Video: Wreckage of plane crash that killed two pilots recovered from Jharkhand dam

On this Special Report, the focus is on the high-stakes Mumbai civic polls where Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have alleged large-scale voter fraud. The Thackeray brothers claim that the indelible ink used during voting is being deliberately wiped off to enable malpractice, a phenomenon they have termed 'ink fraud'. Uddhav Thackeray cited a video clip allegedly showing the ink being erased from a voter's finger. However, the State Election Commission has firmly rejected these claims. Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare stated that a 'fake narrative' is being built, clarifying that the silver nitrate ink used is the same as in parliamentary elections and has been in use via marker pens since 2010. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also dismissed the allegations, with Fadnavis demonstrating on camera that the ink could not be removed. The Commission stressed that digital registration makes double voting impossible and warned of strict legal action against anyone attempting to erase the ink to vote again.

On this Special Report, the focus is on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and the controversy surrounding the indelible ink used during polling. Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare has clarified that the ink, made from silver nitrate, is the same as that used by the Election Commission of India. Addressing concerns raised by political leaders like Raj Thackeray regarding new 'pens', Waghmare stated, 'If someone tampers and votes again, then we will register the case.' He further emphasized that the ink has been in use since 2010 and dismissed claims of it being easily removable as a 'fake narrative'. The State Election Commission has warned that FIRs will be filed against individuals attempting to remove the ink to engage in electoral malpractice. The programme explores the efforts to restore public faith in the voting process amidst allegations of ink tampering and the challenges of preventing multiple voting in different polling stations.

On this news report, Srishti Ojha and Indrajeet Kundu discuss the Supreme Court's decision to stay proceedings regarding three FIRs filed against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in West Bengal. The legal battle stems from searches conducted at the residence of Pratik Jain, which the Trinamool Congress (TMC) claims was an illegal trespass into a party office extension. Srishti Ojha highlights the ED's argument, stating, 'ED has been saying since the beginning that when an investigation under Section 17 of PMLA is going on... they have power to conduct searches.' The ED has accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior police officials of 'theft' for allegedly confiscating documents during the raid. The Supreme Court's intervention provides temporary relief to the central agency officials who feared coercive action from the Kolkata Police. The programme explores the escalating tension between the central agency and the state administration over the coal scam investigation.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has countered the Tamil Nadu government's allegations regarding the 'imposition of Hindi' through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Addressing the concerns raised by Chief Minister MK Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin, Pradhan stated, 'Tamil is not threatened by learning another language. Tamil is strengthened when its children are multilingual, confident, and globally competitive.' He emphasized that the three-language formula does not weaken mother tongues but rather expands opportunities and improves cognitive flexibility. The minister's remarks come amid a deepening rift between the Centre and the DMK-led state government, which has formulated its own state education policy favoring a two-language system. The transcript highlights that the Centre has reportedly withheld approximately Rs 2,000 crore in education development funds due to the state's refusal to adopt the NEP. Pradhan maintained that the policy is based on global research and learning outcomes rather than political motivations, urging a focus on the economic mobility of students.