Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday downplayed calls for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into allegations of multiple murders, rapes and burials in Dharmasthala, saying the case is already being investigated by the state police through a Special Investigating Team (SIT).

A day after a video showed him rebuking and asking a woman IPS officer to stop action against illegal soil excavation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said he did not want to interfere but was only trying to deescalate a tense situation.

Taking a swipe at the Congress government in Karnataka, the opposition BJP on Friday claimed the state cabinet’s decision to use ballot papers instead of EVMs in the next local body polls amounted to "self-certifying" that the ruling party came to power through "vote theft."

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday defended the decision on going back to ballot paper for local body polls, saying that it was made "based on experience". 

Head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed for the Dharmasthala mass burial case, Dr. Pronab Mohanty, arrived at the SIT office in town on Friday. 

Poll authorities in Delhi issued a notice to Congress leader Pawan Khera's wife Kota Neelima on Thursday for allegedly registering in the electoral roll of more than one constituency, including one in Telangana. 

A Delhi-Indore Air India Express flight with 161 passengers on board on Friday suffered an engine fault during its descent at the airport here, prompting the pilot to make a 'PAN-PAN' call for non-life threatening emergency, but the aircraft landed safely soon afterwards, officials said.

The Mumbai police have issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) against Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra in connection with a Rs 60 crore cheating case, officials said on Friday.