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.”

He went on to question the feasibility of such a large number of votes being polled in such a short timeframe.

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.

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.

‘Mardaani’, produced by Yash Raj Films, is the biggest solo female-led franchise in Hindi cinema which came into force 11 years ago. The film franchise has since garnered love and acclaim for its taut storytelling. The blockbuster franchise has received unanimous love from people and has attained a cult status amongst cine-lovers.

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.

“India's gems and jewellery market is evolving rapidly at the intersection of heritage and innovation. The rise of lab-grown diamonds, powered by digital commerce, affordability and sustainability consciousness, is reshaping the future of jewellery retail,” said Ashish Dhir, Senior Director–Consumer and Retail, 1Lattice.

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.

Four others -- Appu Kumar, Pankaj Kumar, Aryan (all from Laharpa), and Akshay Singh from Bhaluni village under Narayanpur -- sustained gunshot wounds.