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3-day police custody for Appu
Seer moves Madras HC for bail
Laloo Yadav gives tough
time to Congress
Acting Chief Justice of HC can use CJ’s powers
One held for burglary at MPs’ houses
Gawli’s wife arrested, released on bail
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NDA to meet Speaker
BJP: Clarify stand on Security Council
CPI: Introduce job guarantee Bill
Govt may bring ordinance on patents
Pak delegation visits Parliament
Haryana Cong poll panel to meet on Dec 25
India, Malaysia sign three pacts
DGP held on corruption charge
Indian team
to assess Parechu river
Left gets more DD coverage in 2004
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3-day police custody for Appu
Kancheepuram, December 20 Amidst tight security Appu was produced before the Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate Mr G. Uttamarajan, who remanded him in police custody till December 22 as the investigating team wanted to question him as he was being described as “one of the key suspects”. Appu was arrested yesterday at Balakrishnapuram police station in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh and brought here by the special investigating team. The Magistrate said there were sufficient grounds to grant police custody but since the accused was a “heart patient” he should be medically examined everyday and should not be subjected to any kind of harassment or torture. Appu told the Judge that he was not ill-treated by the police but mediapersons present in the court were disappointed when he remained silent about his innocence when the Judge formally informed him that his remand was being sought for his involvement in the Sankararaman murder case. Before his arrest Appu had repeatedly told Tamil publications that he was innocent and was being implicated due to political pressure. He had even said that the Shankaracharya, too, was innocent and the Kanchi Mutt was being sullied due to mud-slinging by certain political powers which he would expose in the due course of time. After the hearing, Appu was immediately whisked away though he kept smiling and could be seen chatting with his police escorts. As he had faced criminal charges before in several other cases he looked calm as probably this was just another charge. Earlier, Kancheepuram Superintendent of Police, Mr K. Prem Kumar, who is leading the probe, claimed said Appu’s arrest was a major breakthrough and would strengthen the prosecution’s case. Talking to journalists he said, “We have solid evidence against him. He visited the Kanchi Mutt 12 times during August just before the murder and he knew of his connections in the mutt.” Though Appu yesterday surrendered following mediation by his brother-in-law, a Andhra Pradesh-based businessman, after eluding the Tamil Nadu police for over a month, Mr Prem Kumar insisted Appu was arrested and that he did not surrender. Ever since they obtained an arrest warrant the Tamil Nadu police had sent teams to Noida (U.P) Goa, Nagpur, Hyderabad and even to the North-East in search of Appu. Appu decided to give himself up to the police and did so in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as he had feared he would be gunned down in a encounter in Tamil Nadu. But the SP said: “About three days ago, there was a tip-off that he was somewhere in Hyderabad or Puthur. We camped in Chittoor district for three days and nabbed him.” He claimed Appu was seen in the hills of Puthur and did not resist arrest. He denied that Appu had earlier sent feelers to the police about his surrender. According to the police, it was Appu who appointed the contract killers for murdering the Vardaraja Perumal temple manager, Sankararaman, after the latter sent letters to the Shankaracharya threatening to expose the misdeeds going on in the Kanchi Mutt. The police claim that Appu’s licensed firearm with a seven-bullet chamber was seized from one of the assailants, Kathiravan. Mr Prem Kumar scotched rumours that another key accused, Ravi Subramaniam, a Chennai-based real estate developer, had committed suicide. |
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Seer moves Madras HC for bail
Chennai, December 20 The Principal Sessions Court had dismissed the seer’s bail application on December 10, maintaining that it had reason to believe there was a prima facie case against him. The seer, arrested on November 11 for his alleged involvement in the murder of Sankararaman, was formally taken in custody on November 23 in the case relating to assault on former mutt associate Radhakrishnan in the city in 2002.
