Breaking news: Over 104 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India

The NCB's deputy director general Gyaneshwar Singh, currently heading the special enquiry team probing allegations against agency officer Sameer Wankhede in the drugs-on-cruise case, writes to Mumbai Police urging to ask Prabhakar Sail to appear tomorrow for recording his statement and submit evidences, reports ANI.

The Delhi Police said that the process of removing blockades at the Tikri border on the Delhi side has been initiated to resume traffic on one carriageway. However, no confirmation on when the when the movement of vehicles woudl actually begin.

Indian ambassador to Italy Neena Malhotra said that PM Modi's visit to Rome would be his first after taking office, reports ANI. She also said that the visit was the first by an Indian PM in almost 12 years.

The cumulative number of doses administered under the country's Covid-19 vaccination drive crossed the 104-crore mark, the Union health ministry said. So far, 1,047,352,837 doses of the vaccine have been administered.

Nepal Army Chief General Prabhu Ram Sharma to visit India between November 9 and 12, reports ANI. 

"During his visit, General Sharma will be conferred upon the honorary rank of General of Indian Army. He will also meet his counterpart General MM Naravane and other service chiefs," the Nepali army said.

Union minister of commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said that the ministry is “actively working with G20 members to prepare for PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Rome for leaders summit.”

He also said that several multilateral and bilateral meetings were held with the emerging economies, EU, UK, Germany, France etc to “highlight India’s stand.”

Further, Sherpa meeting would be held from October 28  to 30 to prepare for the leaders summit.

Maharashtra reported 1,418 new Covid-19 cases and 36 deaths as the state's tally reached 6,607,954 and the death toll climbed to 140,134. Mumbai added 324 new cases and six deaths to the tally. 

Elated fans of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan celebrated outside his residence after the Bombay High Court granted bail to the actor's son Aryan Khan in the drugs case, reports ANI.

PM Modi said that India celebrated 2022 as India-ASEAN friendship year to commemorate the partnership with the group after attending the 18th ASEAN-India summit.

Kerala reported 7,738 new Covid-19 cases and 57 deaths in last 24 hours. The active caseload stood at 78,122.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has arrived in Goa and is expected to stay in the state for the next three to four days, reports ANI. 

With 42 new Covid-19 cases and no related deaths in the last 24 hours, Delhi's total caseload reached 1,439,751 and the death toll climbed to 25,091, a health department bulletin showed.

A court in Thane has issued non-bailable warrant against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in the extortion case, reports ANI.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal interacted with farmers in Mansa, Punjab and said, “It pains everyone when we hear about farmers dying by suicide. After 70 years of Independence, if our farmers are dying by suicide it is a shame for us,” reports ANI.

Pune court remands Kiran Gosavi, NCB witness in cruise ship drug seizure case, in police custody till November 5 in a cheating case, reports PTI.

The 'Har Ghar Dastak' door-to-door vaccination campaign would be launched on November 2 on the occasion of Dhanwantri Diwas, reports ANI citing official sources.

Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant were granted bail by the Bombay High Court. The court also said that a detailed order would follow tomorrow. Aryan and other two won't be released from Arthur road jail till the detail order comes.

ASG Anil Singh said that Aryan Khan was found in “conscious possession” of drugs and he was connected with drug peddlers and it was of commercial quantity. “The arrest cannot be said to be illegal. Four hours cannot be called a delay. Conspiracy is difficult to prove. Only conspirators know how they have considered. We have WhatsApp chats which we will place on record,” Singh said. “They have all conspired together and is difficult to prove conspiracy only the conspirator knows everything,” he added.

“The Metropolitan Magistrate have seen our remand application and given us police custody. He has seen the arrest grounds and that there were no illegality in arrest,” ASG Anil Singh said about the NCB's arrest of Aryan Khan.

“There are three orders of remand they have not challenged and now they can't say the arrest was illegal,” Singh added.

ASG Anil Singh said that no recovery of drugs did not mean that the person has not committed the offence, during the hearing on Aryan Khan's bail plea in Bombay HC.

Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will call on Pope Francis in Vatican. However, it is not confirmed if the meeting would be one-to-one or at delegation level, reports ANI. 

ASG Anil Singh, appearing for the NCB in the drugs-on-cruise case, said that bail was not a rule under the NDPS act but an exception. “They have argued bail is a rule. Bail is not a rule. The Supreme court Judgements say under NDPS act, bail is not the rule but exception,” Singh said.

“SC says it’s a heinous crime worse than culpable homidcide and has to be dealt with stringently,” he added.

ASG Anil Singh said that the accused had initially claimed that they were not found in possession of contraband substances and later said they possessed small quantity.

“Arbaaz has been found in possession accused number two. Aryan has knowledge, he was aware and it was consumption for both. They specifically said it was for cruise journey.”

“Cannot keep mindlessly thriving towards development, we need to rethink highways, mines and railway lines through forests and biodiversity rich areas,” says Aditya Thackeray.

“Greatest inequity of climate changes is that it impacts people who are the most vulnerable. Famines, droughts and other climate change impacts hits mostly people who are from the poor regions of the planet, pollution impacts working class people. We are also looking towards helping in achieving net zero emission and also focus on our own habits to help the world fight climate change. We have the power to become a solar energy powerhouse in the world. We need sustainable development,” Aditya Thackeray said.