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Haridwar police have arrested Priyanshu Pant, the main accused in an extortion case where he allegedly posed as Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah, to demand ₹5 lakh from BJP MLA Adesh Chauhan. One of his accomplices, Uvesh Ahmed, has also been arrested, while the third accused, Gaurav Nath, is still absconding. The incident occurred on Sunday evening when Pant called Chauhan, claiming to collect funds for the party. When the MLA grew suspicious, the accused allegedly threatened to defame him on social media. Following a complaint, a case was registered at Bahadarabad police station under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators tracked the accused’s phone location and arrested Pant in Delhi on Monday after multiple raids in Delhi and Ghaziabad. Police revealed that this was not the first time the accused had attempted such fraud. They had previously tried to extort money from two other MLAs—Nainital’s Sarita Arya and Rudrapur’s Shiv Arora—by promising them ministerial positions. According to Haridwar SSP Pramod Singh Dobal, the trio planned to fund their lavish lifestyle through political extortion.

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., the acclaimed filmmakers behind hit shows like The Family Man, Farzi, and Guns & Gulaabs, are currently navigating a challenging phase in their career after a series of setbacks. While they’ve dominated the OTT scene with back-to-back successes, the duo’s latest ventures have encountered hurdles that have raised concerns. Their most ambitious project, Citadel: Honey Bunny, a spy thriller backed by the Russo Brothers and starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, failed to live up to expectations. Despite heavy promotion and international collaborations, the show received poor reviews, leaving industry insiders wondering if it will be renewed for another season. Reports suggest that the high cost of production did not justify the response, and sources hint that the Indian version of Citadel may not return for another installment. In an interview, Raj Nidimoru shared that the duo had to wait for stars’ dates in the early part of their careers, and now as producers, they have more control over their projects. They expressed a desire to push actors out of their comfort zones, as seen with their casting of Varun Dhawan in an action role for Citadel. However, this approach was met with criticism from some quarters. The filmmakers are also dealing with another blow as reports of financial fraud have emerged regarding their upcoming show, Rakt Bramhand. The series, starring Aditya Roy Kapur, Wamiqa Gabi, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Ali Fazal, has been rocked by a financial scam involving the executive producer, with losses amounting to Rs 2 crore. Netflix has launched an internal investigation into the matter, further complicating the future of the series. Additionally, their show Gulkanda Tales, a period sex comedy for Prime Video, has faced issues with its content. Despite having an intriguing premise set in ancient India, the show has been criticized for its handling of sensitive themes like feminism and misogyny. After receiving feedback from Prime Video, the show went through multiple reshoots and re-edits, escalating the budget and leading to doubts about its release. The show’s future is now uncertain, with Prime Video reportedly not making any comments on its status. With a reported budget of Rs 120 crore, this project has become a significant concern for Raj and DK. Despite these challenges, The Family Man Season 3, their tried-and-tested hit series starring Manoj Bajpayee, appears to be on track, offering some hope for the filmmakers as they continue to manage their OTT empire. Trade experts suggest that Raj and DK have taken on more than they can handle with multiple high-profile projects, which may be affecting the quality of their recent releases. How they handle these setbacks will be crucial for their future in the competitive world of OTT content.

Hold on to your popcorn, Bollywood fans! The latest buzz is that Janhvi Kapoor is all set to team up with Pushpa star Allu Arjun for director Atlee’s highly anticipated film. Yes, you read that right—Janhvi and Allu Arjun together on screen! Initially, Allu Arjun was supposed to start work with director Trivikram Srinivas after the success of Pushpa 2. However, due to some scheduling changes and delays, he is now expected to begin work on Atlee’s film. The actor has often expressed his interest in collaborating with Atlee, and it seems that his wish is about to come true. The movie is reportedly going to be a high-octane commercial entertainer that promises action, drama, and more! While there is no official confirmation yet, reports suggest that Janhvi Kapoor has been roped in as the leading lady for this big-ticket project. Janhvi, who gained popularity among Telugu audiences for her performance in the Chuttamalle song from Jr. NTR’s Devara, is reportedly stepping into a major role in the film. She’s also set to star alongside Ram Charan in an upcoming film directed by Buchi Babu Sana. Janhvi’s film choices have been bold, and this collaboration could be a significant milestone in her career. The news of Janhvi joining Atlee’s project comes just after a fun night out with Atlee’s wife, Priya. Janhvi was spotted at Priya’s birthday bash, surrounded by Bollywood’s younger stars, including her sister Khushi Kapoor, rumored beau Shikhar Pahariya, and actress Kajal Aggarwal. In related news, director Atlee is also reportedly in talks with Salman Khan for an action-packed film tentatively titled A6, which might see the superstar opposite Rajinikanth.