— PTI |
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Laloo Yadav gives tough
time to Congress
New Delhi, December 20 Although the party goes out its way to defend its ally in public, Congress leaders privately admit that Mr Yadav is needlessly providing opportunities to the Opposition to attack the UPA government. This is particularly so when the government is just about settling in and a directionless opposition is desperately in search of issues to take on the ruling alliance. The Congress was again called in to defend the Railway Minister today when an FIR was lodged against Mr Yadav while his party, the RJD, was threatened with derecognition for attempting to bribe the electorate by distributing money to some people near Patna on Saturday. While the Congress cancelled its daily press briefing today, there was no plausible explanation from the party leaders. AICC general secretary Ambika Soni put up a weak defence, saying she was sure Mr Yadav would be able to convince the Election Commission in this instance. Not only is the RJD a critical partner in the UPA government, the Congress is also looking to Mr Yadav for an alliance in next February’s assembly poll in Bihar. “The truth is that we cannot dissociate ourselves from the RJD despite all these
embarassments,” admitted a senior AICC leader. Caught in an awkward situation, the Congress chose to play down the latest episode. Stating that such charges and counter-charges are bound to arise in the process of electioneering, Mr Tom
Vadakkam, secretary, AICC media department, maintained the party was in the process of ascertaining the facts from its local unit. “Till then, we cannot comment,” he added. The latest episode is bound to provide further fodder to the Opposition to attack the government. The Congress and particularly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was put to great embarrassment when two UPA allies — Mr Yadav and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan — openly traded charges of corruption. It was only after the Prime Minister intervened that the two called an uneasy truce. Just when the dust had settled on this issue, Mr Yadav kicked off another storm when he failed to turn up in Parliament, the day following his visit to the site of the train accident in
Punjab. The Lok Sabha had to be adjourned following Opposition protests and a red-faced Congress was left to defend its coalition partner. |
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Acting Chief Justice of HC can use CJ’s powers
New Delhi, December 20 “No restriction or limitation in
performance of duties by an acting Chief Justice can be read into Article 223 (that deals with his appointment). The Article does not indicate as to which of the duties of Chief Justice can be performed or which cannot be performed by the acting Chief Justice,” a five-judge Constitution Bench ruled. The ruling came in a case relating to the appointment of the president of the Himachal Pradesh Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (HPCDRC) in 2000, for which the clearance was given by an acting Chief Justice of the state high court in the absence of the Chief Justice. Since the recommendation for the appointment of the consumer commission president has to be made by the Chief Justice of the high court to the state government, the appointment of Justice Surinder Swaroop to the post in the commission was challenged by an advocate and a retired officer in the high court raising the question over the acting Chief Justice’s power to recommend the appointment among other objections. As the Himachal Pradesh High Court had rejected their petition, they had filed an appeal before the apex court, which had referred the matter to a Constitution Bench. “The appointment of one of the other judges of a high court as acting Chief Justice is meant to carry on the work of the high court and the judiciary in the particular state. May be sometimes the appointment of the Chief Justice to a high court takes some time for various reasons and consequently the acting Chief Justice continues to work for a longer period, but that does not take away the powers conferred by the Constitution on a judge to act as a Chief Justice,” the apex court ruled. “We do not find any good ground or valid reason to disturb the judgement under challenge,” the Bench comprising Chief Justice Mr R.C. Lahoti, Mr Justice Shivaraj V.Patil, Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Mr Justice B.N. Srikrishna and
Mr Justice G.P. Mathur ruled.
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One held for burglary at MPs’ houses
New Delhi, December 20 The person identified as Vijay Mahanto (29), hailing from Orissa and residing in flat No.180 with one of the MPs, was arrested in front of flat No. 183 around 9 am today. He was arrested after a woman identified him. According to the police, Vijay had been living with one of the MPs in the area for past some time and was jobless. He had a friend Harihar Mahanto, who was employed as a personal assistant with one of the MPs and was residing in the South Avenue area. The burglary attempt at the houses of the two MPs created a panic in the high security area making the police authorities to further tighten the security. However, the MPs alleged that even in the past several attempts had been made to burgle their houses but only this time it had been noticed. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has summoned Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul to Parliament after both Houses expressed serious concern over the burglaries. BJP MP Sri Chand Kirpalani after raising the issue in Parliament said today that the way the burglars moved around in the South Avenue residential flats of the MPs proved the risk they were facing. Yesterday, a group of MPs met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and expressed concern about the security in the South Avenue area. |
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Gawli’s wife arrested, released on bail
Mumbai, December 20 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A.B. Shetye released Asha and four other accused, including two women, on furnishing bonds for Rs 3,000 each and sureties of the like amount. They were arrested
on charges of beating up a woman in Gawli’s Dagdi Chawl residence, Deputy Commissioner
of Police Ashok Dongre said, adding that Asha was arrested this morning. Besides Asha, the four accused, Bhavna Patil, Shraddha Kete, Sachin Chari and Ganesh Sukhe, were arrested under
Sections 324, 341 and 342, IPC. The five were produced before the Magistrate, who remanded them
in judicial custody till January 3. But, soon thereafter, they moved bail pleas which were heard today itself and the judicial officer granted them bail as all sections applied by the prosecuting agency were bailable.
