M A I N   N E W S

Sikkim, Mizoram Governors named
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 8
Veteran BJP leader Kedar Nath Sahani was today appointed Governor of Sikkim while former Adviser to Mizo leader Laldenga Amolak Rattan Kohli was named as Governor of Mizoram.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué also said that the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, has appointed Mr N.N. Jha, Convener of the BJP Foreign Cell, as Lieutenant-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Mr Kohli replaces Mr Ved P. Marwah, who was discharging the functions of the Governor of Mizoram in addition to his duties as the Governor of Manipur.

Mr Sahani goes in place of Chaudhary Randhir Singh.

The President has also accepted the resignation of Mr I.P. Gupta from the office of the Lieutenant-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands while Mr Arvind Dave, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, has been asked to discharge the duties of the Governor of Nagaland, in addition to his own duties, during the absence of Mr Om Prakash Sharma, who is on leave.

Order reserved on Fardeen’s bail plea

Mumbai, May 8
A Mumbai court reserved its order on the bail application of film star Fardeen Khan, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday for allegedly possessing cocaine, till may 18.

Special Narcotics Judge M.S. Keny, after hearing the defence and prosecution, directed the NCB officials to produce papers of the investigation and the medical report of Fardeen, if any, by tomorrow to enable the court to pass an order on May 10.

Defence advocate Ayaz Khan, who moved the bail application contended that Fardeen had gone to buy 1 gm of cocaine for personal consumption and therefore as per Section 27 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act he might be ordered released on bail.

Mr Khan pleaded with the judge to take a lenient view in the case. UNI