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| Wednesday,
January 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Hinduja chief’s quizzing over Algerian President arrives today
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India, UK vow to implement
UN sanctions Bid to malign me, says
Miss World’s father Police produces proof in Shah case Power BJP’s sole concern,
says Sonia Security denied to Sonia by UP Govt? Stick to NDA agenda: Naidu VHP: govt may go on temple issue Remain alert, Centre tells states Rethink on move to
shift units: SAD Nuns attacked Christian leaders
seek security
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Hinduja chief’s quizzing over NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — After interrogating Hinduja Group chairman S.P. Hinduja for four days, the CBI today said it had completed his questioning in the Rs 64-crore Bofors pay-off case. The interrogation of Mr S.P. Hinduja had been completed and he would be called for further questioning, if required, a CBI spokesperson said. He said the agency would begin questioning Mr P.P. Hinduja tomorrow and after completing his questioning it would interrogate Mr G.P. Hinduja. The CBI in the charge sheet alleged that the Hinduja brothers had received 81 million Swedish kroners ($10 million) from Bofors which bagged the Rs 1437-crore gun contract in 1986. The Hindujas have alleged that they have been implicated in the case and the money they received from A.B. Bofors was not linked to the gun deal. Asked whether the Hindujas were cooperating with the investigating agency, the spokesperson said “they are replying to all questions.” The CBI had asked the Hindujas to prove that the money received from A.B. Bofors in their secret account was not related to the gun deal between the Swedish company and the Indian Government. Mr S.P. Hinduja, emerging out of the CBI Headquarters said: “We have offered all cooperation to the CBI and we believe that the CBI would come out with the truth.” The CBI charge sheet said the 81 million Swedish kroners was deposited in three accounts in Credit Suisse Bank, Hanover Manufacturers Trust and Swiss Bank Corporation of which 31.98 million kroners was deposited in Swiss Corporation under the code name, Lotus; 37.03 million kroners in Hanover Trust under the code name, Tulip 11.7 million kroners in Credit Suisse under the code name, Mont Blanc. All accounts were held by McIntyre
Corporation which was owned by the Hindujas. A Delhi court had yesterday granted the CBI one more week to interrogate the Hinduja brothers as their questioning was not complete. Mr Arvind Nigam, the counsel for Mr S.P. Hinduja, had submitted that if the questioning of any of the Hinduja brothers was complete before January 30, he be permitted to go out of the country. The Special Judge, Mr Ajit Bharihoke, said: “You are free to move an application in this regard anytime.” Asked about the CBI’s reaction if Mr S.P. Hinduja move the court to go abroad, the agency’s spokesperson said: “We would answer this question in the court but if certain issues figure during interrogation of the other brothers, we will have to summon Mr S.P. Hinduja”. The charge sheet against the Hinduja brothers came almost a year after the first one filed by the CBI on October 22, 1999, naming Kuala Lumpur-based Italian businessman Quattrocchi, NRI businessman Win Chadha, former Defence Secretary S.K. Bhatnagar, then Bofors company chief Martin Ardbo and the company itself as accused. |
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Algerian President arrives today NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — Bilateral ties with Algeria are in for a major boost as its President Abdelaziz Bouteflika arrives here tomorrow on a six-day official state visit during which not only several agreements are going to be concluded but issues like international terrorism would also come under sharp focus. Mr Bouteflika, who incidentally is first Arab head of state to be the chief guest at country’s Republic Day in the new millenium, is bringing five Ministers of his Cabinet along with six advisers for providing a substantive thrust to economic, defence and technological ties with India. A spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, briefing newspersons about the significance of the visit of Mr Bouteflika, said that three agreements in the field of
avoidance of double taxation, veterinary and phyto-sanitary. But apart from the agreements, which have been officially announced, the two sides are also discussing a MoU between ONGC Videsh and the Algerial Petrochemical giant Sonatrach for exploration and production of oil and natural gas in block 242 in Algeria. Another equally important agreement, which is in the process of being finalised, is going to be between Ispat International and Unique Holding of Algeria under which the former might buy Algeria’s only steel plant which is being currently disinvested by the state. The two sides, during the stay of the Algerian President, are also likely to discuss investments of the Indian pharmaceutical industry in Algeria for which there exists a big market. Bilateral cooperation in the field of hydrocarbons would be under sharp focus as a MoU between ONGC Videsh and Sonatrach for joint ventures in India, Algeria and in third countries. India and Algeria, under this MoU, are exploring possibilities of exploration and production of oil and gas in Iraqi oil block of Tuba. |
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Tributes paid to
