From The Newsroom: ED arrests Bineesh Kodiyeri; Tamil superstar Rajinikanth hints at shelving his political ambitions

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, ED arrests Bineesh Kodiyeri; Ahead of RR Nagar Assembly bypoll, ban on liquor sale imposed in certain parts of Bengaluru; Rajinikanth may not jump into the poll fray next year; Mayawati says that to ensure the defeat of Samajwadi Party candidates in future elections, her party will vote for BJP or any other party's candidate; BJP leader Kapil Mishra has tendered an unconditional apology to senior AAP leader and Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain; Veteran politician Keshubhai Patel passes away and knife-wielding man killed three people in France.

Here are the top news of October 29, 2020:

Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of Kerala CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was on Thursday arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after being questioned in connection with his alleged links with an accused in the Bengaluru drug case.

Bineesh was questioned at the agency's zonal office here this morning for three hours following which he was taken to the court for further proceedings.

This was the third time Bineesh was asked to appear before the central agency for interrogation.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner has prohibited sale, consumption, procurement and storage of liquor or any intoxicant in specific areas from 05:00pm on November 1 to 12 midnight of November 3 and from 06:00am on November to 12 midnight of November 10, in view of RR Nagar Assembly by-poll.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Thursday dropped a hint that his much anticipated entry into politics may not happen during the 2021 elections as announced three years back.

With just seven months to go for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the actor posted a terse statement on his verified Twitter page to "quell rumours" about a letter circulating on the social media in his name. But the statement raised more questions on the actor's political entry.

"A letter which claims to be my statement is being circulated on the social media widely. Everyone knows that is not my statement. However, the details mentioned in the letter about my health is true. I will consult functionaries of Rajini Makkal Mandram at an appropriate time and announce my political stand," Rajinikanth said in the statement.

Amid speculation that some of her party MLAs could switch sides in Uttar Pradesh, BSP leader Mayawati on Thursday said to ensure the defeat of Samajwadi Party candidates in future elections, including those of MLC and Rajya Sabha, her party will vote for BJP or any other party's candidate.

The former UP Chief Minister said her party will leave no stone unturned to defeat SP candidates even if it means voting for candidates of BJP or any other party.

Any candidate who dominates over SP's second candidate will get BSP MLAs' vote, she said in a statement.

Controversial BJP leader Kapil Mishra has tendered an unconditional apology to senior AAP leader and Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain for accusing him three years ago of paying Rs two crore to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Following this, Jain withdrew the defamation case he filed against Mishra, who was AAP Minister and left the party following differences with Kejriwal and other leaders.

After recording the unconditional apology, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja allowed Jain to withdraw his complaint.

Veteran politician and BJP's first chief minister in Gujarat Keshubhai Patel passed away in Ahmedabad on Thursday at the age of 92. His family told media persons that Patel was rushed to a hospital early morning after he complained of breathlessness.

About ten days back, he was tested positive for coronavirus and was admitted to a private hospital from where he was discharged after recovery. However, Patel's condition deteriorated again on Thursday morning as he complained of difficulty in breathing. He was rushed to Sterling hospital where he died during the treatment.

A knife-wielding man killed three people at a church in the French city of Nice on Thursday, slitting the throat of at least one of them, in what officials are treating as the latest jihadist attack to rock the country.

It was the third attack in two months in France.

The assailant was wounded by police and hospitalized after the killings at the Notre Dame Church, less than a kilometer from the site in 2016 where another attacker plowed a truck into a Bastille Day crowd, killing dozens.

Less than two weeks ago, an assailant decapitated a French middle school teacher who showed caricatures of the Prophet for a class on free speech. Those caricatures were published by Charlie Hebdo and cited by the men who gunned down the newspaper's editorial meeting in 2015.

In September, a man who had sought asylum in France attacked bystanders outside Charlie Hebdo's former offices with a butcher knife.