Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who is on a US visit, has raised serious concerns over the integrity of India’s electoral process, alleging voter fraud and accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of being compromised.

Addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Boston during his visit to the United States, Gandhi cited discrepancies in the voter turnout figures during the Maharashtra Assembly elections as a key example.

“More people voted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections than there are registered voters,” Gandhi claimed.

“The Election Commission gave us a figure at 5.30 in the evening. Then, between 5.30 and 7.30 p.m., 65 lakh additional votes were cast. That is physically impossible to manage in just two hours.”

The real estate sector in India dominated alternate investment funds’ (AIFs) net investments, with Rs 73,903 crore in the nine months of FY25, a report showed on Monday.

AIFs are privately pooled funds that invest in non-traditional assets like private equity, hedge funds, and real estate, offering niche, high-risk, high-reward opportunities suited for experienced investors.

According to Anarock Research, the real estate sector accounted for the largest share (15 per cent) of cumulative net AIF investments, with Rs 73,903 crore invested in real estate out of an all-sectors total of Rs 5,06,196 crore in the April-December period of FY25.

Other sectors benefiting from AIF investments include IT/ITeS, Financial Services, NBFCs, Banks, Pharma, FMCG, Retail, Renewable Energy, and others.

Actor Rana Daggubati has made history by becoming the first Indian celebrity to feature at WrestleMania.

Known for his powerful roles in films like 'Baahubali,' Rana’s appearance at the iconic wrestling event marks a significant milestone in his career, bridging the worlds of cinema and sports entertainment in a way never seen before. It was a historic weekend for India at WrestleMania 41, WWE’s most anticipated annual event, which is now streaming on Netflix. Rana, a lifelong WWE fan and star of the hit Netflix series ‘Rana Naidu,’ made history as the first Indian celebrity to be invited to witness the spectacle from the front row.

His presence was celebrated with a special shoutout that was broadcast live to millions of WWE fans worldwide. Netflix also shared a video and photos of the actor on its Instagram handle and captioned the post, “Heels. Faces. Familiar faces @ranadaggubati is at WrestleMania Jo line cross kiya, woh gaya #RanaNaidu.”

At least six people, including a two-year-old child, were killed in a tragic road accident on the Bhopal-Jabalpur highway on Monday.

The incident occurred near ‘Bamhori Dhaba’ under Sultanpur police jurisdiction in Raisen district when a sports utility vehicle (SUV) carrying nine occupants collided with a culvert between 6.30 and 7.00 a.m.

According to the police, six individuals died instantly at the spot, while three others sustained serious injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at the Raisen district hospital.

The victims were reportedly returning from Patna, Bihar, after attending a wedding ceremony of two of the occupants of the vehicle, who received severe injuries.

Sultanpur police station in-charge, Santosh Raghuvanshi, informed that the deceased, along with the injured, hailed from Indore, although their precise details are still being confirmed.

The makers of the upcoming movie ‘Mardaani 3’, which stars Rani Mukerji in the titular role, have locked the film’s release date. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on February 27, 2026.

The makers took to their social media on Monday, and announced the release date of the film marking the auspicious Holi festival as its release window. Holi, which falls on March 4, symbolises the triumph of good over bad and the makers are pegging this film to be a bloody, violent clash between Shivani’s goodness vs sinister evil forces with its choice of release date.

India’s gems and jewellery industry is expected to surge from $83 billion in 2024 to $128 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5 per cent, a report showed on Monday.

Gold continues to dominate the market with an 86 per cent share, but lab-grown diamonds (LGDs) are emerging as a powerful growth catalyst, said the report by 1Lattice.

The LGD segment, currently valued at $345 million (2024), is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15 per cent to reach $1.2 billion by 2033.

India now contributes 15 per cent of global LGD production, with exports growing 8 times over the past four years, reaching $1.3 billion in FY24.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra has kicked off the week with a powerful dose of fitness, sharing her impressive pull-ups workout as Monday Motivation.

The actress took to social media to inspire fans with her dedication, proving once again that consistency and strength are key to her lifestyle. Taking to her Instagram handle, the 'Dhadkan' actress posted a video of herself performing pull-ups. In the clip, Shilpa is seen confidently nailing a set of pull-ups, showcasing her impressive upper body strength and control. Clad in sleek activewear, she executes each rep with strength and grace.

