M A I N   N E W S

Maken murder accused extradited from USA

NEW DELHI, May 7 (PTI) — Ranjit Singh Gill, alias Kuki, an accused in the murder of Congress MP Lalit Maken and his wife, was today brought to the Capital following extradition from the USA where he was imprisoned in connection with the case.

A joint team of the Delhi Police and the CBI officials brought Gill from the USA, to where he had fled using a forged passport after allegedly killing Maken and his wife Gitanjali, daughter of late President S.D. Sharma, police sources said.

Gill was allegedly part of the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK) squad which killed the South Delhi MP and his wife at their Kirti Nagar residence in West Delhi on the morning of July 31, 1985, they said.

He was produced before Duty Magistrate M.C. Gupta later in the day today and remanded to judicial custody for two days.

Gill was arrested by the US Police on May 14, 1987.

The joint team, which went to the USA on May 3, also brought back Sukhvinder Singh, alias Sukhi, an accused in the Udaipur dacoity case, the sources said, adding he has since been taken to Jaipur by the Rajasthan Police.

Two other accused in the Makens’ murder case Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh, alias Sukha were hanged to death in the Gen A.S. Vaidya murder case, while two others Baljinder Singh, alias Raju and Harvinder Singh, alias Mathura Singh were killed in encounters with security forces. A fifth accused, Daljit Singh was acquitted in the case.

The Delhi Police team was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Naresh Kumar and included Assistant Commissioner of Police L.N. Rao and Inspector Ishwar Singh.

Speculation over Prabhakar-Lele meeting

BARODA, May 7 (PTI) — Former India all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar yesterday met cricket board secretary Jaywant Lele here raising speculations that it had something to do with the raging betting and match-fixing controversy. But Mr Lele said the meeting was to invite Prabhakar for a product launch by his company.

Prabhakar, who according to former board President I S Bindra is alleged to have named legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev as the teammate who offered him Rs 25 lakh to play badly in a 1994 one-day tournament in Sri Lanka, met Mr Lele at his residence here.

“Prabhakar came to my house to invite me for the launch of a cosmetic product of his company,” Mr Lele told PTI here last night.

The former player’s meeting comes amidst the raging controversy over Mr Bindra claiming that Prabhakar had told him that Kapil Dev was the player whom Prabhakar’s had refused to name for the last three years since raising the allegation in 1997.

The BCCI has also withheld Prabhakar’s benevolent fund, but the player has said Union Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had promised to take up the issue with the board.

Ammunition storage not proper: George

JAISALMER, May 7 (PTI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today said there were lapses in storing the ammunitions during the last two years but steps would be taken to ensure that Bharatpur ordnance depot blast did not recur.

He told reporters here that a decision had been taken the ammunitions would hencforth be stored in well-covered places and no more in the open and the process would take one and half years to be completed.

Admitting that ammunitions were still being kept in the open in Jaisalmer, Mr Fernandes said “During the last two years, there have been increasing slackness in storing ammunitions in different parts of the country and there is an urgent need to improve that. This will be done expeditiously.”

“A process has been started to ensure adequate safety of the arms depot so that Bharatpur episode is not repeated, he added.