Netaji NEW DELHI, Jan 23 (UNI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister L.K. Advani and other parliamentarians on Tuesday paid floral tributes to Netaji Subas Chandra Bose in the central hall of Parliament on his 104th birth anniversary. A booklet on the contribution made by the revolutionary freedom fighter was brought out by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Meanwhile, a national security campaign was launched in protest against the spreading menace of terrorism and rising activities of the ISI in the country to mark the 104th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose today. Political leaders, intellectuals and common people pledged to fight for the national integrity and signed a 2-km-long banner to express their anger against terrorism and proxy war launched by Pakistan. Stating that terrorism, the ISI and underworld activities were the biggest threat to the national unity and integrity, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) announced the launch of an agitation against any activities in which underworld money was used. They would not allow any film made by such funds to run as part of the campaign. Addressing the function organised by the BJYM here, Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav said that the country had paid a very heavy price for freedom and Pakistan’s policy of fanning terrorism could not be allowed to be successful. The policy and intensions of Pakistan were not good as it was trying to harm India, he said and added that the country would give a fitting reply that would lead to Pakistan’s disintegration. Senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra demanded that the name of Andaman Nicobar should be changed and kept on Netaji’s name to honour his unparelleled contribution to the freedom movement. The island’s airport should be named after Veer Savarkar’s name as he was incarcerated for 10 long years and put to various forms of torture there. Referring to reports of terrorist threat to the Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani, Mr Malhotra said that the ISI would not be allowed to be successful in its nefarious designs and if any thing happened to these leaders Pakistan’s name would be finished from the world map. Senior BJP leader and MP M.L. Khurana said that proxy war was making the country week and pointed out that in Manipur the government money was being used for insurgency related activities as the ISI had spread its nexus to the north east India also. He advocated that “ceasefire in Kashmir should not be extended as Pakistan should know that though we talk of peace we are equally capable of making war.’’ |
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Army rehearsal for R-Day
parade held NEW DELHI, Jan 23 (PTI) — Full dress rehearsal for the millennium’s first majestic Republic Day parade was held here today amid a very tight security arrangement in view of the renewed threats from the militant outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The annual extravaganza on January 26 in the hub of the Capital to provide an opportunity to the President and Supreme Commander to review the military strength and smartness this year would last for about two hours. Senior Army and Defence Ministry officials reviewed the parade-preparedness amid a large number of onlookers thronging in from across the city and flanking the historic Rajpath, a living witness to 51 similar Republic Day celebrations. A total of 27 officers, 88 JCOs, 2730 other ranks and 59-exservicemen gave glittering display of smartness and discipline. |
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India, UK vow to implement
UN sanctions NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — India and the UK today vowed to implement the UN resolution seeking imposition of sanctions against Taliban-controlled Afghanistan even as Britain supported New Delhi-sponsored draft convention on international terrorism at the United Nations. The Indian and the British stands were spelt out at the first meeting of the India-UK Joint Working Group (JWG) on international terrorism and drug trafficking attended by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The two sides also held “indepth and substantive” parleys on disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and export controls during the second round of India-UK discussions on these issues. An MEA spokesman told reporters that on international terrorism and its inter-linkages with drug trafficking, both sides voiced “close identity” of views and underscored the need to combat the menace. He said India and Britain stressed that tough laws existing in each other’s country to combat terrorism should be effectively implemented. The British side was led by William Ehrman, Director of International Security in the Foreign Office while the Indian team was headed by Bhaswati Mukhaerjee, Joint Secretary (West Europe). The decision to set up the JWG on terrorism was taken during Home Minister L.K. Advani’s visit to the UK last summer. Discussions on non-proliferation began after British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook’s tour to India in April last year. |
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Bid to malign me, says
Miss World’s father BAREILLY, Jan 23 (PTI) — The controversy involving Miss World Priyanka Chopra’s father and a Dubai-based Indian woman took a new turn today with Dr Ashok Chopra filing a criminal complaint in a court here against the woman, who had accused him of outraging her modesty when she was 12 years old. In the complaint filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dr Chopra alleged, Ms Shivani Saxena, her husband Rajiv Saxena and four others of entering into a conspiracy to malign him and his daughter and indulging in character assassination in the wake of her winning the Miss World contest last year. Others named in the complaint are Ms Shivani’s father Suresh Chandra Saxena, “Savvy” magazine Editor Saira Nenzes, correspondent Himal Ashra and its Managing Director. “Savvy” first carried the allegation, he contended. |
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Police produces proof in Shah case MUMBAI, Jan 23 (PTI) — The police today produced for the first time before a special court here a text of telephonic conversations between arrested film financier Bharat Shah with Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel which it said revealed Shah’s alleged involvement in an organised crime syndicate in extorting money from Bollywood personalities. Since Shah demanded to know grounds of his arrest, designated Judge A.P. Bhangale reproduced a substantial portion of the transcript of the telephonic talk while delivering an order yesterday on the plea of accused for copies of the FIR and remand papers. In the talks, the duo had allegedly discussed recovery of extortion money of Rs 5 crore from a victim which Dawood Ibrahim, kingpin of organised crime syndicate, had sought to recover. The victim had pledged jewellery as well as documents of his flat with Shah and requested him to intervene and settle the matter. Shah, claiming to know the victim for the past 15 years, informed Shakeel as to how he had got assurance about payment by the victim within six months to one year, the judge noted in his order. |