In the caption of the post, the 'Hungama 2' actress also listed the benefits of pull-ups in her post, calling them a “fundamental compound exercise for building upper body strength. Shilpa wrote, “Gear up. Show up. Pull up. Benefits: - Pull-ups are a fundamental compound exercise for building upper body strength. - They are one of the core movements for upper body training. - Being able to perform pull-ups is a strong indicator of solid strength. - Strengthens the back, shoulders, and arms while also enhancing grip strength. #MondayMotivation #SwasthRahoMastRaho #FitIndia.”

Television actress Sumbul Touqeer has revealed a long-held dream close to her heart — starring in a dance-based film.

Sumbul shared that dance is a deep passion of hers, and she hopes to showcase it on the big screen someday. Expressing the same, the ‘Imlie’ actress stated, “I would love to do a film, a series, or even a reality show that’s centered around dancing. It’s not just an art form for me. It’s a feeling. It’s where I find my calm amidst the chaos. Dance has been my silent friend on the loneliest days, my celebration on the happiest ones.”

Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman said on Monday that India has become the fastest-growing economy, driven by the "visionary leadership" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the stability provided by a continuing government.

Addressing the Indian diaspora in the US, the Finance Minister said, “When we say that India is the fastest-growing economy and when the IMF and World Bank recognise that India can be the engine driving global trade, what they are recognising is the immense potential that exists in India.”

Highlighting the steps to strengthen the Indian economy, Sitharaman said, "During the Covid-19 pandemic, our fiscal deficit went up. But in 2021, we came up with a clear signal as to how we wanted to manage our fiscal deficit. We set year-on-year targets and committed to bringing the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent by 2026. And that's what we have been following each year without fail."

Bhojpur police have arrested one person in connection with a firing incident that claimed the lives of two people and left four others injured in Laharpa village under Garhani police station late Sunday night, officials said on Monday.

The violence broke out during a wedding celebration after a minor dispute escalated into a scuffle, leading to indiscriminate firing.

According to police, the clash began during the Dwar Pooja ceremony of Kamlesh Kushwaha, whose wedding procession had arrived from Kaup village under Charpokhari police station.

The confrontation reportedly started over a disagreement about the right of way for a Thar SUV, resulting in a deadly altercation.

Eyewitnesses said Rahul Kumar and Lavkush Kumar, who were in the SUV, were shot dead on the spot.

The Karnataka Police were questioning the wife and daughter of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash (68) in connection with his brutal murder, police sources confirmed on Monday. The two were detained and brought to the police station from the Observation Centre in a Hoysala patrolling vehicle.

Police sources confirmed that the deceased officer’s wife, Pallavi, had sent a message to the wife of an IPS officer, stating that she had "finished off a monster". The police have also gathered information that Pallavi made a video call after allegedly committing the crime.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that DGP Om Prakash was killed by his wife, Pallavi. However, police suspect that it may not have been possible for one person to commit such a brutal crime alone, and are therefore questioning the daughter as well.

Investigators have found that the accused sent a WhatsApp message to a family group, alleging harassment by Om Prakash. In the message, she claimed he was roaming around the house with a gun and could kill both her and their daughter. She also urged someone to file a police complaint against him.

Domestic sales volume of tractors is set to hit an all-time high of 9.75 lakh units in fiscal 2026, increasing 3-5 per cent (year-on-year), a Crisil report said on Monday.

This will be supported by an expected above-normal monsoon, higher minimum support prices (MSPs) for key cash crops and better replacement and construction demand.

With the new TREM V emission norms1 expected from April 1, 2026, pre-buying towards fiscal end may also provide a fillip to volume.

As a result, tractor sales this fiscal are expected to surpass the peak of 9.45 lakh units achieved in fiscal 2023, sustaining the back-to-back volume growth seen during fiscal 2019.

There was a healthy 7 per cent increase in tractor sales in fiscal 2025, said the report.

The Indian Meteorological Department’s forecast of above-normal monsoon should lift rural sentiment and reinforce farmer confidence, which is crucial for driving farm investments such as tractors.

Vinay Kumar Singh, the national vice president of Karni Sena and Jharkhand state president, was shot dead in Jamshedpur late Sunday night, triggering widespread outrage among his supporters, police officials said on Monday.

Singh, 46, was a resident of Aastha Space Township in Mango, Jamshedpur.

According to his family, he had left home on Sunday afternoon for work related to land dealings but did not return by evening. A search was launched, and around 11 pm, his body was found in a bush off a dirt road, approximately 500 meters from NH-33 (Tata-Ranchi Road).