Actor Shweta Basu Prasad recently revealed her experience of being bullied on a film set during her acting career. Known for her roles in OTT films like Comedy Couple, India Lockdown, Serious Men, and The Tashkent Files, Shweta shared the details in an interview with Bollywood Bubble. She recounted an instance while working on a Telugu film where she was bullied about her height, as her co-actor was significantly taller than her. Shweta, who stands at 5’2″, described how the crew would constantly point out her height every day, particularly because her hero was nearly 6 feet tall. When asked if she had ever faced bullying for her looks, she mentioned that she was fortunate to have inherited good genes from her parents, but this particular incident focused on something beyond her control. She said, “There was this one Telugu film I was doing, and that entire crew every day would remind me of my height.” She highlighted the irony of the situation, explaining that despite the male lead struggling with his Telugu and giving several retakes, no one criticized him for his language skills. In contrast, she was singled out for something she couldn’t change, calling it the “only set where I was really bullied, very bad.” Though Shweta did not mention the name of the Telugu film, she has had a notable career in Telugu cinema, beginning with the 2008 film Kotha Bangaru Lokam. She also appeared in movies like Ride, Kasko, Kalavar King, Priyudu, Genius, and her last Telugu film Vijeta in 2016. On the work front, Shweta’s new Hindi series Oops Ab Kya is set to stream on JioHotstar starting February 20. Additionally, she featured in the 2024 films Tribhuvan Mishra: CA Topper and Zindaginama.

EV Giant Posts Job Openings in Mumbai and Delhi Tesla Inc. has begun hiring in India, reinforcing speculation that the electric vehicle (EV) giant is preparing to enter the market. The company posted 13 job openings on LinkedIn, including customer-facing and back-end roles in Mumbai and Delhi. Positions such as service technician, customer engagement manager, and delivery operations specialist suggest that Tesla is laying the groundwork for a sales and service network. India’s EV Market and Tesla’s Previous Efforts Despite India’s EV market being in its early stages—selling fewer than 100,000 electric cars last year compared to China’s 11 million—Tesla sees an opportunity. The country recently lowered import duties for EVs priced above $40,000, potentially easing Tesla’s entry. Tesla had previously attempted to establish a presence in India in 2021, setting up a local sales team and lobbying for tariff reductions. However, by 2022, the company put its plans on hold. Renewed Momentum After Modi-Musk Meetings Following Elon Musk’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US, discussions around Tesla’s India entry have resurfaced. While Tesla has not announced investment plans yet, the hiring spree marks a significant step toward launching operations in the country. With increasing competition from Chinese rival BYD and slowing EV adoption globally, Tesla’s move into India could be a strategic push to tap into a rapidly growing market. However, Musk’s past statements suggest that the company remains cautious about building new factories and may focus on leveraging its existing production capacity more efficiently.

