The price of sugarcane has been increased by 8 per cent for the 2024-25 financial year and will come into effect from October, the government has said. The hike came amid a huge tussle between the government and farmers over minimum support price. The price of cane will now go up from Rs 315 to Rs 340 a quintal.

Announcing the hike, Union minister Anurag Thakur declared that the government is pro-farmer. “Our government is working for the betterment of farmers and agriculture,” he said.

“It has been decided to fix the price for the upcoming sugarcane season, in the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, to ensure the fair and reasonable price of sugarcane to the farmers by the sugar mills,” he said.

“It has been decided to fix the price at Rs 340 per quintal for the year 2024-25 as compared to the previous year which was Rs 315,” he added.

The cabinet approval for the cane price hike came this evening during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The “Fair and Remunerative Price” will ensure prosperity of sugarcane farmers, the government said.

In a statement, the government said it has provided a premium of Rs. 3.32 per quintal for every 0.1 percentage point increase above 10.25% in the recovery.

“It is noteworthy that India is already paying the highest price of sugarcane in the world and despite that, the  government is ensuring the world’s cheapest sugar to domestic consumers,” read the statement.

The Centre’s decision will benefit more than 5 crore sugarcane farmers and their families and lakhs of other persons involved in sugar sector, the government said.

“It re-confirms fulfilment of Modi ki Guarantee to double farmers’ income,” the statement added.

A Bihar cadre IAS officer got crores in consulting fees from more than a dozen companies after his retirement with whom he had official dealings while he was in service. The man is facing a multi-agency probe which includes the Enforcement Directorate and CBI.

The CBI on Tuesday searched the premises of former Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) secretary Ramesh Abhishek after registering an FIR against him for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. “He was charging big amounts as consulting and professional fees from various entities and organisations with whom he had dealings while he was a secretary DPIIT or chairman of Forward Market Commission,” states the FIR registered by the CBI.

As per the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mr Abhishek filed an affidavit before Lokpal in which he mentioned that he got Rs 2.7 crore fees in 15 months post-retirement which was “119 times higher than his last drawn government salary” which was Rs 2.26 lakhs.

“Probe so far by various agencies reveals that he gave favour to at least 16 companies while he was posted in the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade as a secretary,” a senior CBI official explains.

The FIR further adds that a house in Delhi’s posh Greater Kailash area was the outcome of a doubtful sudden rise in earlier investments of the family in immovable properties.

Ramesh Abhishek was posted as DPIIT secretary from February 22 to July 2019. And before that, from September 21 to July 2019, he was posted as chairman of the Forward Market Commission.

He retired from DPIIT (erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) and private companies in various capacities in 2019.

Mr Abhishek is also one of the three independent directors at Paytm that is presently facing scrutiny by RBI.

“An independent director plays a crucial role in providing oversight, guidance and independent judgement to ensure it works in the interest of stakeholders while complying with laws of the land,” explains an official.

As per sources, while posted as a secretary, Mr Abhishek allegedly helped parent company One 97 Communications to come out with an IPO.

He was also associated with formulating policies aimed at promoting Industrial growth and also with the ease of doing business. “While in service, he was also instrumental in implementing initiatives of Make In India, Start-Up India and liberalisation of FDI to attract business,” explains an official.

Mr Abhishek has been facing multiple cases by various agencies. Many cases are still in various courts as he has been contesting the claims.

But problems became severe for Ramesh Abhishek when Lokpal, in an order dated February 2, 2022, held that corruption charges needed to be probed thoroughly. “In view of the facts and circumstances, we cannot be a mute spectator to these allegations relating to corruption which should be dealt with strictly. More so when substantial parts of information furnished by the complainant have been admitted by the public servant [respondent] in his affidavits. We, therefore, refer the matter to the ED along with all papers relating to this complaint,” it said.

Directing necessary legal action, it had asked the ED to determine the value of Greater Kailash property. “The ED should also enquire whether there was any conflict of interest in terms of remuneration received by the public servant [respondent] and/or his relatives. During this enquiry, it may also be ascertained whether the public servant [respondent] was required to inform relevant authority, the cost of redevelopment of the property bought by him in GK-II and whether the appropriate authority was informed or not,” it said.

Based on the initial ED report, the Lokpal had on January 3, 2023, directed the agency for further investigation. Mr Abhishek had challenged the orders in the Delhi High Court, which in May 2023 refused to interfere with the Lokpal proceedings.

The Lokpal, in December last year, had referred this matter to CBI and after the initial probe on February 15 this year, they registered a case of disproportionate assets.

The Seattle police officer who struck and killed Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula while responding to an overdose call, will not face any criminal charges due to lack of “sufficient” evidence, authorities said.

On Wednesday, the King County Prosecutor’s Office said they will not move forward with criminal charges against Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave, FOX13 Seattle reported.

In a statement released Wednesday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney said, “Kandula’s death is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and across the world.” Kandula, 23, was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Dave when she was crossing a street in Seattle on January 23. He was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call. Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle.

In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said that she believes they lack the evidence to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt, the report added.

“It is the responsibility of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to review all available evidence relating to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision death of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt.” The statement also said that the prosecutor’s office also finds the comments made by Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer, recorded on his body-worn video, “appalling and deeply troubling.” Auderer, who was not involved in the January collision, was captured in the video saying, “But she is dead” and laughing while on the phone.

She was 26 anyway,” Auderer said in the video. “She had limited value.” “Officer Auderer’s comments were also unprofessional and undermined the public’s trust in the Seattle Police Department and law enforcement in general,” said Manion.

“As egregious as Officer Auderer’s comments are, they do not change the PAO’s legal analysis into the conduct of Officer Dave. It is the Office of Police Accountability that bears the responsibility of disciplinary investigation and proceedings relating to Officer Auderer’s comment, not the PAO.” Auderer was pulled from patrol in September 2023 and reassigned to a “non-operational position.” Auderer could still be fired after the fallout of his insensitive comments captured on bodycam.

Auderer’s chain of command and the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) found he acted unprofessionally. For that, he faces the highest disciplinary range of nearly two weeks suspension up to termination, according to a disciplinary action report.

Before a final disciplinary decision, Auderer will have the chance to meet with Police Chief Adrian Diaz to disagree.

His disciplinary hearing is scheduled for March 4, K5 News reported.

Seattle local media reported that speed was the cause of the collision, as the speed at which Dave was travelling did “not allow (Kandula) or him sufficient time to detect, address and avoid a hazard that presented itself.” Dave was responding to a “priority one” call at the request of the Seattle Fire Department, according to the Seattle Police Department. According to the police report, the officer was responding to a report of a drug overdose.

The officer did not have his siren activated continuously. Instead, the officer “chirped” his siren at the intersection. He did have his emergency lights on, according to a previous statement from the police department.

In a memo to Seattle police, prosecutors wrote there was not enough evidence to prove Dave showed “conscious disregard for others safety.” A drug recognition expert responded to the scene and found no impairment in the officer.

Kandula was a graduate student at Northeastern University at the Seattle campus. The university said in January 2023 that they would award her degree posthumously and present it to her family. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)