The officer had claimed that the seizure disorder which was the basis of her being invalided out of service developed after she had joined military service

The Delhi High Court has imposed costs of Rs 15,000 on a woman ex-Air Force officer for misrepresenting facts while claiming disability benefits after she was removed from service on medical grounds for suffering from seizures.

The officer had claimed that the seizure disorder which was the basis of her being invalided out of service developed after she had joined military service and, therefore, it could not constitute a ground to invalid her out of service.

“On seeing the record, we found that there was a specific entry by the medical specialist who examined the petitioner, to the effect that she had similar episodes in childhood. We, therefore, were of the view that the disorder could not be said to be one which had emerged after the petitioner had joined military service,” a Division Bench comprising Justice C. Harishankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla observed in their order of October 16.

The Bench was hearing a review petition filed by the officer against an earlier judgement of the same court dismissing the officer’s plea for disability pension.

She had been selected for Short Service Commission in the Education Branch of the Indian Air Force and her training commenced in July 2013 at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. During training, she was admitted to the hospital after loss of consciousness.

In March 2014, she was transferred to Command Hospital, Bengaluru, for review and neurological opinion, where it was concluded that she was unfit to undergo the stress and strain of service.

A show-cause notice was issued in May 2014, informing her that she would be placed in low medical category for epilepsy and invalidated out of service on medical grounds. An Invalid Medical Board thereafter assessed her disability at 20 per cent for life, opining the disability to be neither attributable to nor aggravated by service. She suffered from the disability after completion of eight months of training.

She also sought sheltered appointment which was rejected by the authorities on the grounds that her disability was neither attributable to nor aggravated by service. She also lodged an online grievance on the Public Grievance Portal for disability pension, which was also rejected, following which she moved the High Court.

“We regret our inability to grant relief in this case. Here, there is a subjective difference, in as much as the certificate of the doctor on the basis of which who had examined the petitioner specifically states that the petitioner had a history of episodes of seizure during childhood. As such, no fault can be found with the decision of the respondents in refusing to treat the seizure as attributable to or aggravated by military training,” the High Court had earlier ruled.

The Bench also took exception to the petitioner’s action of filing a review petition through a different counsel, saying that it was not proper for one counsel to argue the main writ petition and for another counsel to argue the review petition and that the Supreme Court has also critically commented on this aspect.

On the review petition, the Bench observed that the new counsel first submitted that there is no medical record to the effect that the petitioner had suffered similar episodes of seizures in childhood, which was obviously incorrect. Then the counsel tried to rely on certain submissions contained in respondents’ counter-affidavit and in the petitioner’s declarations at the pre-enrolment stage.

“We fail to understand how these can constitute a basis for us to disbelieve a medical record which specifically pertains to the petitioner. This review petition is, therefore, clearly an attempt at a second bite at the cherry, after changing counsel,” the Bench ruled.

Twenty-three Indian crew members have been rescued after a fire broke out on board the Cameroon-flagged LPG tanker MV Falcon, following an explosion, off the coast of Aden, Yemen.

The incident took place on Saturday, October 18, at 07.00 UTC (local time), when the ship was sailing about 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden on its way to Djibouti. The vessel went adrift after the blast, and about 15 per cent of the ship was on fire. Early reports suggest the explosion was accidental, but the exact cause is still being investigated.

According to British security firm Ambrey, the MV Falcon was travelling from Oman’s Sohar Port to Djibouti when the explosion occurred. Radio communication suggested that the crew was preparing to abandon the vessel as a search-and-rescue operation was launched.

Following the incident, the EU Naval Force Operation Aspides launched an immediate search and rescue (SAR) operation.

According to updates, 24 crew members had initially abandoned the vessel, and 23 of them, all Indians, have been safely rescued. Two crew members remain missing, while one was still onboard MV Falcon when the reports last came in.

Due to the risk of additional explosions, since the tanker was fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas, Aspides advised nearby vessels to maintain a safe distance from the carrier.

“The fire on board is increasing,” Aspides said in a statement. “MV Falcon represents a navigational hazard. Everyone in the area must exercise caution.”

A private company has now taken charge of the salvage operation for the damaged tanker, the European Union’s naval force Aspides said in a statement.