He had bullet wounds to the head and multiple injuries on his body, police said.

 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that the ISRO’s SpaDEX mission has successfully achieved second docking of satellites.

In a post on X social media platform, the minister said he is "glad to inform that the second docking of satellites has been accomplished successfully".

“As informed earlier, the PSLV-C60 / SPADEX mission was successfully launched on 30 December 2024. Thereafter the satellites were successfully docked for the first time on 16 January 2025 at 06:20 AM and successfully undocked on 13 March 2025 at 09:20 AM,” he mentioned.

The minister further said that further experiments are planned in the next two weeks.

In January, with the successful docking of the satellites of the SpaDEX mission, India became the fourth nation to ace the space docking technology.

Two persons were killed on Monday morning in a devastating fire at a commercial building complex at Pathuriaghata Street in North Kolkata, West Bengal.

The two deceased persons have been identified as Kishanlal Upadhyay and Sunil Sharma. Both were earning their livelihood as contractual priests. Police were trying to contact their relatives.

It is learned that the fire broke out at the commercial building late Sunday night. Ten fire tenders, after rigorous firefighting, ultimately got control over the raging blaze early Monday morning.

Thereafter, the firemen spotted Upadhyay and Sharma in a state of senselessness in the attic of the commercial building where both used to reside. They were immediately rushed to Calcutta Medical College & Hospital in central Kolkata.

In a significant boost to India’s defence exports, the second batch of batteries of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system has been dispatched to the Philippines.

The first battery was sent in April 2024 in an IAF aircraft, with support coming from civil aircraft agencies.

The long-haul flight carrying the heavy load was a non-stop six-hour journey before the equipment reached the western parts of the Philippines, according to multiple reports, citing sources.

The deal with the Philippines was announced in January 2022 for the supply of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

Bayer Leverkusen's grasp on the Bundesliga trophy loosened further after Carlo Boukhalfa's late equaliser for St. Pauli cancelled out Patrik Schick's opener in a battling 1-1 draw at the Millerntor.

The home side started brightly, putting pressure on the champions and creating several early chances. However, it was Patrik Schick who broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. The Czech striker rose highest to meet Alejandro Grimaldo's free-kick, nodding home to give Leverkusen the lead.

Despite St. Pauli's efforts, including a powerful shot from Carlo Boukhalfa that forced a save from Lukas Hradecky, the visitors held their advantage going into the break, Bundesliga reports.

The second half saw tensions rise while St. Pauli's persistence nearly paid off in the 74th minute when Morgan Guilavogui found the net. That effort would be ruled out for handball, however.

 A horrific road accident on Monday in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district claimed the lives of five people and left two others seriously injured when a high-speed car lost control and rammed into a tree near Bhujauli village under the Nebua Naurangiya police station area.

The victims were returning from a wedding ceremony in the Maruti Brezza when the tragedy struck.

The impact was so severe that the vehicle was completely mangled, with its parts scattered across the crash site. According to eyewitnesses, the car was speeding when the driver lost control, leading to the devastating collision.

Five of the passengers died on the spot, while two others sustained critical injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital with the help of residents.

POSCO Group, South Korea's leading steelmaker, said on Monday that it will invest in Hyundai Steel Co.'s steel mill project in the United States, as part of its strategy to navigate U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on steel imports.

According to a press release, POSCO Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Motor Group for its participation in Hyundai Steel's U.S. plant and to strengthen collaboration in the steel and rechargeable battery sectors.

Last month, Hyundai Steel revealed plans to invest US$5.8 billion to build an integrated electric arc furnace-based steel mill in Louisiana by 2029, with production slated to begin the same year, reports news agency.

The domestic benchmark indices opened higher on Monday amid positive global cues, as buying was seen in the IT, PSU bank and financial services sectors in the early trade.

At around 9.29 am, Sensex was trading 396.06 points or 0.50 per cent up at 78,949.26 while the Nifty added 98.20 points or 0.41 per cent at 23,949.85.

Nifty Bank was up 862.25 points or 1.59 per cent at 55,152.45. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 52,891.30 after adding 233.50 points or 0.44 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 16,460.35 after climbing 50.15 points or 0.31 per cent.

According to market watchers, after the positive opening, Nifty is likely to find support at 23,700, followed by 22,600 and 22,500. On the upside, 24,000 may act as the immediate resistance, followed by 24,200 and 24,500.