India News Live Updates, 24 June 2026: Can take Abhishek Banerjee’s voice samples, court tells cops

India News Today's LIVE Updates, 24 June 2026: Get the latest breaking news on an Indian Express investigation into Ram Mandir's Rs 3,500 crore donation records, the Jharkhand train derailment, the US Senate's rebuke of Trump on the Iran war, and the UN evacuation of 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, along with top headlines, politics, business, sports, entertainment and city updates from India and around the world.

Breaking News Live Updates:  Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee has been directed to provide a voice sample after a Bidhannagar court allowed the CID’s request in connection with its probe into his controversial “DJ” remarks made during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign. The voice sample will be recorded on June 30 in the presence of a magistrate and forensic experts. Banerjee, who has already been questioned by the CID, is facing an investigation over comments allegedly linked to post-election celebrations. In a parallel development, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday declined an urgent hearing on his plea seeking permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. While granting him protection from coercive action until July 31 in the case related to alleged remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

If you are just joining us, this is The Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog – where we bring you the latest news updates of the day in real time. Scan the top headlines of the day here, or keep scrolling to see the latest updates stream in. This blog is curated by Merin Varghese, Sneha Sharma and Navya Roshan.

Arunachal rain fury

Continuous heavy rainfall caused flash floods in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district on Wednesday, flooding low-lying areas and damaging 18 houses. Landslides on a national highway also disrupted traffic, leaving several people stranded. Three people have been reported missing amid the weather-related incidents.

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CJP’s X handle restoration

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke is set to appear before the Review Committee of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) at 3 pm on Wednesday to challenge the withholding of the party’s X account, CJP_2029. Dipke said he will personally present his case before the Inter-Ministerial Committee reviewing the blocking of the Cockroach Janata Party’s first X handle in India.

Express Investigation: 2020 audit predicted Ram mandir donation row

An Indian Express investigation reveals that a 2020 audit flagged the absence of standard operating procedures around Rs 3,500 crore in cash donations received by the Ram Mandir trust — six years before the current SIT probe into alleged fund irregularities. The audit firm’s report, submitted in November 2020, had recommended devising an SOP for each level of transaction, data management, staff and other resources to fix responsibility and accountability — a warning that went unheeded until the matter became the subject of a formal investigation.

Express Investigation: Madhya Pradesh CM’s family bought 168 acres where his government built roads

As Ujjain undergoes an infrastructure-led transformation with new roads, highways and land-use changes, an Indian Express investigation has found that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s family, relatives and associated real estate firms acquired at least 137 plots spanning 168 acres for Rs 45 crore after he assumed office in December 2023. The purchases were concentrated in areas expected to benefit most from the city’s development boom, with records showing that at least six of the plots were later sold.

Thiruvananthapuram councillors to retake oath

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed 20 councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to retake their oath of office after finding fault with the manner in which they had sworn in. Hearing a petition challenging oaths taken in the names of various deities, martyrs, Justice P V Kunhikrishnan instructed the State Election Commission to make necessary arrangements for the councillors to take the oath again in accordance with the prescribed legal format within four weeks.

Bangalore metro disruption

Bengaluru Metro services on the Purple Line returned to normal on Wednesday after a technical fault at Cubbon Park Metro Station caused disruption during Tuesday evening’s peak hours. The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said its Operations and Maintenance team had successfully rectified the issue, allowing services to resume as per the regular timetable from 5 am. The disruption began around 6.32 pm on Tuesday when a train developed a technical snag at Cubbon Park station, leading to overcrowding at several stations, including Cubbon Park and MG Road. Thousands of office-goers were stranded, with many forced to seek alternative transport such as autorickshaws and app-based cabs amid severe traffic congestion across the city, according to PTI reports.

Bhagwant Mann bribery case

Gurgaon Police have arrested two men accused of issuing allegedly fabricated forensic reports linked to a controversial video allegedly involving Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday. Investigators said the accused were contract employees with the NIA and Haryana’s Parivar Pehchan Patra programme but were not associated with any recognised forensic laboratory. According to police, the duo issued separate reports concluding that the person seen in the video was not Mann. However, the laboratories they claimed to represent, Cypher Sentinel in Jind, Haryana, and Cyber Yaan in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, were found to have no official existence in government records. The arrests were made following a complaint by forensic expert Jaspreet Singh, who alleged that he was pressured to obtain favourable opinions and paid Rs 10 lakh for the reports. Police said they have gathered evidence regarding the money trail and are also probing allegations involving two senior Punjab Police officers.

US Senate votes to halt Iran war

The US Senate on Tuesday approved a war powers resolution calling for an end to US military involvement in Iran, according to Reuters reports. The measure, which had already cleared the House of Representatives, marks the first time since the 1973 War Powers Act that both chambers of Congress have passed legislation seeking to withdraw US forces from hostilities. Although the resolution is unlikely to have immediate legal effect and is expected to remain symbolic, it reflects growing bipartisan unease over a conflict that public opinion polls suggest is increasingly unpopular. Four Republican senators joined most Democrats in backing the measure, while Trump dismissed the vote as “meaningless” and accused supporters of undermining his administration. The move comes as lawmakers prepare to scrutinise future funding requests for the war and any potential peace agreement with Iran.