The incident occurred as Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue targeting commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea corridor, which they claim is in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

EU Naval Force’s Aspides is a defensive maritime operation tasked with protecting civilian ships and crews sailing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The US President once again claims to have resolved the India-Pakistan war

US President Donald Trump once again claimed to have resolved the war between India and Pakistan, saying that seven planes were shot down in the firing between the two countries without specifying to which nation they belonged.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday, Trump claimed that the “threat of tariffs” forced India and Pakistan to stop the war.

“The threat of tariffs, as an example, kept India and Pakistan, two nuclear nations, from going at it. They were going at it. Seven planes were shot down; that’s a lot. And they were going at it. And that could have been a nuclear war,” the US President said.

Trump said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised him for saving millions of lives.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan actually just said, Donald Trump, President Trump, saved millions of lives by getting that,” he said.

The US President said he threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs on India and Pakistan, which forced them to stop the war.

Trump said he told both countries, “We’re going to put on 200 tariffs, which will make it impossible for you to deal, and we’re not going to do business with you.”

“And after 24 hours, I settled the war,” the US President said.

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim dozens of times that he “helped settle” the conflict between India and Pakistan.

India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of the two militaries.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

10 of them turn out to be Rohingya migrants

The BSF on Sunday morning apprehended 21 illegal infiltrators — 11 Bangladeshi nationals and 10 Rohingya migrants — from different locations in Tripura.

Based on specific intelligence inputs, the BSF teams detected suspicious movement at the Agartala railway station, where 11 individuals were found to be Bangladeshi nationals who had illegally entered India and were attempting to travel further within the Indian territory, the BSF official said.

In a separate incident in North Tripura, the BSF personnel intercepted 10 Rohingya migrants, including women and children, who were attempting to cross over to Bangladesh.

Preliminary questioning revealed that they had travelled from Delhi and Jammu and intended to reach Moulvibazar, Bangladesh.

Amid the ongoing festive season, the BSF has heightened its vigil along the Bangladesh border in the entire eastern command, as incidents of illegal infiltration and human trafficking and other trans-border crimes normally escalate.

Last week, Special Director General, BSF (Eastern Command) Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal was on a four-day operational tour to BSF Frontier, Meghalaya, from October 13 to 16 to review the border security architecture and assess operational preparedness along the Indo–Bangladesh International Border.

In Shillong, IG BSF Meghalaya, OP Upadhyay, along with senior frontier officers, had made a comprehensive operational briefing before Aggarwal, outlining the dynamic security scenario along the international border, including challenges posed by rugged terrain, cross-border smuggling, infiltration attempts and emerging transnational threats.

The IG had also highlighted strategic countermeasures undertaken by BSF to strengthen border domination, upgrade technological surveillance systems and enhance tactical mobility of troops.

During the visit, the Special Director General had also toured several Border Outposts (BOPs), halted overnight with troops, and interacted with field commanders and jawans deployed in forward areas.

Later, Aggarwal had also called on Meghalaya Chief MInister Conrad Sangma and Chief Secretary Shakil P Ahammed, for in-depth deliberations on joint security mechanisms, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency synergy to ensure foolproof border management.

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday visited forward posts in Uttarakhand along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

He reviewed the operational preparedness of an Army brigade and celebrated Diwali with troops deployed in the high-altitude areas of Pithoragarh district and other forward posts. The Kumaon region, where these posts are located, borders China to the north and Nepal to the east.

Gen Dwivedi was briefed on ongoing capability enhancements, including advanced surveillance systems, specialist mobility platforms, integration of next-generation technologies and the use of reconnaissance assets in coordination with other security agencies.

Interacting with personnel stationed in remote areas, the Army Chief commended their resilience, courage and commitment to duty under extreme climatic conditions and difficult terrain. He reaffirmed the Army’s full preparedness to meet evolving security challenges and emphasised the strategic importance of the Kumaon region as a gateway to the borders with Nepal and China.

Gen Dwivedi also reviewed initiatives under Operation Sadbhavana and the Vibrant Villages Programme, including tent-based homestays in Garbyang and Kalapani. He also took stock of road infrastructure, hybrid power systems, medical camps and agricultural support through poly-house cultivation.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and setting up of “mechanisms” to ensure lasting peace after days of violent clashes along the border that left several soldiers, civilians and terrorists dead on both sides, officials said on Sunday.

The breakthrough came following negotiations between Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Afghanistan’s acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob in Doha, facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye, according to a statement issued by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.

“During the negotiation, both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire and establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries,” the statement read.