Grok-3 Outperforms Rivals in Science, Coding, and Math A smarter AI chatbot from xAI—Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company—has officially arrived. At a launch demo event, Musk introduced Grok-3, calling it “an order of magnitude more capable than Grok-2 in a very short period of time.” Expressing appreciation for his team, Musk stated, “Thanks to the hard work of an incredible team, and I’m honored to work with such a great team.” The event, which was live-streamed, attracted nearly 100,000 viewers. Grok-3 vs. the Competition During the launch, xAI showcased benchmark comparisons, demonstrating that Grok-3 outperformed leading AI models, including Google’s Gemini 2 Pro, DeepSeek V3, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o. The results highlighted Grok-3’s superiority in science, coding, and math tasks, positioning it as a strong contender in the AI race. With this latest development, xAI is looking to challenge the dominance of OpenAI, Google, and other tech giants in the rapidly evolving AI space.

Surveys Conducted Against Shri Maa Group, Shapers Construction, and Parivar Hospital Bhopal/Gwalior: The Income Tax (I-T) department has uncovered tax evasion exceeding ₹50 crore following surveys at three locations—two in Bhopal and one in Gwalior. The raids were conducted on February 12 under Section 133A of the Income Tax Act, targeting Shri Maa Group, Shapers Construction, and Parivar Super Speciality Hospital. Shri Maa Group: Unaccounted Expenses Lead to ₹6.2 Crore Surrender Shri Maa Group, engaged in wholesale mobile distribution, carbon credits, almirah manufacturing, plastic granule trading, and mobile charge vouchers, failed to justify several claimed expenses in its books of accounts. As a result, the group’s companies—Shri Maa Marketing Private Limited, Polyshri Private Limited, and Oyu Green Private Limited—admitted to an additional total income of ₹6.2 crore. The company has committed to paying taxes on the surrendered amount before the due date. Shapers Construction: ₹15 Crore in Unexplained Expenses and Ceased Liabilities The I-T department also surveyed Shapers Construction Limited, a company involved in government contracts, sand, and stone mining. The investigation revealed long-outstanding sundry creditors amounting to ₹7.26 crore for Shapers Construction Limited and Rockbed Renovations Limited. When questioned, the company admitted that these liabilities had ceased and agreed to classify them as income under Sundry Creditors Written Off. Additionally, the company failed to justify various expenses, leading to the admission of ₹7.79 crore as unverifiable expenses. In total, the survey resulted in the disclosure of ₹15.06 crore in additional income, on which the company has agreed to pay tax. Parivar Super Speciality Hospital, Gwalior: ₹30 Crore in Unaccounted Transactions One of the largest private hospitals in Gwalior, Parivar Super Speciality Hospital, was also surveyed. The operation covered six premises, including pharmacy and diagnostic centers. Officials discovered substantial unaccounted cash receipts and off-the-books transactions. The total unexplained and undisclosed receipts and expenses across the group exceeded ₹30 crore. Ongoing Investigations and Tax Recovery With over ₹50 crore in tax evasion identified, the I-T department is continuing its investigations to ensure compliance and recover dues. The targeted companies have committed to settling the additional taxes on the surrendered income.

The highly anticipated war drama Border 2 is currently being filmed at the Babina cantonment in Jhansi, featuring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty in key roles. It has now been confirmed that actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh will portray the late Indian Air Force officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, the only IAF officer to receive the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. Diljit Dosanjh’s Role & Shooting Schedule According to reports, Dosanjh will join the Border 2 team in April. He recently shared in a podcast that he will step into the role of Sekhon, who heroically defended the Srinagar air base during the 1971 India-Pakistan war against six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets on December 14, 1971. A source told Mid-Day, “Diljit is currently shooting for the Punjabi film Sardaarji 3 in Scotland. He will begin his prep for Border 2 by March-end, with a 20-day start-to-finish schedule planned by director Anurag Singh.” Filming Locations & Authenticity The film will feature multiple shooting locations to maintain authenticity. The talkie portions will be filmed at the Bombay Flying Club in Juhu, while wide-angle shots will be shot in Kashmir. To recreate the war sequences accurately, replicas of the Folland Gnat fighter aircrafts will be used, and the Srinagar air base will be meticulously recreated. Sunny Deol’s Return & Film’s Vision In a major highlight, Sunny Deol will reprise his iconic role as Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri from the 1997 classic Border. With Anurag Singh at the helm, the film aims to bring an intense and emotional portrayal of the 1971 war, highlighting the bravery and sacrifices of the Indian Armed Forces. More details about additional cast members are yet to be revealed, but Border 2 is already shaping up to be one of the biggest war films of the year. 4o

