HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top PTI stories at 5.00 PM:

DEL14 POL-MODI-LD OPPOSITION Modi leads BJP attack on rivals over Pulwama attack, IAF strike

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday led a fresh BJP offensive on rival parties over the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent IAF strike inside Pakistan, terming the Opposition "the natural habitat of terror apologists" and accusing them of "insulting" armed forces.

DEL8 GOVT-LD-PAK-DAY-BOYCOTT India boycotts Pak Day event as JK separatists invited

New Delhi: The government Friday decided to boycott the Pakistan National Day event to be held at its high commission here as Kashmiri separatist leaders were also invited, an official said.

DEL12 POL-RAHUL-PM-CHOWKIDAR PM does not care about 'chowkidars': Rahul

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of not thinking about the welfare of watchmen, "behind whom you are hiding".

DEL21 POL-PITRODA Govt should come out with 'more facts' on Balakot strikes, 'baffled' by PM's reaction: Pitroda

New Delhi: Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday asked the government to come out with "more facts" on the Balakot air strikes, and said that he was "baffled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reaction to his question which he was entitled to ask.

DEL31 CONG-PITRODA PM should stop using individual's opinion to spread venom: Cong after row over Pitroda's remark

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP should stop using an individual's "personal opinion" to "spread venom", in an apparent reference to comments by Sam Pitroda on Balakot air strike which have triggered a political row.

DEL23 JAITLEY-PITRODA Pitroda's comments on IAF air strike unfortunate, blessing for Pakistan's narrative: Jaitley

New Delhi: Union Minister Arun Jaitley Friday slammed Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda for his comments on IAF's air strike on a terror camp in Balakot following the Pulwama attack, terming his statement as "unfortunate" and a "blessing for Pakistan's narrative".

DEL22 CONG-PAY-OFFS-BJP Citing media report, Cong seeks probe into allegations of pay-offs to BJP leaders

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday sought an investigation by the Lokpal into a media report that alleged bribes of Rs 1800 crore were paid by former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to the BJP's top brass.

DEL11 DL-JeM-ARREST Close aide of Pulwama attack mastermind arrested in Delhi

New Delhi: A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Sajjad Khan, a close aide of Pulwama attack mastermind Muddasir was arrested here, police said on Friday.

DEL30 ED-LD STERLING Gujarat pharma firm: Accused in Rs 8,100-cr loan fraud held in Albania

New Delhi: Hitesh Patel, an accused in the Rs 8,100-crore bank loan fraud allegedly perpetrated by Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech group, has been detained in Albania on the basis of an Interpol notice issued against him by the ED, officials said Friday.

DEL20 ED-NAIK AIDE ED arrests Zakir Naik's aide in Mumbai

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate Friday arrested an aide of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik from Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case against him and others, officials said.

DEL19 ED-GEELANI ED slaps Rs 14.40 lakh penalty, confiscates RS 6.8 lakh in FEMA case against Geelani

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has levied a penalty of Rs 14.40 lakh and ordered confiscation of nearly Rs 6.8 lakh in connection with a FEMA case against Jammu and Kashmir-based separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, officials said Friday.

DEL28 CBI-COLLEGE CBI has carried out searches at four locations in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: The CBI carried out searches at four locations in Tamil Nadu, including the premises of AIADMK MP Anwhar Raajhaa, in connection with alleged irregularities in appointments at a Waqf board college, officials said Friday.

JK-3RD LD ENCOUNTER Three militants, minor held hostage by ultras killed in encounters in J-K

Srinagar, Mar 22 (PTI) Three militants, including two Pakistanis, and a minor boy held hostage by the ultras were killed in separate encounters with security forces on Friday in Bandipora and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

DEL13 JK-FIRING 2 Army jawans injured as Pak troops violate ceasefire along LoC in J-K

Jammu: Two Army jawans were injured as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing on forward posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Jammu districts, officials said Friday.

FORIEGN: FGN27 PAK-QURESHI-SAMJHAUTA

Pak weighing options after acquittal of all accused in Samjhauta blast case: Qureshi Islamabad: Pakistan is studying the verdict on the 2007 Samjhauta train blast case by an Indian court and the acquittal of all the four accused and weighing its options, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said. By Sajjad Hussain PTI KJ

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