# Today in India: 13 November 2026

2026-11-13T00:33:07+00:00 | Daily Digest | Indian Opinion Desk

13 November 2026 | 14 stories | Updated 22:44 IST

Congress MLA Bhushan Bara booked under POCSO for rape of minor. A court orders narco test for actor Urmila Sanawar in the Ankita Bhandari case. JEE Advanced 2027 will be held on 23 May.

## Court orders narco test for actor Urmila Sanawar in Ankita Bhandari case
India | 6 sources, 6 neutral
A CBI court in Dehradun on Friday ordered actor Urmila Sanawar to undergo narco-analysis and polygraph tests in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The tests will be conducted in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, though the date has not been fixed. Sanawar has alleged the involvement of a ‘VIP’ in the 2022 murder of 19-year-old Bhandari, who was killed by resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/uttarakhand-court-orders-narco-test-for-actor-in-ankita-bhandari-case/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/uttarakhand-court-orders-narco-test-for-actor-in-ankita-bhandari-case.md)

## Congress MLA Bhushan Bara booked under POCSO for rape of minor
Politics | 4 sources, 4 neutral
Jharkhand Congress MLA Bhushan Bara was booked on Friday after a minor domestic help alleged he raped her at his Ranchi residence. The girl, aged 15, told police she was brought from Simdega in May on the promise of schooling but was made to work. She said the rape occurred on 5 August, leading to a pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/jharkhand-congress-mla-bhushan-bara-booked-for-rape-of-minor/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/jharkhand-congress-mla-bhushan-bara-booked-for-rape-of-minor.md)

## Harmanpreet Kaur unveils wax statue with Tendulkar, Dhoni in Jaipur
Sports | 3 sources, 3 neutral
Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s World Cup-winning former women’s cricket captain, unveiled her wax statue at the Historical Museum inside Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur on Friday. The statue will stand alongside those of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni. She said she still had a long way to go before reaching the level of those legends but described the honour as a major achievement.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/harmanpreet-kaur-unveils-wax-statue-with-tendulkar-dhoni-in-jaipur/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/harmanpreet-kaur-unveils-wax-statue-with-tendulkar-dhoni-in-jaipur.md)

## NTA to empanel retired defence personnel as exam observers after NEET row
Governance | 3 sources, 3 neutral
The National Testing Agency is creating a permanent pool of independent examination observers, including retired armed forces and paramilitary personnel and retired government officers, as part of a wider overhaul after the NEET-UG paper leak earlier in 2026. The agency has issued two Expressions of Interest inviting applications for empanelment as observers and as examination centres.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/nta-to-empanel-retired-defence-personnel-as-exam-observers-after-neet-row/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/nta-to-empanel-retired-defence-personnel-as-exam-observers-after-neet-row.md)

## More from today

### Yes Bank files Supreme Court review petition on AT-1 bond write-down
Business & Economy | 4 sources, 1 pro-government, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Yes Bank has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the October 15 judgment that quashed its March 2020 write-down of Rs 8,415 crore in Additional Tier-1 bonds. The bank disclosed the filing in an exchange filing on Friday and said any material developments will be disclosed as per listing regulations.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/yes-bank-files-review-petition-in-supreme-court-on-at-1-bonds/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/yes-bank-files-review-petition-in-supreme-court-on-at-1-bonds.md)

### Congress extends ‘vote chori’ campaign till 15 December, launches app
Politics | 4 sources, 4 neutral
The Congress party has extended its nationwide ‘Vote Chori’ campaign until 15 December and launched the next phase, ‘Vote Rakshak’, which includes a verification app and a dedicated website to help voters check their names on electoral rolls and flag deletions. The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by AICC general-secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/haryana-congress-to-take-vote-chori-campaign-to-villages-from-12-november/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/haryana-congress-to-take-vote-chori-campaign-to-villages-from-12-november.md)

### IIT Delhi announces JEE Advanced 2027 on 23 May
India | 3 sources, 3 neutral
IIT Delhi has announced that JEE Advanced 2027 will be held on Sunday, 23 May 2027. The official website was launched on Friday. Candidates will be allowed to use a basic 10-to-12-digit on-screen calculator during the computer-based test. Only the top 2.5 lakh candidates from JEE Main 2027 are eligible.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/jee-advanced-2027-on-23-may-basic-calculator-allowed-on-screen/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/jee-advanced-2027-on-23-may-basic-calculator-allowed-on-screen.md)