Live Updates
Jun 24, 2026 01:26 PM IST
Incessant rain wreaks havoc in Arunachal, 3 missing

Continuous heavy rainfall caused flash floods in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district on Wednesday, flooding low-lying areas and damaging 18 houses. Landslides on a national highway also disrupted traffic, leaving several people stranded. Three people have been reported missing amid the weather-related incidents.

Jun 24, 2026 01:00 PM IST
Mumbai wall collapse near Suncity complex on JVLR

An incident of wall collapse was reported in Vikhroli late on Tuesday after a 50-metre-long wall near the Suncity complex along JVLR came crashing. According to preliminary information, no injuries have been reported so far. More details are awaited.

Jun 24, 2026 11:34 AM IST
Kerala High Court cancels oaths taken over deities, martyrs

Oaths taken by local body members in names other than ‘God’ while taking office are not legally valid, the Kerala High Court has ruled according to news agency PTI.

Several had taken their oaths in the name of deities or martyrs following the local elections last year.

Jun 24, 2026 11:19 AM IST
Two held over ‘fake’ forensic reports in Bhagwant Mann video controversy

The Gurgaon Police have arrested two men accused of issuing allegedly fabricated forensic reports linked to a controversial video allegedly involving Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Investigators said the accused, Ankit Bhardwaj and Arun Mahendru, were contract employees with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Haryana’s Parivar Pehchan Patra programme, respectively, but were not associated with any recognised forensic laboratory.

According to police, the duo issued separate reports concluding that the person seen in the video was not Mann. However, the laboratories they claimed to represent, Cypher Sentinel in Jind, Haryana, and Cyber Yaan in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, were found to have no official accreditation or existence in government records. The arrests were made following a complaint by forensic expert Jaspreet Singh, who alleged that he was pressured to obtain favourable opinions and paid ₹10 lakh for the reports. Police said they have gathered evidence regarding the money trail and are also probing allegations involving two senior Punjab Police officers.

Jun 24, 2026 11:12 AM IST
Newlywed couple die by suicide in Punjab; ex-partner booked

A newly married couple from Boothgarh village near Khanna in Punjab's Ludhiana district, around 60 km west of Chandigarh, allegedly died by suicide within a day of each other. Gurkaramdeep Singh (34), an architect, died by suicide on Sunday, while his wife Jasmine Nagra (24) allegedly took her own life on Monday, reportedly unable to cope with her husband's death. Following a complaint by Gurkaramdeep's mother, police have registered an FIR against Navjot Kaur, a married woman and his former partner, accusing her of harassment, demanding money, and threatening to implicate him in a rape case. The family alleges the sustained pressure caused severe mental stress to Gurkaramdeep.

Jun 24, 2026 10:45 AM IST
Abhijit Dipke of Cockroach Janta Party to appear before ministry review committee

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), will appear before a government panel to discuss the blocking of his outfit’s X (formerly Twitter) account in India, he said in a post on the micro-blogging site.

Dipke said he will attend a hearing of the review committee of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Jun 24, 2026 10:17 AM IST
Thousands join 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar

Thousands of Shia Muslims participated in the traditional 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar on Wednesday, with mourners taking to the streets in large numbers. District police personnel distributed water and refreshments among the Shia mourners.

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Jun 24, 2026 10:11 AM IST
Fire guts around 200 tin-shed structures near Udyog Bhawan

A fire swept through a settlement of temporary tin-shed dwellings housing labourers near Udyog Bhawan in the early hours of Wednesday, destroying nearly 200 structures, according to an official from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS). The fire was brought under control after more than two hours, and despite the involvement of several LPG cylinders, no casualties or injuries were reported. The incident occurred near the ongoing demolition site of Udyog Bhawan as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.

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Jun 24, 2026 10:08 AM IST
Mumbai records over 200 mm of rainfall in 8 hours after monsoon onset

Mumbai woke up to flooded roads and severe traffic snarls Wednesday after an intense overnight spell of rain dumped more than 200 mm of rainfall across several parts of the city within eight hours, after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially announced the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon. IMD, which issued a yellow alert and predicted heavy rain, issued a red nowcast warning for Mumbai and Palghar districts at 4 am, amid the possibility of intense spells, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. The weather bureau downgraded the district’s nowcast to an orange alert at 7 am. It has also sounded a yellow alert for Mumbai until Thursday morning. Read Here

Jun 24, 2026 09:56 AM IST
Tourist bus overturns in Tamil Nadu; 24 injured

At least 24 people, including 10 children, were injured after a tourist bus overturned following a tyre burst on a national highway in Tamil Nadu's Viluppuram district on Wednesday. According to officials, the bus lost control after one of its tyres burst while it was travelling along the highway, causing the vehicle to overturn.

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