BJP Shares Video of Cleanup Efforts, AAP Accuses Party of Double Standards New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released a video showcasing the commencement of its promised Yamuna cleaning drive. Former BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri shared the video, highlighting the use of modern equipment, including skimmers to remove garbage, weed harvesters, and dredge utility craft, to improve the river’s condition. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena confirmed the initiative, stating, “Cleaning of river Yamuna has begun with trash skimmers, weed harvesters, and dredge utility craft starting operations today.” He also revealed that he had met with the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary (I&FC) on Sunday, directing them to begin work immediately. AAP Slams BJP for Taking Credit The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, criticized the BJP for allegedly taking selective responsibility for governance. Interim Chief Minister Atishi questioned the BJP’s stance, pointing out that while the party holds her responsible for power cuts, it simultaneously claims credit for the Yamuna cleanup. “I want to ask the BJP to decide whether they are running the government or not. When there are power cuts, they say the caretaker CM is responsible, but when the Yamuna cleaning machines arrive, they say BJP and the LG are running the government. They should decide whether they are in charge or not,” Atishi remarked. Yamuna Pollution a Key Poll Issue The cleaning of the Yamuna was a major talking point in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections. The BJP accused AAP of failing to clean the river despite 10 years in power, while former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the Haryana BJP government had deliberately contaminated Delhi’s water supply by releasing pollutants into the Yamuna—an accusation the BJP denied. As the political tug-of-war continues, the cleaning efforts are now underway, with both parties seeking to claim credit for the long-overdue initiative.

Mumbai Police EOW Nabs Dharmesh Paun After Bank Audit Uncovers Fraud Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police arrested private developer Dharmesh Paun from Kandivali on Sunday in connection with the ₹122-crore scam at New India Cooperative Bank. Paun allegedly received ₹70 crore from the bank’s general manager and account head, Hitesh Mehta, who was arrested a day earlier for siphoning off funds. Both Mehta and Paun were presented before the Esplanade court on Sunday, which remanded them in police custody until February 21 for further investigation. Scam Uncovered During RBI Audit The fraudulent scheme was exposed last Wednesday during an audit at the bank’s headquarters in Prabhadevi, where RBI officials discovered ₹122 crore missing from the vault. Later that evening, Mehta, a long-time employee of the bank since 1988 who was set to retire next year, admitted to stealing money from the Prabhadevi and Goregaon branches since the pandemic. He confessed in writing that he had diverted the funds for investment purposes, distributing them among associates. Connections to Real Estate and Electrical Firms Following Mehta’s arrest, the investigation revealed that ₹70 crore of the stolen money was funneled into Paun’s real estate firm. Mehta had previously bought a flat through Paun and maintained financial dealings with him. The last known transaction was in January 2025, amounting to ₹59 lakh, with a previous investment of ₹1.75 crore in mid-2024. Another suspect, Unnanathan Arunachalam alias Arunbhai, an electrical contractor, allegedly received ₹40 crore from Mehta and is currently absconding. Court Grants Police Custody for Further Investigation During the court proceedings, the public prosecutor emphasized the need for custodial interrogation to determine if more bank officials or external accomplices were involved in the scam. Given that the siphoned money came from public deposits, the prosecutor argued that a thorough probe was essential. RBI Takes Over Bank Operations Following the revelations, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed strict restrictions on New India Cooperative Bank on Thursday, barring it from issuing loans, making investments, or accepting fresh deposits without prior approval. The following day, the RBI took control of the bank’s operations, dismissing its board of directors and appointing former SBI chief general manager Shreekant as administrator for the next 12 months. The investigation continues as authorities work to trace the missing funds and hold those responsible accountable.