Golfer Shiv second at Royal Cup
Pattaya, July 28 : Indian golfer Shiv Kapur carded a three-under 67 in the third and peultimate round to move into the second spot in the $500,000 Royal Cup here on Saturday.
Defending champion Shiv's total after the three days was nine-under 201 -- two shots behind South African overnight leader Justin Harding, who battled to a one-over 71 to stay atop the leaderboard.
The highlight of Shiv's round was three birdies in four holes, starting from 14th hole. Prior to that he had two birdies against two bogeys at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
"Nothing much was happening up till hole 14 when I made a good putt to get some momentum going. Had a good chip on hole 16 to make birdie and on 17 I holed a 30-footer for birdie again," Shiv said in an Asian Tour release.
"Happy with the way I finished since all the action happened for me on the last five holes. It was just one of those days where you stay patient when the conditions are tough and you get rewarded."
The 32-year-old Harding reeled in 17 straight pars before dropping his first bogey of the week on the 54th hole, reducing his overnight lead to two.
American Jarin Todd posted a 69 to stay three shots off the pace. New Zealand's Mark Brown and Japanese Naoto Nakanishi shared the fourth spot on seven-under 203 total.
After Shiv, next best Indian was Gaganjeet Bhullar, who scored a 69 to share the ninth spot with five others at five-under 205 total.
Viraj Madappa was tied 24th on two-under 208 total (70-69-69). S. Chikka scored 67 to take his total to one-under 209 -- same as Honey Baisya as they tied for the 30th spot.
One stroke behind the pair were Khalin Joshi and Himmat Rai.
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Unnao rape case: SC sets aside order suspending Sengar's life term, asks HC to decide plea afresh
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday set aside a Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case and asked it to decide the plea afresh.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked the high court to make endeavours to decide the main plea of Sengar against his conviction and life imprisonment in the case within two months.
It further said that if it was not possible for the high court to decide the main plea expeditiously, then it should pass an order on a plea of Sengar seeking the suspension of the life term in the case before the start of the summer vacation there.
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The bench, which had earlier set aside the HC order granting bail to Sengar after a huge public uproar over the issue, said that it did not express any opinion on the merits of the case and the high court could proceed with it afresh.
The CJI also asked the HC to decide afresh issues like whether an MLA can be treated as a public servant for being prosecuted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Earlier, the top court had deferred to the first week of May the hearing on a petition filed by the CBI challenging the suspension of life imprisonment of the former MLA in the rape case.
On December 29 last year, the top court stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending Sengar's life sentence and said he shall not be released from custody.
In its order dated December 23, 2025, the Delhi High Court had said that Sengar had been convicted under Section 5 (C) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a public servant) of the POCSO Act but an elected representative does not fit the definition of a "public servant" under Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
The high court had suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, till the pendency of his appeal, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison.
The high court order has sparked criticism from various sections of society and protests were held by the victim, her family and activists.
