The brother of BJP MP Pratap Simha, who hit headlines for the massive breach in Parliament security earlier this month, has been arrested in connection with the felling of trees worth crores. Vikram Simha, who was arrested by the Organised Crime squad of Central Crime Branch, is currently in the custody of forest department.

As many as 126 trees worth crores were felled in Karnataka’s Hassan district and transported elsewhere. An official report said “available documentary evidence” hinted at his involvement in the crime. Forest officials had been looking for Vikram Simha, but he escaped. The officials used electronic surveillance to track down Vikram to Bengaluru.

The forest officials reached out to the Organised Crime team and Vikram Simha was arrested in a joint operation. He will now be taken to Hassan for further action in the case.

His brother’s arrest comes at a tough time for the BJP MP, who is already drawing fire from the Opposition after his name came up in the Parliament breach case. One of the intruders who trespassed into Lok Sabha on December 13 was carrying a visitor’s pass issued by Pratap Simha’s office. The BJP had later told Speaker Om Birla that the intruder’s father was a resident of his constituency and had asked for a pass to visit Parliament.

The Opposition has questioned why no action has been taken against Mr Simha yet, even though 146 MPs were suspended for unruly conduct after they demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the massive security breach.

Mr Simha recently said the people will decide if he was a patriot or a traitor in the Lok Sabha elections due next year. “Whether Pratap Simha is a traitor or a patriot — mother Goddess Chamundeshwari sitting on the hills of Mysuru, mother Goddess Cauvery who is sitting on Brahmagiri, my reader fans across Karnataka who have been reading my writings for the last twenty years, and people of Mysuru and Kodgu who have seen my work for 9.5 years and my conduct on issues related country, dharma and nationalism — will give their verdict through votes in Lok Sabha polls to be held in April 2024,” said the journalist-turned-politician.

The Congress has questioned why the BJP MP has not been questioned so far. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has, however, said, Mr Simha’s statement had been recorded as part of the probe.

An alert over a loose bolt in new-built Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft has prompted airlines in India which operate the type to carry out checks to ensure there are no defects that can affect flight safety.

India’s aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is closely monitoring the situation and has been in touch with Akasa, Air India Express and SpiceJet, which operate the aircraft.

This comes after the US’ Federation Aviation Administration said it is closely monitoring targeted inspections of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes to look for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system. The plane manufacturer has said the issue identified on a particular aircraft has been fixed and asked airlines to conduct an inspection of their Boeing 737 Max fleet.

The DGCA has said it is in touch with its US counterpart and Boeing and that the checks currently being carried out are part of the regular process to ensure flight safety.

“This has been an ongoing issue with Max 737 and these are service bulletins issued from time to time by Boeing to the airline operators for the suggested action whenever any issue is come across. We have been in touch with Boeing, FAA and our airline operators in the past too on such issues concerning 737 Max,” the DGCA said in a statement.

“In such cases, mitigation as recommended by the Original Equipment Manufacturers is carried out by the airline operator as has been done in the past in respect of 737 Max,” it added.

An Akasa Air spokesperson has said Boeing had informed them about the issue. “Like all operators around the world, and in accordance with our highest standards of safety, Akasa will be following the same checks and procedures that the manufacturer or regulator recommends. Our operating fleet and deliveries are not impacted so far,” it said.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said the fresh alert will have no impact on its operations. A response from Air India Express is expected soon.

Boeing 737 Max, the manufacturer’s fastest-selling plane in history, was grounded worldwide in 2019 after crashes in Indonesia and Jakarta left 356 people dead. The aircraft was back in service early in 2021.

In an incident shocking in its brutality, an 18-year-old Dalit woman working at an oil mill was pushed into a cauldron with hot oil when she protested sexual harassment. The incident, which took place at Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, has left the teenager with serious burns. She has been moved to Delhi for treatment.

The three accused, including the mill owner, have been arrested.

A complaint filed by the woman’s brother yesterday says members of his family worked at an oil mill at Dhanaura Silvernagar village. His sister was working at the mill when the accused — mill owner Pramod and associates Raju and Sandip — started harassing her. When she protested, the accused allegedly hurled casteist abuses. They then pushed her into the cauldron full of hot oil, her brother has said.

In a statement recorded from her bed at a Delhi hospital, the 18-year-old said the accused misbehaved with her and verbally abused her before pushing her into the cauldron.

The woman has suffered burns on more than half of her body, with her legs and arms seriously scalded.

Based on her brother’s complaint, the police registered a case under sections relating to attempt to murder, assaulting a woman and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “We have arrested the three accused and further action is being taken,” Circle Officer Vijay Chaudhary said.