Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) raided the offices of a well-known legal firm as part of the ongoing probe into the Rs 11,300 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud here on Monday.

 The CBI sleuths last week swooped on the offices of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, a leading firm which was reportedly hired by Nirav Modi around a month before the scam broke in mid-February, at their offices in Lower Parel here.

 The CBI examined the documents provided by the firm pertaining to the Nirav Modi-related mandate, which the company later reportedly terminated after the scam erupted on February 14.

 CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma on Monday directed the officials in charge of the investigation to "complete (it) within the stipulated time" and has also asked them "not to spare anyone found involved".

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Kalaburagi: Members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) and the Taluk Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti protested outside the Siddasiri Ethanol Power Unit in Chincholi, demanding appropriate minimum support price (MSP) to sugarcane farmers in Chincholi.

Pointing out that it was decided at the meeting chaired by District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge on November 15 to provide farmers an MSP of Rs 2,950 per tonne of sugarcane with an additional Rs 50 as support price from sugar factory owners, the protesting farmers also demanded that the decision be implemented.

“The Siddasiri sugar factory owner has violated the agreement by paying each farmer only Rs 2,550,” the farmers have alleged.

President of the KPRS Kalaburagi District Unit Sharanabasappa Mamashetti said, “When he opened the factory, legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had assured that the factory would pay farmers in Kalaburagi an additional Rs 100, but has failed to live up to the word.”

The protesting farmers have demanded that the authorities concerned give priority to sugarcane farmers of Chincholi and Kalagi taluks to support the sugarcane crop. “Also, the factories should employ local youngsters and due measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the drivers of sugarcane transport vehicles,” they said.

They also handed their memorandum to Tahsildar Subbanna Jamakhandi and Power Ethanol Unit General Manager Dayananda Banagara.

The Tahsildar has assured that a meeting with the sugar factory owners would be held to discuss the issues raised by the farmers.