The two neighbours also agreed to hold “follow-up meetings” in the coming days to ensure the implementation and sustainability of the truce “in a reliable and sustainable manner” to achieve security and stability in both countries, it said.

The development comes amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghan border, triggered by cross-border clashes after alleged Pakistani airstrikes near Kabul last week.

The Doha talks began on Saturday with Pakistan urging the Afghan Taliban authorities to take “verifiable action” against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad accuses of launching cross-border terrorist attacks from Afghan soil.

The Foreign Office in a statement on Saturday said Pakistan had stressed the need for the Afghan authorities to honour their “commitments to the international community” and to address Islamabad’s “legitimate security concerns” by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities.

“Pakistan appreciates the mediation efforts of Qatar and hopes these discussions contribute to peace and stability in the region,” it said.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since 2023, with Islamabad repeatedly raising concerns over the use of Afghan soil by militants carrying out cross-border attacks.

The situation further deteriorated following repeated terrorist attacks by TTP, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district recently, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

The Foreign Office on Wednesday announced that a temporary ceasefire had been agreed with Afghanistan for the next 48 hours amid the recent border hostilities. Later on Friday, the ceasefire was extended.

However, hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire, Pakistan launched fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan late Friday. Three Afghan cricketers were among several people killed in the strikes, which followed a terror attack at a military installation in North Waziristan, claimed by TTP.

Following the incident, the Afghanistan Cricket Board withdrew from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November.

On Saturday, Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir warned Afghanistan to choose between “peace and chaos” as it asked Kabul to take firm and immediate action against terrorists using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

The military later says it resumed enforcing the ceasefire, and an Israeli security official confirms that aid deliveries will resume on Monday

Gaza’s fragile ceasefire faced its first major test on Sunday as Israeli forces launched a wave of deadly strikes, saying Hamas militants had killed two soldiers, and an Israeli security official said the transfer of aid into the territory was halted.

The military later said it resumed enforcing the ceasefire, and the official confirmed that aid deliveries would resume on Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to discuss the issue with the media.

A little over a week has passed since the start of the US-proposed ceasefire aimed at ending two years of war. US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire remained in place and “we want to make sure it’s going to be very peaceful”.

He told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that Hamas has been “quite rambunctious” and “they’ve been doing some shooting”. He suggested that the violence might be the fault of “rebels” within the organisation rather than its leadership.

“It’s going to be handled toughly but properly,” he said. Trump did not say whether he thought the Israeli strikes were justified, saying “it’s under review”.

Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that he may visit Israel in the coming days.

“We’re trying to figure it out,” he told reporters, saying the administration wants to “go and check on how things are going”. Regarding the ceasefire, he said that “there’s going to be fits and starts”.

Health officials said at least 36 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, including children. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of Hamas targets after its troops came under fire.

A senior Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire negotiations, on condition of anonymity, said “round-the-clock” contacts were under way to de-escalate the situation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military to take “strong action” against any ceasefire violations but did not threaten to return to war.

Israel’s military said militants had fired at troops in areas of Rafah city that are Israeli-controlled according to agreed-upon ceasefire lines.

Hamas, which continued to accuse Israel of multiple ceasefire violations, said communication with its remaining units in Rafah had been cut off for months and “we are not responsible for any incidents occurring in those areas”.

Russian oil has been one of the main irritants for Trump in prolonged trade talks with India – half of his 50% tariffs on Indian goods are in retaliation for those purchases

US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him India will stop buying Russian oil, while warning that New Delhi would continue paying “massive” tariffs if it did not do so.

“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Asked about India’s assertion that it was not aware of any conversation between Modi and Trump, Trump replied: “But if they want to say that, then they’ll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don’t want to do that.”

Russian oil has been one of the main irritants for Trump in prolonged trade talks with India – half of his 50% tariffs on Indian goods are in retaliation for those purchases. The US government has said petroleum revenue funds Russia’s war in Ukraine.

India has become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian oil sold at a discount after Western nations shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Trump on Wednesday said Modi had assured him that day that India would stop its Russian oil purchases. India’s foreign ministry said it was not aware of any telephone conversation between the leaders that day, but said that New Delhi’s main concern was to “safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer”. A White House official said on Thursday that India has halved its purchases of Russian oil, but Indian sources said no immediate reduction had been seen.

DIWALI & BANDI CHORH DIWAS ON 21 OCT 2025 CLARIFICATION FROM HARMIANDIR SAHAIB

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