The iconic Twilight franchise, which captivated audiences over 15 years ago with its five-part series, is making a return to television, this time as an animated series.

In April 2023, rumours began swirling about a TV reboot of the beloved movie franchise, and these speculations were confirmed by Michael Burns, indicating that a TV adaptation was indeed in the works. However, what surprised fans was the decision to adapt Twilight into an animated series, with author Stephenie Meyer also involved in the project. 

This announcement diverged from expectations of a live-action adaptation. The original Twilight movie series featured Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, and included instalments such as New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1, and Breaking Dawn Part 2.

Suspended Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan – the key accused in the Sandeshkhali extortion, land grab, and sexual assault cases – was transferred to the custody of the CBI Wednesday evening, capping a two-day stand-off between the Bengal government and the central agency.

On Tuesday the Calcutta High Court had ordered the state to hand over Shahjahan, and all case materials, to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The state was given till 4.30 pm but refused to comply, citing a last-gasp appeal at the Supreme Court, which had refused an urgent hearing.

When the CBI team reached Bengal Police’s HQ in Kolkata, they were forced to return empty-handed. They were told Shahjahan would remain in police custody till the Supreme Court’s ruling.

READ | Bengal, CBI In Stand-Off Over Shahjahan, Supreme Court Moved

This afternoon, an irate High Court set a new deadline – 4.15 pm. The court underlined the seriousness of the state disregarding an order passed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam, and said, “Supreme Court has not ordered a stay. So Shahjahan must be handed over to the CBI by 4.15 pm…”

The High Court also issued a notice of contempt and asked Bengal Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, which had custody of Sheikh Shahjahan, to file an affidavit within two weeks.

READ | CBI Team At Bengal Police HQ For Shahjahan As Deadline Ends

In yesterday’s hearing the High Court held the police to be “totally biased” and called for a “fair, honest, and complete investigation” into allegations against Shahjahan. “There can be no better case than this… which requires to be transferred (and) to be investigated by the CBI,” it observed.

Sheikh Shahjahan went on the run on January 5, the day a mob of his supporters attacked an Enforcement Directorate team. Nearly two months later, he was arrested – three days after the state’s stand-off, this time with the High Court – and suspended from the Trinamool for six years.

READ | Sandeshkhali Accused Shahjahan, On The Run For 55 Days, Arrested

The High Court on Tuesday ruled on separate pleas – from the ED and the state government – to its earlier order on the setting up of a team of CBI officials and cops. The ED wanted the case to be handled only by its central counterpart, while the police did not want the CBI involved at all.

In a separate development, the ED said it had provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 12.78 crore in connection with the Sheikh Shahjahan case.

The Shahjahan-Sandeshkhali row has become a major flashpoint in the state weeks before the Lok Sabha election. The BJP has accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government of shielding its former leader, while the Trinamool today pointed to former national wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a sitting BJP MP who was accused of sexual assault by women wrestlers.

READ | On PM’s Shahjahan Barbs, Trinamool’s Brij Bhushan Counter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Bengal last week and, in his first public comment on the Sandeshkhali row, accused the Trinamool of shielding its former member.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

There is no impropriety in a sitting High Court judge resigning and joining a political party, former judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay insisted to NDTV today in an exclusive interview.

Mr Gangopadhyay – who made headlines with his rulings and has had run-ins with lawyers, judges, and senior leaders from Bengal’s ruling Trinamool – quit the Calcutta High Court Tuesday afternoon.

Hours later he confirmed what was known – he will join the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

This evening he told NDTV his swift career change had been triggered by “insulting remarks from Trinamool persons… when I was discover huge corruption and trying to justice”.

“My resignation is the result of insulting remarks by Trinamool persons against me… when I was trying to do justice as I was exploring and discovering huge corruption in education appointments – school teachers and employees in different schools – in the state,” Mr Gangopadhyay said.

“When I passed orders for the CBI to investigate, they started making insulting comments against me… not the judgement, but personal attacks,” he continued, attacking his critics. “These Trinamool people are almost half-educated… do not know what to say to a judge, but they challenged me.”

“They challenged me to come to politics,” he said, “So I started thinking… I got some impetus from them. So now the time has come to stand beside large number of helpless people of our state.”

READ | Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay Resigns, To Join BJP

Mr Gangopadhyay was pressed on the question of propriety; it was pointed to him that it was unprecedented for a sitting judge to resign and immediately join a political party, particularly when several of his rulings seemed to side against that party’s apparent rival, i.e., the Trinamool.

“No. Not at all. What bad precedent? No… this is Trinamool persons trying to get out of facing corruption charges by raising this question, when they know many leaders, some in jail and some who will be arrested, will be convicted. These are worthless, meaningless questions.”

Mr Gangopadhyay also laughed off questions from political and legal analysts, declaring, “Tell analysts to gain knowledge about politics and legal theories…”

READ | From Courts To Votes: Abhijit Gangopadhyay And His Controversies

He said talks with the BJP had begun “recently… only three-four days (ago)”, and stressed, “From the time I started thinking about politics I have not done any adjudication. I took leave from my court and, thereafter, I resigned,” he explained. Mr Gangopadhyay is expected to join the BJP on Thursday.

He told NDTV he had decided to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party because it is a “good platform in Bengal, when no other parties have influence… even CPM or Congress. BJP has potential and is raising some issues that will go hand-in-hand with people of Bengal.”

The former judge did not, however, comment on speculation he could get a Lok Sabha ticket.

There has been talk he could be fielded from the Tamluk constituency, which has been won by the Trinamool in each of the past three elections. “Question of Lok Sabha seat will be decided by the party. I didn’t join for election and I have no business in making these comments,” he said.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.