From the Newsroom: FM assures industry of economic reforms

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assures industry of economic reforms; Kerala government decides against implementing amendment to Kerala Police Act; AstraZeneca unveiled interim late-stage trial results; Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachyaa get bail; India has been registering less than 50,000 Covid-19 cases daily since November 8; Delhi High Court dismissed plea by A Raja and CBI officials raid R Roshan Baig’s residence.

Here are the top news of November 23, 2020:

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday assured the industry that momentum of economic reforms will continue to make India a hotspot of global investment.
India has turned the crisis created by Covid-19 pandemic into an opportunity to push the economic reforms, which remained pending for decades, she said while addressing the

National MNC's Conference 2020 organised by the industry chamber CII. "Even at the time (of) Covid pandemic, the Prime Minister has not lost an opportunity to take deep reforms, to undertake those kinds of reforms which have not seen the light of the day over the decades,” she said.

In wake of the mounting criticisms, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala has decided not to implement the controversial amendment in Kerala Police Act that warranted up to three years jail term and a fine up to Rs 10,000 to those defaming or threatening individuals through 'any mode of communication'.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement that in view of concerns raised even by those supporting the left-front, as well as from those who stand for protecting democracy, the government did not intend to implement the fresh amendment in Kerala Police Act. Further steps would be taken after discussing the matter in the state assembly and considering opinions of all sections of the society, he added.

AstraZeneca's chief executive officer Pascal Soriot said on Monday that the lower first dose of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine meant more people can be vaccinated more quickly, as the British drugmaker unveiled interim late-stage trial results.

"Being able to vaccinate more people faster is really a big plus," he told a briefing.


A Mumbai court on Monday granted bail to the TV industry’s celebrity couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachyaa who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for alleged possession and consumption of ganja.

The Magistrate’s Court in Mumbai heard their bail plea and granted them bail after they furnished Rs 50,000 each. On Sunday, the court had remanded the couple to judicial custody till December 4 following which they were sent to jail.


India has been registering less than 50,000 Covid-19 cases daily since November 8, which assumes significance as several countries in the Western Hemisphere are witnessing a surge in cases at the onset of winter, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 85,62,641 which exceeds active cases by 81,19,155.

A total of 44,059 people were found infected with Covid-19 in a span of 24 hours with ten states and UTs contributing to 78.74 per cent of the new infections.


The Delhi High Court Monday dismissed a plea by former telecom minister A Raja and others contending that the CBI’s appeal against their acquittal in the 2G spectrum scam case has become infructuous with the amendment in the anti-corruption law.

The high court said an amendment in the Act does not apply to the offences already taken place.

Justice Brijesh Sethi held that the 2018 amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act relating to Section 13(1)(d) would not come to the rescue of the acquitted accused in this appeal.


The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials conducted a raid at the residence of ex-minister and former MLA of Shivaji Nagar constituency, R Roshan Baig near Coles Park in Pulakeshinagar in the early hours today.

Baig, a disqualified member of Congress was arrested on Sunday in connection with the multi-crore Ponzi scam of I-Monetary Advisory (IMA).