News from Bhubaneswar

Niranjan Satapathy arrested for allegedly cheating Odisha's Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra in a Rs 25 lakh land fraud case, with Dhenkanal SP confirming the arrest after a detailed probe. The incident has raised eyebrows, especially considering the high-profile nature of the victim.

IMD predicts heavy rainfall in Odisha districts like Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Kalahandi, and Bolangir with thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 40 kmph over the next 48 hours. Odisha districts will witness minimal rainfall activities after July 31, the meteorology department said.

The Odisha government has issued show cause notices to over one lakh farmers for allegedly submitting false information during the Rabi season registration for KMS 2024-25, risking disqualification from paddy procurement.

Customs seized Rs 30 crore worth of hydroponic marijuana at Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport from three passengers arriving from Bangkok, marking a significant drug bust.

Odisha Vigilance raided 10 locations linked to AE Raja Kishore Jena over DA allegations, uncovering documents during searches in Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh.

The Odisha government convenes a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary to streamline apartment registration under RERA, involving multiple departments for enhanced real estate sector transparency.

Nanu Ram Choudhury, a nursing officer at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, was arrested for allegedly misbehaving with a female attendant, leading to protests by hospital staff demanding justice.

The Odisha government has updated primary school ID cards and uniforms, introducing saffron-colored IDs with a new slogan, sparking political debate. The new identity card colour will now be saffron, replacing the previous green, and will display a new slogan: ‘Bidyabanta Bidyarthi, Bikashita Odisha’. Previously, the ID cards carried the slogan ‘Ame Gadhibu Nua Odisha’.

A female nursing attendant at AIIMS Bhubaneswar filed an FIR alleging misconduct by a senior, sparking protests demanding justice and institutional accountability. The accused called the woman into his chamber and misbehaved with her, the complaint filed at Khandagiri Police Station stated. AIIMS Bhubaneswar has yet to release an official statement regarding the matter.

Flood concerns in northern Odisha eased as water levels in Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers dropped below danger marks, improving conditions in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and Mayurbhanj districts. Near Jalaka, water flow remains close to the warning level, though it too shows signs of decline. In Akhuapada, the Baitarani River has also receded below the danger level.

Orissa High Court rejected senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi's anticipatory bail plea in a Rs 10 lakh CBI bribery case, intensifying the corruption probe against him. The decision comes as a major blow to the senior IAS officer, who had sought protection from arrest amid the corruption probe. No comments were received from the CBI in this regard.

The arrest of Amaresh Jena has sparked a political clash between BJP and BJD in Odisha, with both parties accusing each other over women's safety and governance failures. The issue has quickly evolved from legal matter into full-blown political confrontation, with both parties striving to control the narrative on women’s rights and justice delivery.

IMD predicts light showers and thunderstorms in Odisha till July 30, with Yellow Warnings issued for several districts. Fishermen advised to avoid North Bay of Bengal. Sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough over North Bay of Bengal along and off Odisha coasts.

ORERA imposes a Rs 2 crore penalty on a Bhubaneswar-based realtor for executing a 120-acre plotting project in Haridamada without layout approvals or RERA registration, involving 2,500 plots valued at Rs 550 crore.

Engineer-in-chief Chandra Sekhar Padhi assures no major flood in Odisha soon, with rivers' water levels expected to fall, except Subarnarekha posing risks to Balasore's low-lying areas.