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Power BJP’s sole concern,
says Sonia BILASPUR (Chattisgarh), Jan 23 — Congress President Sonia Gandhi today charged the BJP-led government at the Centre with lacking vision and sympathy for the common man and said the BJP’s sole concern was power for which it was trying to amend the Constitution. Mrs Sonia Gandhi, who was addressing a large gathering on her first visit to the new state of Chattisgarh, declared that the Congress had started a struggle against the BJP-led government which had been extremely unfair to the country’s farmers. She charged the government with playing politics in grant of relief to the drought-hit people of Chattisgarh. She said the prices of agricultural commodities had increased steeply, unemployment was rising and the government was out to sell PSUs to private parties. In her 20-minute address, read from a prepared text, Mrs Sonia Gandhi said the BJP was aiming to amend the Constitution and take its basic tenets away so as to stay in power. “Whatever progress the country has made, it is because of the Congress”, she
asserted. |
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Security denied to Sonia by UP Govt? KUMBH NAGAR (Allahabad), Jan 23 — Mr Anil Shastri, spokesman of the AICC, alleged here today that Mrs Sonia Gandhi had been denied the requisite security cover during her visit to the Mahakumbh Mela and Allahabad yesterday. Mr Shastri, in an interview with TNS, alleged that Mrs Gandhi was not provided any security by the state government during the ride from the airport to Anand Bhavan and when she went back today morning. He said only the SPG had made security arrangements for her. Mr Shastri condemned the statement of BJP General Secretary, Mr Jena Krishna Murthy that Mrs Gandhi had visited Mahakumbh Mela to gain political mileage. He asserted that it was a religious visit meant to keep alive the tradition of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Stick to NDA agenda: Naidu
HYDERABAD, Jan 23 (UNI) — Telugu Desam supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, whose party is supporting the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre from outside, today said any deviation from the NDA agenda would not be tolerated. Addressing a broadbased meeting of the TDP here, he reiterated that his party was committed to secularism. The TDP would not be party to any deviation from the NDA agenda, he asserted.
VHP: govt may go on temple issue KUMBHNAGAR, Jan 23 (PTI) — Sangh Parivar outfit, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today talked tough on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and gave a veiled warning to the Vajpayee government that it may fall on the issue. VHP president Ashok Singhal also made it clear that the deadline of March 12, next year set by the ‘Dharam Sansad’ (religious Parliament) was serious and that the government could ignore it only at its own peril. “There could be mid-term elections if the secularists (BJP’s allies) withdraw support to the NDA government on the Ram temple issue. “Under the circumstances, if the government has to fall on the issue, so be it,” he said in an interview to PTI here. |
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Remain alert, Centre tells states NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — In the wake of threats by Pakistan-backed militant outfits, the Centre has directed the states and union territories to remain vigilant and take adequate security measures for incident-free Republic Day
celebrations. Lashkar-e-Toiba is reportedly targeting Home Minister, L.K. Advani and is said to have let a ‘human bomb’ on his trail. He has reportedly entered the country along with three militants, police sources said. The Delhi Police reportedly received a letter yesterday sent by the MHA that a plot had been hatched by the Lashkar-e-Toiba to target the Home Minister on January 26.
This information was given to the MHA by the RAW |
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Rethink on move to
shift units: SAD NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — The Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal today urged the Union Home Minister and the Delhi Chief Minister to reconsider the move to shift industrial units functioning in non-conforming areas. “Sealing of industrial units is more than killing, which should not be done. Areas which have above 50 per cent factories may be regularised as industrial area”, the SAD Delhi unit President, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, said in a memorandum. He said if the government planned to go ahead with the relocation, all such industries, as per the Master Plan, should be
provided with roads, electricity, water, sewer, telephones and other civic amenities and three years’ time should be given for shifting of the industrial units. |
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Nuns attacked LUCKNOW, Jan 23 (UNI) — Three nuns teaching in a convent school in a Christian-dominated village under Bilaspur tehsil in Rampur district were injured last night when armed men barged into their hostel and attacked them. State Principal Secretary (Home) Naresh Dayal said here today that seven or eight persons forcibly entered Anna Convent School and attacked the nuns with weapons. They later fled with some of the belongings of the nuns. The nuns, including a 65-year-old, were admitted to a nearby hospital. Christian leaders
seek security NEW DELHI, Jan 23 — The president of the Poor Christians Liberation Movement, Mr R L Francis, today urged the Union Home Minister to provide security to him and his family as persons out to defame the NDA government and the secular tradition of the country could attack him. In a letter to the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani and a member of the National Commission for Minorities, Mr John Joseph, the all-India president said violent incidents against Christian community and their organisations increased which gave an excuse to some vested interests to defame the NDA government and label it anti-minority in a well-planned
manner.
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