The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed strong reservations over a trial court's judgment that denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh observed that the lower court's reasoning appeared to be based on assumptions rather than concrete evidence. The court noted that the denial of bail seemed to be influenced by the nature of the charges rather than the merits of the case. The bench further remarked that the right to liberty cannot be curtailed based on speculative apprehensions. The matter has been listed for further hearing next week. Meanwhile, in Kerala, newly appointed Chief Minister Satheesan's first Cabinet meeting concluded with a decision to implement all pre-poll promises made by the party. The meeting, held at the state secretariat, focused on key issues such as employment generation, welfare schemes, and infrastructure development. The Cabinet also approved a special package for farmers and small-scale industries. These decisions are expected to be rolled out in phases over the next six months. In other news, the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall in several parts of the country due to an active monsoon trough. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Mumbai and surrounding regions, warning of possible flooding and landslides. Citizens have been advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. The stock market closed on a positive note today, with the Sensex gaining over 300 points, driven by strong buying in IT and banking stocks. The Nifty also closed above the 18,000 mark for the first time in three weeks. Analysts attribute the rally to positive global cues and expectations of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India. In sports, the Indian cricket team has announced its squad for the upcoming T20 series against Australia. The selectors have included several young players, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent. The series is scheduled to begin on June 1st. This evening's briefing also covers updates on the ongoing heatwave in northern India, where temperatures have crossed 45 degrees Celsius in several cities. The government has issued advisories for heatstroke prevention and urged people to stay hydrated. These are the top stories this evening.
