Follow news in brief on Feb 20

Bengaluru, Feb 20: Jitan Ram Manjhi shocked all as he resigned as the Bihar CM ahead of the crucial trust vote which was scheduled to be held in the state assembly.

Follow more news in brief on Friday, Feb 20:

5.30 pm: JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar will take oath as Bihar CM on Sunday, Feb 22nd.

4.00 pm: Swine flu kills 2 in Kashmir in the last 24 hours. 12 fresh cases also reported, number of infected rises to 96.

3.45 pm: Former Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah hits out at PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for being a "sell-out" to BJP.

3.30 pm: Police recovers explosive material, including 4 detonators from a stream in Katra belt of Reasi district in Jammu,

3.15 pm: Air pollution reaches "dangerous levels" in 106 Chinese cities due to use of fireworks during Lunar New Year celebrations.

3.00 pm: Petroleum Min Documents Leaked Case: 4 accused sent to police custody till 23rd February and 3 other accused sent to 14days judicial custody.

2.45 pm: Jammu & Kashmir government formation: Senior BJP leaders meet party president Amit Shah.

2.30 pm: "Want to ask Nitish ji if he will apologize to Bihar for speaking against Modi ji, will he apologise for siding with Lalu Prasad & Congress?", says Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

2.15 pm: 5 killed in an explosion at a fireworks shop in Zhejiang province during the new Chinese lunar year celebrations.

2.00 pm: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal speaks at inauguration of Garden tourism festival at garden of five senses, Delhi.

1.30 pm: Petroleum Ministry Documents Leaked Case: Accused produced before Patiala House Court (Delhi)

1.15 pm: Petroleum Ministry documents leaked case: Accused persons taken to Delhi police crime branch office.

1.00 pm: BJP's real face has been exposed, what has happened today is historic, says Nitish Kumar.

12.45 pm: Modi Suit bid crosses Rs2 crore mark: Mukesh Patel from Surat makes a bid for Rs 2,00,92,000.

12:30 pm: JDU & BJP MLAs share a light moment after Bihar Assembly adjourns sine die in Patna.

12:22 pm: Nitish ji acted like 'Bhishma Pitamah', did not utter a word when I was not allowed to do any work, said Jitan Ram Manjhi while addressing media after resigning as Bihar CM.

12:12 pm: I appealed Bihar Governor to allow for secret voting, but he said that there is no constitutional provision for such an arrangement, said Jitan Manjhi while speaking about his decision of resigning as Bihar CM.

11:35 am: We are hopeful that Bihar Governor will invite Nitish ji to stake claim of forming Govt now, said JD(U) leader KC Tyagi.

11:25 am: BJP MLAs protest outside Bihar Assembly over Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation as Bihar CM.

Patna: BJP MLAs protest outside Bihar Assembly over Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation pic.twitter.com/ARyEY23D6p
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

11:11 am: He should have resigned earlier, by getting involved with the BJP he has ruined his future, said RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav on Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation.

11:06 am: PM Narendra Modi in Itanagar, addressed people at 29th Statehood Day celebrations of Arunachal Pradesh.

Itanagar: PM Narendra Modi speaking at 29th Statehood Day celebrations of Arunachal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/JqzCingqKg
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

Itanagar: PM Narendra Modi attends Arunachal Pradesh's 29th Statehood Function pic.twitter.com/tQZDLpPytl
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

10:55 am: BJP stood for justice, we stood for a person from Maha Dalit Samaj, we have fulfilled our responsibility, said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation as Bihar CM.

10:40 am: After his meeting with Bihar Governor, Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned as the Chief Minister of the state.

10:05 am: Prayas Jain, who heads an oil and gas consultancy firm has been arrested by the Delhi police in the corporate espionage case. Jain a CEO of the firm is said to have sourced documents and passed it on to corporate houses.

9:55 am: JDU MLAs, who support Nitish Kumar, protest outside Bihar Assembly in Patna.

Patna: JDU MLAs in support of Nitish Kumar, protest outside Bihar Assembly pic.twitter.com/tmxhiEiptt
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2015

9:45 am: We strongly condemn the way a maha dalit has been insulted, BJP will support Manjhi ji in Assembly, said Nand Kishore Yadav.

9:30 am: Heavy security deployment outside Bihar Assembly in Patna.

9:17 am: New Zealand paceman Tim Southee today equalled the World Cup record for best bowling, against England at Westpac Stadium. (Read more about Tim Southee and World Cup record)

9:14 am: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi scheduled to prove his majority in Bihar legislative assembly, today.

9:00 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to inaugurate the three day 'Festival of Arunachal' in Itanagar today.

8:50 am: The crime branch of the Delhi police has arrested journalist Santanu Saikia in connection with the corporate espionage case.

The journalist is alleged to have been passing on sensitive information from the petroleum ministry to corporate houses who in turn tried to tweak government policy.