The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Sukriti Foods promoter Kailash Chand Mangla in connection with the alleged adulteration of ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for Tirupati Laddu prasadam. Mangla was arrested on September 17 and later sent to judicial custody by a special PMLA court in Visakhapatnam. According to the ED, the allegedly adulterated ghee was made using refined palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein and chemicals, and supplied as Agmark Special Grade cow ghee. The agency estimates alleged fraudulent supplies to TTD during 2019–2024 at ₹230 crore, including ₹96 crore allegedly manufactured by Mangla. (PC: India Today)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will launch the Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, or Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme, on September 28, 2026. The one-gram gold ring programme is a key pre-poll promise of the ruling TVK. Babies born in government hospitals between June 22, Vijay’s birthday, and the launch date will also qualify. The TVK government has procured 1.28 lakh gold rings for the first installment, with rings distributed to babies born in state-run hospitals. The state government announced the scheme on Friday. The chief minister is scheduled to launch it on September 28. The article provides no further details about the distribution process or eligibility beyond these conditions.

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration suspended the licence of Olympia Coffee House, a 108-year-old Irani cafe in Colaba, after a September 16 inspection triggered by a customer complaint found hygiene violations. Inspectors reportedly found a urinal inside the food storage area, meat and blood residues in a refrigerator, cockroach and fly infestation, improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, food handled directly on the floor, and unclean preparation water. Chopping boards and missing protective clothing among staff were also noted. Under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the cafe must stop food-related operations until deficiencies are fixed and clears re-inspection. Hollywood stars visited two months earlier.

India-born female cheetah KGP12 gave birth to four cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on September 18, marking a significant milestone for Project Cheetah. KGP12 is the second India-born female cheetah to give birth at Kuno. With the latest births, the number of cheetahs born and surviving in India has increased to 36, while the total cheetah population in the country has risen from 52 to 56. Kuno now has 53 cheetahs, while three are at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The development comes a day after Project Cheetah completed four years. 

India’s Project Cheetah has completed four years, with the country’s cheetah population reaching 52, including 32 cubs born in India since the programme began in 2022. The initiative started with eight cheetahs brought from Namibia and later expanded through arrivals from South Africa and Botswana. Currently, 49 cheetahs are in Kuno National Park and three in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, both in Madhya Pradesh. Officials said the programme has progressed from reintroduction and breeding to releasing cheetahs into open forests and establishing breeding females. The next phase focuses on expanding suitable habitats and creating a long-term cheetah meta-population across India. (PC: ET)

Gurugram court on Friday sent hit-and-run accused Kalyan Singh Bainsla and his cousin Lavnish to 14 days of judicial custody after their two-day police custody ended. The two were arrested in Rajasthan following a viral video showing a car allegedly hitting woman biker Shivani Chauhan, known as Sia, on Golf Course Road. Police had earlier added an attempt-to-murder charge to the case after examining the video. Investigators are also seeking CCTV footage from Empire Club, which the accused reportedly visited before the incident, and questioning two other people allegedly present in the vehicle. The next court hearing is scheduled for October 1. 

India’s food regulator FSSAI has initiated three adjudication cases against Nestlé India over alleged regulatory non-compliance involving three infant nutrition products. The action concerns NAN Excella Pro Stage 1, Lactogen Pro 1 and a follow-up formula. FSSAI flagged promotional claims including “5 HMOs” and “Whey Protein” for NAN Excella Pro, while Lactogen Pro 1 carried a claim that whey protein was easy to digest. Both were found to contravene rules restricting promotional claims for infant foods. Separately, laboratory testing and re-analysis found a follow-up formula did not meet prescribed biotin requirements. The proceedings are ongoing. (PC: Pexels)

Surendra Koli, who was accused in the 2006 Nithari killings case, was found hanging inside a tea stall in Haridwar on September 18, 2026. Police said Koli had been living in the city for several months and had recently been running the tea stall near Lalmata Temple in the Bhupatwala area. His body was sent for postmortem, and his family in Almora was informed. No suicide note was found, and police said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. Koli had been acquitted by the Supreme Court in the final remaining Nithari case in November 2025. (PC: PTI)

Four people, including three juveniles, were arrested on September 17 in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar. The girl’s body was found in an open field near Kushak Road on September 13. Police said the accused and the victim were known to each other. Investigators examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras and traced a suspected tempo linked to the incident. A 19-year-old, identified as Shivam, was among those arrested. Police said two knives, clothing and the suspected tempo were recovered. The investigation continues to establish each accused’s role. (PC: The Hindu)

A 17-year-old girl’s decomposed body was found in a field near Kushak Road in Delhi on September 13, days after she was allegedly gang-raped and murdered. According to police, local residents noticed stray dogs around the body and alerted authorities. The girl had reportedly been stabbed multiple times, and a medical examination confirmed sexual assault. Police arrested four suspects in connection with the case, including a 19-year-old man and three minors. Investigators reportedly examined more than 50 CCTV cameras and traced a tempo allegedly linked to the incident. Knives, clothing and the vehicle were recovered as part of the investigation. (PC: NDTV)