COVID-19: India records 10,064 new cases
New Delhi: India reported the lowest number of daily coronavirus infections in over seven months with 10,064 new cases, which took the caseload to 1,05,81,837, while recoveries have surged to 1,02,28,753, according to Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The country's death toll increased to 1,52,556 as 137 fatalities, the lowest in around eight months, were recorded in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,02,28,753, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.66 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh. There are 2,00,528 active COVID-19 cases in the country which comprise 1.90 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed 20 lakh on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 18,78,02,827 samples have been tested up to January 18 with 7,09,791 samples being tested on Monday.
The 137 new fatalities include 35 from Maharashtra, 17 from Kerala, 10 from West Bengal, nine from Karnataka, and eight each from Delhi and Tamil Nadu.
A total of 1,52,556 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 50,473 from Maharashtra followed by 12,272 from Tamil Nadu, 12,175 from Karnataka, 10,754 from Delhi, 10,063 from West Bengal, 8,580 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,141 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,509 from Punjab.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
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Excise policy cases: SC agrees to hear Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear AAP leader Manish Sisodia's pleas seeking relaxation of bail conditions which require him to report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday in the corruption and money laundering cases related to Delhi excise policy.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking their responses on Sisodia's applications.
On August 9, the apex court had granted him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying long incarceration for 17 months without trial had deprived him of his right to speedy trial.
The apex court had imposed conditions, including that he shall report to the investigating officer on every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 am.
During the hearing on Friday, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has appeared before the investigating officers 60 times.
"I (Sisodia) am a respectable person," the senior advocate said.
Singhvi said that similar condition was imposed by the apex court on other accused in the case.
"The same ED has given no objection to all other accused," he said.
The bench said, "On the next date, we will clarify it."
"Issue notice, returnable two weeks," the top court said.
The former Delhi deputy chief minister was arrested by both the CBI and the ED in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
He was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 for purported irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The following month, the ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
In its August 9 verdict granting bail to Sisodia in both the cases, the apex court had said it was high time that the trial courts and the high courts should recognise the principle that "bail is rule and jail is exception".
"We find that, on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial even not having been commenced, the appellant (Sisodia) has been deprived of his right to speedy trial," it had said.
The top court had directed him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.
It had directed that Sisodia shall surrender his passport with the special court and not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence.
The apex court had set aside the May 21 verdict of the Delhi High Court, which had dismissed Sisodia's pleas seeking bail in both these cases.
The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.
