M A I N   N E W S

CJI in eye of storm again

New Delhi, April 14
Even before the dust on the controversy related to the age of the Chief Justice of India, Mr A. S. Anand, could settle down, fresh allegations were today levelled against him for submitting a false affidavit with the Jammu and Kashmir Government to acquire land on concessional rates and favouring a businessman in legal cases for material benefits.

Former Union Law Minister and senior advocate Shanti Bhushan, releasing a 96-page document supporting his allegations, claimed that Mr Justice Anand soon after becoming the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court wrote a letter to the then Minister for Housing and Urban Development of the state on May 15, 1985, seeking allotment of a piece of land on concessional rate as was done in the case of his predecessor.

Though Mr Justice Anand owned a substantial share in a large joint family house property in Jammu, he swore on an affidavit, as desired by the government, on March 5, 1986, stating that he did not own a plot anywhere in the state, the former Law Minister alleged.

In another incident, the Chief Justice, while he was a judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, stayed the disconnection of all telephone lines of Broadway Hotel in Srinagar owned by Mr Tirath Ram Amla, a prominent businessman-cum-politician of the state. Mr Justice Anand also stayed the demolition of the Mr Amla’s building alleged to be located on Army land. UNI

MCC hacks 14 to death

Hazaribagh, April 14
In one of the worst carnages after the creation of Jharkhand state, the outlawed Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) hacked to death 14 persons at Belpu tribal village in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district today, the police said.

Hazaribagh police Superintendent Dipak Verma said around 1,600 heavily armed MCC ultras swooped on the village and locked Gram Raksha Dal (GRD) members guarding against extremists inside their houses.

The militants, armed with sharp-edged weapons, later chopped off the heads of 13 GRD volunteers, including three of a family, before setting their houses on fire. An 18-year-old girl perished in a blazing hut, Mr Verma said.

Top Jharkhand officials, including Chief Secretary V. S. Dubey and Director-General of Police T. P. Sinha, airdashed to Belpu to oversee the combing operations. PTI