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Feb 28: The Supreme Court on Friday granted more time to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a counter affidavit on a petition filed by Karnataka BJP leader and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy seeking permanent relaxation on his bail condition to allow him to visit Karnataka's Bellari and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Indira Banerjee listed the matter for further hearing on March 16 after the CBI sought more time to do file the counter affidavit.

Earlier, the apex court had issued a notice to the CBI and sought its response on the plea.

Last year, the Court had allowed Reddy to visit the Ballari district for a period of two weeks to meet his father-in-law, who the petitioner claimed had suffered a stroke and also allowed him to move a bail modification application seeking permanent relaxation of his bail condition.

In January 2015, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Reddy in an illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) on the condition that he will not visit any of the mining zones in Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh.

By the time he was granted bail, Reddy had already spent over three years in prison.

Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivas Reddy, who was the Managing Director of OMC, were arrested by the CBI on September 5, 2011.

The Indian government has advised expats in the UAE and the Gulf against travel till flight curbs to their home country are lifted. This follows the clamour from some quarters for special repatriation flights to India.

A senior Indian External Affairs Ministry (foreign ministry) official said Indian citizens are safe in the countries they reside in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to leaders of Gulf countries who assured him of their welfare, the Indian foreign ministry said. Meanwhile, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan,, according to a Malayalam news report, also ruled out special flights.

Responding to a question from Khaleej Times on blue-collar workers' angst following job losses, Vikas Swarup, Secretary West in the foreign ministry said, "Insofar as repatriation is concerned, as you are aware, government has advised against all travel, and Indians have been told to stay where they are, As and when the (21-day) lockdown is lifted, and normal civil aviation resumes, Indians wishing to come back will be able to do so."

According to the latest data from the Indian foreign affairs ministry, there are 1,400 cases of Covid-19 infections among Indian expats in the Gulf region.

Swarup said infected Indians are being treated and kept in isolation in the UAE and Gulf. "Our missions have established contact with all the community leaders and the situation is under control," he said.

Cargo flights operating as usual  

Cargo flights carrying fruits and vegetables from India to the Gulf have not been disrupted and would continue as usual, the diplomat said. "We are also helping with medicines based on the requests of Gulf countries," he said.

Eight million India expats live in the Gulf, including close to three million in the UAE. They account for more than 60 per cent of remittances to their home country.

India's long lockdown of 21 says ends next Tuesday. Indications are that it could be extended. Some states like Orissa have already stretched it till the end of the month and others are expected to follow suit.

The government believes that the disease is now concentrated in 75 districts, and the focus should be on these areas to manage and contain the virus.

Udupi, Apr 9: Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha said that criminal cases would be booked against owners of houses and sheds who were collecting rent from those, including workers, staying in rented houses.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Mr Jagadeesha said that to prevent the spread of COVID-19, restrictions had been imposed throughout the district under Section 144 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The administration had through an earlier order made it clear that house owners and shed owners should not collect rent from their tenants and workers for March and April.

But the administration had received complaints that some house owners and shed owners were collecting rent despite the order.