Uncategorized
Nagpur lawyer moves HC against PM-CARES fund, demands financial transparency

Nagpur lawyer Arvind Waghmare has filed a PIL at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court demanding transparency among other things with respect to the PM-CARES fund set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to battle COVID-19 pandemic. The PIL will be heard by Justice Madhav J Jamdar on May 12.
Advocate Waghmare, through the PIL, has stated that when the PM-CARES fund, which is a public charitable trust, was set by PM Modi on March 28, it was informed that while PM Modi will be the chairman of the trust, Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister will be the trustees.
Also read: May 11: COVID-19 claims 4th life in Nagpur; Ram Nagar resident dies after testing positive
It was also mentioned that apart from these four individuals, three eminent personalities from different walks of life will also be included as trustees. But it has been more than 40 days and these three people have not been included as trustees. Through the PIL, Advocate Waghmare has demanded that two out these three trustees should be immediately appointed and should be leaders of two major opposition political parties.
Stating that thousands of crore rupees have been donated to the fund, Advocate Waghmare has asserted that the financial details of the fund should be made public. The PIL points out that major donations to the fund includes Rs 1500 crore donation by Ratan Tata and Rs 1225 crore donation by Azim Premji Foundation.
With respect to the donations, Advocate Waghmare also said that instead of the independent auditor, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) should audit PM-CARES fund.
COVID-19
Thane Municipal Corporation adds 25 beds as COVID cases rise
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) added 25 additional beds in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital Kalwa apart from arranging a special ward dedicated to COVID-19 patients. The total number of active patients in the city stood at 252 while five succumbed to the virus. Meanwhile, TMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said a ‘death audit’ of patients who died of COVID would be conducted. The TMC has ensured it has additional stock of oxygen concentrators, testing kits, medicines, to name a few. Bangar told HT, “Due to the increasing number of Covid patients, it is necessary for everyone to be alert.”
He added, The number of Covid tests should be increased to stay one step ahead of the disease. As a result, the number of patients is likely to increase due to increased testing. However, as per the ‘test, isolate, treat’ protocol for Covid, it becomes necessary to isolate and treat more and more patients. The testing centres will not remain closed even for a single day. At the same time, more arrangements for testing will be made immediately in public places, markets, railway stations, malls.”
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
Also read: Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
Politics
After Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, his namesake who contested from Wayanad disqualified

Rahul Gandhi
An independent candidate for Lok Sabha elections named Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from contesting polls for failing to lodge account of election expenses. Gandhi, who’s name figures as ‘Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma’ in an Election Commission list of persons, had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and had received 2196 votes from the Wayanad seat in Kerala – a constituency from where ex-Congress MP Rahul Rajiv Gandhi had won with over seven lakh votes.
However, since it is mandatory for all contestants to submit their account of election expenses among other mandatory requirements under EC rules and the Representation of the People Act.
Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma stood disqualified to contest polls from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024. According to Section 10A, the Election Commission can disqualify a contestant for a period of three years from the date of the order if he/she has failed to lodge an account of election expenses within the time and in the manner required by law and has no good reason or justification for the failure.
Also read: ‘CBI under UPA govt. pressurised me to frame Modi,’ recalls Amit Shah
Nagpur News
Nagpur records 22 COVID cases in 24 hours
A total of 22 patients tested positive for COVID-19 in Nagpur in past 24 hours on Thursday. Almost 242 people were tested in the city, out of which 15 belonged to urban area while and 6 were from the rural areas, and one from outside Nagpur district.
At present, there are 72 active patients in the city. Three new cases of the new XBB.1.16 variant of COVID-19 were detected that took the total tally to five in the district.
India recorded 3,095 new COVID cases and five deaths in last 24 hours.
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