January 17: Top news at 5 pm

Sheena Bora murder case: Indrani, Peter Mukerjea, Sanjeev Khanna charged with murder, criminal conspiracy

Almost four years after the gruesome murder of Sheena Bora, a special CBI court on Tuesday framed charges of murder and criminal conspiracy against Sheena’s mother, Indrani Mukerjea, her husband Peter Mukerjea and former husband Sanjeev Khanna for the murder of Sheena Bora in 2012. After the court explained the charges framed against them, they pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, saying that they would face trial. Judge H S Mahajan kept the matter for trial to begin on February 1. The three accused were charged under IPC sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 364 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 203 (giving false information in respect of an offence) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence).

Punjab polls: Congress president Sonia Gandhi to decide on CM face, says Amarinder Singh

Punjab PCC president Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said Congress President will decide on the chief ministerial face for the Punjab assembly polls and emphasised that no "deal" has been struck with new entrant Navjot Singh Sidhu. Asked if Sidhu would be offered an important post if party wins the assembly polls, Amarinder said: "There is no deal with Navjot Sidhu, Congress doesn't do deals with anybody." He has never said anything like that (there has been no talk in this regard with Sidhu), he added. "I don't know, that is Congress President's decision," Amarinder replied, when asked if he would be the CM candidate.

UP polls: Notification issued for 1st phase

Kicking off the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll process, Election Commission on Tuesday issued notification for the first phase of voting. The first phase, which will be held on February 11, will cover 73 constituencies spread over 15 districts in Muslim-dominated Western UP. Chief Electoral Officer said the filing of nominations for these constituencies started at 11 am, immediately after the notification was issued. The last date of filing nominations is set on January 24 while candidature can be withdrawn till January 27. The polling will be held on February 11. The first phase will cover western UP districts, including riot-scarred Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, where BJP had fared well in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Uttarakhand polls: CEC to review poll preparedness on Wednesday

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and fellow commissioners will visit Dehradun on Wednesday to review poll preparedness in poll-bound Uttarakhand. During their two-day visit, Zaidi will also meet representatives of political parties after their meetings with DMs, SSPs and officers of enforcement agencies.  The state will have single phase polling on February 15, for which notification would be issued on January 20.

Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar announces political debut

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s niece, Deepa Jayakumar, on Tuesday announced her political plans, saying that she has decided to enter politics to fulfill her aunt’s dreams. Addressing a press conference, Deepa said: "I can't see anyone in the place of Jayalalithaa. It was after talking to AIADMK cadre that I decided to enter politics."  She said she has two options—one to join the AIADMK and other, to float a new party. “I will take a call on it after talking to my supporters,” she said. Deepa said she would announce her decision on her aunt's birth anniversary, on February 24.