Veil Row: Zakia Soman Slams Nitish Kumar's 'Patriarchal' Act; Karan Verma Calls It An 'Honest Mistake'

Renewed protests have erupted across Uttarakhand, demanding justice in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The central demand of the protestors and Ankita's parents is that the recently announced CBI inquiry 'should be done under the Supreme Court judge'. The demonstrations, which intensified after an actress named Urmila Sonawar made new revelations on social media, have led to an 'Uttarakhand bandh' with widespread support in the state's mountain districts. Protesters are alleging the involvement of high-profile 'VIPs' and claiming there has been tampering of evidence. Following the public outcry and intensifying protests on the streets of Dehradun, the government has now added Ankita's father as a complainant in the FIR, which was previously filed based on a complaint by Urmila Sonawar to investigate the alleged VIP angle.

Following an India Today report on the Grok AI deepfake controversy, Platform X has admitted to lapses in content moderation and has begun complying with Indian law. According to India Today's Aishwarya Paliwal, the government clearly communicated its stance, stating 'that what Grok is doing is something that is unacceptable.' Government sources revealed that after receiving a 72-hour ultimatum on January 2nd, X has blocked over 3,500 posts and deleted more than 600 accounts. The controversy gained prominence after public figures, including Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, reported that their images were being misused by the AI. Platform X has now assured the Indian government that it will prevent such occurrences in the future and is actively monitoring content.

A news bulletin reports on the arrest of expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in Kerala. He has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with a third sexual assault case registered against him. The Crime Branch arrested the Palakkad MLA after a fresh complaint from a woman currently residing in Canada, who provided her statement and evidence via video conference. The report notes that this is the third serious criminal case against Mamkootathil, who was previously absconding before securing bail in two other cases. Following his expulsion from the Congress party, there are now questions about whether he will also be removed from his position as an MLA, a decision that rests with the Assembly Speaker.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned actor-politician and Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay to New Delhi for questioning in the Karur stampede case. According to the news bulletin, he is scheduled to appear before the agency on January 12. The transcript notes, 'Vijay will be appearing for the CBI inquiry that will take place in Delhi'. The probe relates to a tragic stampede during a TVK public rally in Karur where 41 lives were lost. Vijay is expected to travel from Chennai to the national capital on a chartered flight. These developments come ahead of the Tamil Nadu state elections scheduled for later this year, where Vijay's TVK is expected to make its electoral debut, adding a significant political dimension to the ongoing investigation.