### Marijne builds squad depth ahead of Women's Asian Champions Trophy
Sports | 4 sources, 4 neutral
Indian women's hockey head coach Sjoerd Marijne is focusing on creating more depth and versatility in the squad ahead of the Women's Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled from 19 to 28 November in Bhopal. The tournament will feature Paris Olympics silver medallists China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/marijne-builds-india-womens-hockey-depth-with-la-olympics-in-sight/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/marijne-builds-india-womens-hockey-depth-with-la-olympics-in-sight.md)

### FIR against BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over Gandhi family posts
Politics | 3 sources, 3 neutral
Himachal Pradesh Police on Friday registered an FIR against BJP Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut over her 10 November social media posts on the Gandhi family. The case was filed under sections 196, 353 and 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Boileauganj police station in Shimla. The complaint was lodged by Shimla resident Captain Atul Sharma.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/fir-against-bjp-mp-kangana-ranaut-over-gandhi-family-posts/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/fir-against-bjp-mp-kangana-ranaut-over-gandhi-family-posts.md)

### Bessent says Commerce held back MegaSpeed curbs
World & Diplomacy | 3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Treasury, War, State and US Trade Representative had for months supported placing Chinese firm MegaSpeed on the Entity List, but the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security had not acted. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, Bessent said Commerce ‘has the pen’ on export decisions.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/bessent-says-us-agencies-backed-megaspeed-curbs-commerce-held-back/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/bessent-says-us-agencies-backed-megaspeed-curbs-commerce-held-back.md)

## Useful today

### MP TET 2026 on December 20, 72,901 teacher posts vacant
Governance | 4 sources, 4 neutral
The MP TET 2026 is scheduled for December 20, starting at 11 a.m. at district headquarters across Madhya Pradesh. The exam is for 72,901 vacant teacher posts. Admit cards are yet to be released. Check the MPBSE website for updates.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/mp-tet-2026-exam-on-december-20-board-announces/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/mp-tet-2026-exam-on-december-20-board-announces.md)

### Schools shut in Bihar, Rajasthan on Nov 14, no national holiday
India | 4 sources, 3 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Schools across Bihar and Rajasthan will remain closed on Saturday, 14 November, due to festive vacations in Bihar and mid-term break in Rajasthan. Most other states are expected to follow regular Saturday schedules. Rajasthan schools reopen on Monday, 16 November.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/schools-closed-in-bihar-rajasthan-on-14-november-open-elsewhere/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/schools-closed-in-bihar-rajasthan-on-14-november-open-elsewhere.md)

### SpiceJet cancels four Dubai flights, faces Delhi disruption amid unpaid dues
Business & Economy | 2 sources, 2 neutral
SpiceJet cancelled four flights from Dubai to Amritsar, Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi on 12 November after ground handler Dnata suspended check-in services over unpaid dues exceeding 14 million dirhams. Services at Delhi were also disrupted amid a cash crunch. The airline said it is working to resolve the issue.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/spicejet-cancels-four-dubai-flights-faces-delhi-disruption-amid-unpaid-dues/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/spicejet-cancels-four-dubai-flights-faces-delhi-disruption-amid-unpaid-dues.md)

### Dubai airport halts SpiceJet check-in over Rs 35.85 crore dues
Business & Economy | 2 sources, 2 neutral
Dubai Airports stopped SpiceJet's check-in services on 12 November because of unpaid dues of about Rs 35.85 crore. The airline cancelled four flights that day. SpiceJet said it has sufficient bank guarantee cover but gave no timeline for payment or resumption of services.
Brief: https://indianopinion.org/dubai-airport-halts-spicejet-check-in-over-rs-35-85-crore-dues/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/dubai-airport-halts-spicejet-check-in-over-rs-35-85-crore-dues.md)

## The closing thought

The day brought political heat: a Congress MLA faces a serious POCSO charge, and a BJP MP draws an FIR over her social media posts. Both cases will test the credibility of due process, not just party rhetoric. The NTA's quiet overhaul with retired defence observers and a JEE Advanced date set for May give some institutional stability. Watch how the SpiceJet and Yes Bank disputes unfold in court and at airports. The pattern is clear: accountability is being demanded across the board.

## Earlier digests

- [13 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-13-november-2026.md)
- [12 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-12-november-2026.md)
- [11 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-11-november-2026.md)
- [10 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-10-november-2026.md)
- [9 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-9-november-2026.md)
- [8 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-8-november-2026.md)
- [7 November 2026](https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-7-november-2026.md)

The live edition, refreshed through the day: https://indianopinion.org/today/ (markdown https://indianopinion.org/today.md)
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-13-november-2026/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/today-in-india-13-november-2026/

This digest was compiled and written by AI from the day's Indian Opinion coverage.

AI disclosure: Every summary and comment here is written by AI and published automatically, without a person reviewing each article. We do no original reporting. How this works: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/