature of moving around and resettling is the dietary knocks one may have to take even in this hyper-globalised world. I know you get excellent Korean food at Seoul, the restaurant tucked away in Delhi's deceptively declasse mall Ansal Plaza. And the hari mirch tikka at Pippali on NYC's East 27th Street is impeccable.

Prohibitory orders around the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in north Kolkata were extended till September 30, an officer said. The orders, which were first imposed on August 18, restrict gatherings of more than five people in the designated area. The restrictions were imposed amid protests over the rape and murder of the doctor at the hospital. The prohibitory orders issued under Section 163 (2) of BNSS would also be in place at the Shyambazar five-point crossing, besides the roads leading to the RG Kar hospital, said a notification.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking their intervention to ensure speedy justice to the trainee doctor of the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital who was found raped and murdered last month. The West Bengal Junior Doctor's Front also raised their safety and security concerns and highlighted the «dire and deplorable circumstances» in the «medical fraternity of the state» in the four-page letter, which was also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and union health minister JP Nadda. Raising the issue of the rape-murder of the trainee doctor, the letter said the «gruesome nature of the crime», the alleged attempts to cover it up and the attendant atmosphere of fear «woke the nation up to demand an impartial investigative process and a speedy, fair and rational trial».

Sanjay Roy on Friday refused to give his consent for a narco analysis test, leading the court to reject the CBI's request to conduct the procedure in the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. The CBI had approached the Sealdah court, seeking permission for the test after arresting Roy in connection with the alleged crime. The agency planned to use the narco test to verify Roy’s statements. “The test would help determine if Roy is telling the truth,” the officer stated. During the procedure, sodium pentothal is administered to induce a hypnotic state, neutralising the subject’s imagination, the officer explained, adding that this method often leads to the accused providing accurate information. A hearing on the CBI’s appeal was expected later in the afternoon. The agency had already conducted a polygraph test on Roy inside Presidency Correctional Home, as part of the investigation.

Padmar ilish’ (hilsa from the Padma River) during Durga Puja this year. The interim government in Bangladesh has decided not to continue its hilsa export to India, prioritising domestic demand. The Fish Importers’ Association in Kolkata had requested the Bangladesh government to allow the continuation of hilsa exports as per the usual practice. Since 2019, under the leadership of the now-deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh had been exporting over 1,000 tonnes of hilsa to India in the month leading up to Durga Puja. On August 9, the association wrote to Bangladesh government adviser Touhid Hossain, asking to permit limited hilsa trade. However, Farida Akhtar, an adviser to Bangladesh's fish and animal resource ministry, has refused the request, citing rising domestic demand. Reports from Dhaka indicate that Akhtar has instructed the commerce ministry to ensure no hilsa exports this year.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that she is 'ready' to resign for people's sake. The TMC supremo also apologized to the citizens of the state for reaching no conclusion in the Kolkata medico's rape and murder case. The protesting doctors were to meet and talk to the state government in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as demanded at 5 PM. However, agitating junior doctors on Thursday refused to hold talks with the Bengal government to resolve the RG Kar impasse unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting was met.

Furthermore, the request for the meeting to be livestreamed has been turned down but allowed for it be recorded for transperancy, said the secretary. The doctors have been protesting outside Swathya Bhavan, the state health department headquarters, demanding the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, the state health secretary, the director of health education, and the director of health services.

Kolkata on Thursday, a suspicious bag was discovered near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Authorities swiftly responded with a bomb disposal squad and a dog squad, as the area was cordoned off and security forces began investigating the situation. This incident comes amidst ongoing protests by junior doctors who are demanding justice for a colleague who was allegedly raped and murdered. The protests have intensified since the body of the postgraduate trainee was found with severe injuries at RG Kar Medical College on August 9.

National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has urged the government to resolve regulatory challenges that hinder real estate development in major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. In bid to help resolve the issue, the developers’ body has made certain recommendations that were discussed during a recent meeting with a Joint Working Group, which included an Expert Committee led by Fali Major, NAREDCO said in a release. “The height restrictions imposed by aviation regulations have significantly constrained real estate development in urban areas. Our recommendations are designed to unlock the potential of these cities while maintaining safety standards,” said G Hari Babu, National President of NAREDCO.