News highlights: Won't return to India till I feel safe from 'unfair prosecution', says Zakir Naik

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Zakir Naik, the controversialIslamic preacher who has been living abroad to evade arrest in various cases in India, on Wednesday said he would not return home
till he felt "safe from unfair prosecution".

Naik issued an audio statement amid reports that he was being deported to India from Malaysia."The news of my coming to India is baseless and totally false. I have no plan to come to India till I feel safe from unfair prosecution," he said in the statement in English. (PTI)

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court judgment on the power tussle between the LG and the Delhi government, saying it was a "thumping victory" for democracy.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram, who represented the Delhi government as counsel in the court, asked why Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal allowed himself to be misdirected in law by his political masters.

ICICI Bank today said its mortgage loan portfolio crossed the Rs 1.5-trillion milestone, making it the largest private player in the segment, and the lender
is targeting to grow it to Rs 2 trillion by FY20. At Rs 1.5 trillion, the mortgage loan-book is half of the bank's overall retail loan portfolio of around Rs 3
trillion, the bank said. (PTI)

The Supreme Court has directed theJaypee group torefund at least Rs 650 crore of the principal amount to homebuyers.

The Securities and Exchange board of Indiahas issued a show cause notice to the NSE under SCRA act and FUTP in relation to the NSE co-location case.
The exchange regulatror has also issued noticed to former MD and CEO Chitra Ramakrishna as well as former vice chairman RaviNarain..SEBIhas issued show cause notices to brokers as well.

The Securities and Exchange board of Indiahas issued a show cause notice to the NSE under SCRA act and FUTP in relation to the NSE co-location case.
The exchange regulatror has also issued noticed to former MD and CEO Chitra Ramakrishna as well as former vice chairman RaviNarain..SEBIhas issued show cause notices to brokers as well.

The Ministry of External Affairs earlier made a formal request to extradite ZakirNaikthrough diplomatic channels earlier this year, according to sources who spoke to ANI.Official confirmation is yet to be provided from Malaysian authorities.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has appointed Dinesh Gundurao as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, according to an ANI tweet

- Eight are suspected to have been killed in a major fire incident at a crackers factory in Warangal, Telangana, according to a CNN News 18 tweet.

The Delhi High Court has banned thefelling of trees in Delhi till further orders. The order also stated that no permissions are to be granted in the future as well. The Court also said that East Kidwai Nagar will be demolished if need be, as the area does not consider the density and impact on neighbouring hospitals too.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has hiked the minimum support price on paddy by around Rs 250 per quintal.MSP of Sesame likely to be increased to Rs 6,249 from Rs 5,300 per quintal. The msp of Jowar is likely to be increased to Rs 2,430, up Rs 1,700-1,725 per quintal. The MPS of ragi is likely to be increased to Rs 2,897 , up from Rs 1,900 per quintal. The MSP of cotton medium staple is likely to be raised to Rs 5,150, up from Rs 4,020 per quintal.