THE WEEK morning brief: Chidambaram's day in court; India takes on Bangladesh in WC qualifier

The RBI governor will meet public sector bankers today

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A look at the headlines today:

1. Chidambaram's day in court

A trial court will pass orders today on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea seeking Chidambaram's custodial interrogation in the INX Media money-laundering case. At the same time, the Supreme Court will hear the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) plea, against a High Court finding that Chidambaram was not a flight risk. The apex court will also hear an appeal filed by Chidambaram, challenging the HC's September 30 verdict denying him bail in the case. Though the HC had denied bail to the senior Congress leader, it had observed that he was not a flight risk and could not tamper with evidence. The matter was mentioned before a bench headed by Justice R. Banumathi; advocate Rajat Nair, appearing for the CBI, urged the bench for an urgent hearing on the plea.

2. Delhi HC to hear Congress leader Shivakumar's bail plea today

The Delhi High Court today will hear today the bail plea of Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar in a money-laundering case. Justice Suresh Kait, who was scheduled to hear the matter on Monday, was told by the counsel for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that it has filed a status report on Shivakumar's plea and an additional status report will be filed during the day.  Shivakumar, arrested in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED, has approached the High Court, challenging the trial court's order denying him bail. The HC had earlier issued notice to the probe agency, asking it to file a status report. Shivakumar cited medical reason as one of the grounds for securing bail.

3. NC, PDP leaders to join BJP today

About a dozen and half leaders belonging to People''s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC), mostly at sarpanch level, will join the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir today, IANS reported. The regional elections in Jammu and Kashmir are close by, with a total of 763 'panches' and 'sarpanches' from 14 blocks of Achabal, Anantnag, Shangus, Pahalgam, Vessu, Qazigund, Larkipora, Verinag, Kokernag, Sagam, Larnoo, Hillar, Sirgufwara and Mattan voting on October 24 to elect 57 BDC members.

4. Questions posed only to us, Muslim parties allege in SC as hearings enter final stage

The protracted hearing in the case entered the crucial final leg on Monday as the top court resumed the proceedings after the week-long Dussehra break. The hearings are slated to close Thursday. Muslim parties alleged before the Supreme Court Monday that questions are asked only from them and not posed to the Hindu side during the hearings in the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid land dispute case at Ayodhya. The comment was made by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the Muslim parties, before a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. "Your Lordship didn't ask question to the other side. All the questions have been asked to us only. Of course, we are answering them," Dhavan told the bench on the 38th day of the crucial hearing. Dhavan would continue arguments on Tuesday.

5. RBI governor to meet public sector bankers today

Reserve Bank governor Shaktikanta Das will meet the heads of the state-run banks today. The meeting comes a day after the bankers met finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the national capital. Bankers' parleys with top policymakers come at a time when growth has slowed to a six-year low due to consumption slowdown and lack of private sector investments. Dataprints since the first quarter GDP numbers have all been disappointing with IIP contracting 1.9 per cent in August—the steepest contraction in the past seven years—and not so rosy core sector and export data among others. The RBI, which has cut interest rates by a cumulative 1.35 per cent to a decadal low of 5.15 per cent in five straight moves since February, to push growth amid continued subdued inflation, is peeved at banks for not passing on the full benefit to borrowers. The meeting is likely to discuss NPA resolution, potential stressed assets, restructuring of MSME loans and stress in the realty sector are among the issues which are likely to feature at the meeting, officials said.

6. BCCI's new president-elect; India eye win against Bangladesh in FIFA WC qualifier

BCCI: Setting right the image of the Indian cricket Board and looking after the financial health of first class cricketers are immediate priorities of president-elect Sourav Ganguly, who is set to take over the reins of the BCCI at a crucial time. In Ganguly, the BCCI will have its first President since Anurag Thakur was forced out in January 2017 following the appointment of the Committee of Administrator (CoA), which run the show for 33 months. The former India captain would be at helm for a mere nine months but he said it's a great opportunity to do "something good". He is the only candidate to have filed nomination for the post of president.

FIFA World Cup qualifier: Buoyed by their gallant goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar, India would be looking to register their first win in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers when they take on Bangladesh in a group E second round match at the Saltlake Stadium today. India put a gritty performance against an attacking Qatar, to hold the reigning Asian champions to a goalless draw and earn their first point of the qualifiers after suffering a heartbreaking loss in the opening match against Oman. The absence of defender, Sandesh Jhingan due to an ACL tear on his left knee is a big blow to the hosts. But the return of talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri after missing the last game will lift the team's spirit.

-Inputs from PTI