The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Prasanna B Varale, has been elevated to the Supreme Court. He will take oath tomorrow, sources said. He replaces Justice S K Kaul, who retired last month. His elevation takes the number of Supreme Court judges back to its full strength of 34.

The 61-year-old has practiced law (specifically civil, criminal, labour, and administrative matters) for over two decades, and previously served in the Bombay High Court.

He took oath as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in October 2022.

While recommending his name earlier this month, the Supreme Court Collegium said it took into consideration the fact that he is among the senior-most high court judges and is the only High Court Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste.

He would become the third sitting judge from a Scheduled Caste community. The others are Justices B R Gavai and C T Ravikumar.

Justice Varale’s appointment came within a week of the Supreme Court Collegium recommending his name.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Prasarma Bhalachandra Varale, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” read the notification from the law ministry.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has uncovered over Rs 100 crore in disproportionate assets allegedly amassed by Shiva Balakrishna, the Secretary of Telangana State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TSRERA) and the former Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

The ACB’s preliminary findings suggest Mr Balakrishna accrued crores by allegedly facilitating permits for numerous real estate companies.

Officials searched several locations across the state, including Mr Balakrishna and his relatives’ homes and offices, over allegations that Mr Balakrishna amassed assets beyond his known sources of income.

The searches began at 5 am today and covered 20 locations. They are expected to extend into tomorrow. ACB teams combed through offices of the HMDA and RERA, while Mr Balakrishna’s home and other key locations linked to the probe were raided.

A case of unaccounted assets has been registered against Mr Balakrishna, who is suspected to have exploited his official position to accumulate massive wealth.

Assets valued at over Rs 100 crore, including gold, flats, bank deposits, and benami holdings, have been found during the searches. The inventory of seized items comprises Rs 40 lakh in cash, two kilograms of gold jewellery, 60 high-end wristwatches, property documents, and substantial bank deposits. Additionally, 14 phones, 10 laptops, and several electronic gadgets have been confiscated.

The ACB is now going through Mr Balakrishna’s bank lockers and other undisclosed assets, signaling a continuation of the investigation tomorrow.

Through the day in In Rajasthan Emmanuel Macron will visit the Amer Fort, where a cultural event will be held.
PM Modi will join him for the tour of Jantar Mantar a UNESCO World Heritage site. The two leaders will then take part in a joint roadshow from Jantar Mantar to Sangani gate with a stopover at Hawa Mahal.
Sources said they will have Jaipur’s special masala chai at Hawa Mahal and may pick up handicrafts items like blue pottery and the famous inlay work, for which they will pay with BHIM UPI. Handicraft kiosks have been set up adjacent to the Hawa Mahal for the dignitaries to browse.
A private dinner for Mr Macron has also been planned at the Rambag Palace.
The visit comes as the Centre and the French government continue to negotiate multi-billion dollar deals for French fighter jets and submarines for the army.
It is expected that India’s proposed procurement of 26 Rafale fighter jets and the three Scorpion submarines would also figure in the bilateral talks that will be held later.
France is India’s second largest arms supplier and has been one of its oldest and closest partners in Europe for decades.
President Macron had accepted the last minute invite for the Republic Day celebration, which has been read as a mark on the strength of the bilateral relations between the two nations.
New Delhi had dialled Paris when US President Joe Biden conveyed that he cannot come.
PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day celebrations in July last year.