— UNI |
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NDA to meet Speaker
New Delhi, December 20 “Various leaders said various things expressing objection to happenings in the House. So a decision was taken to call on the Speaker in a day or two to convey their views,” Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra told newspersons after about an hour-long meeting of NDA leaders. The meeting was attended among others by NDA Chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee, NDA convener George Fernandes and BJP President L.K. Advani. “Constituent parties of the NDA are distressed at the allegation that the Opposition is responsible for disrupting the proceedings of the Lok Sabha in the current session of Parliament,” a resolution passed at the meeting said. The NDA resolution said an “unmerited criticism” was being heard that the Opposition has shown disrespect to the Speaker. “Facts belie these allegations,” it said. Barring one episode, both Houses of Parliament have functioned smoothly during the truncated winter session, it said adding: “the sole cause for opposition protest on December 15, leading to adjournment of the Lok Sabha, was the absence of the Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, who shirked his responsibility to make an obligatory statement in Parliament on the accident.” Asserting that the Opposition was “entirely justified” in demanding a statement from the minister, it said “it is unfortunate that the Speaker, in his subsequent statement on the adjournment of the Lok Sabha, did not even mention the name of the Railway Minister.” The NDA said that Mr Prasad’s “deliberate absence in the House was the real and sole cause of the adjournment.” “There is a feeling that the Speaker is anti-NDA,” they said, noting that this view has been formed because Mr Chatterjee took “no action” against Mr Prasad despite his having not come to Parliament to make a statement on the Mukerian rail accident. |
BJP: Clarify stand on Security Council
New Delhi, December 20 There are conflicting voices from within the government on the issue and the Congress-led government should make India’s stand clear in Parliament, former External Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said in the Rajya Sabha. He was participating in a discussion on foreign policy. Mr Sinha alleged that the Congress-led government had surrendered before the USA by agreeing to end use verification on dual use technology and was not doing enough to stop the sale of arms to Pakistan. “When we were in power, the Congress and the Left were lampooning us for surrendering to the USA. But if reports that India has agreed to end use verifications are correct, it is a matter of grave concern and amounts to surrendering before the USA,” he said. Referring to the recent statements made by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Natwar Singh, in South Korea, Mr Sinha said it was reassuring that the government had clarified on reports. Mr Sinha said it was reassuring that Natwar Singh had not been asked to give an explanation on the issue by the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh on his return. “No External Affairs Minister can do the job if such explanations are sought,” he said. Another faux pas had been the recent reported comments of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his state visit here that India should take Security Council membership without veto power, Mr Sinha pointed out. It was left to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to get these remarks clarified during his meeting with Mr Putin, he said. Mr Sinha wanted to know from the government whether the five permanent members of the Security Council had come to an agreement that new members would not enjoy veto power. If this was so, how could Russia support India’s stand on the issue, he said. Mr Sinha also wanted to know from government whether US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfield had during his recent visit offered to sell sophisticated arms to India and whether it was aimed at compensating India for the resumption of arms sales to Pakistan. “Once the USA resumes arms sales to Pakistan, it will open floodgates of such sales from other countries,” the member warned. Mr Sinha demanded that the Prime Minister should reply to the debate and make a statement on his foreign visits. He charged the UPA Government with diluting India’s stand on cross-border terrorism in the September 24 statement issued after the Prime Minister’s meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York. India’s neighbours, he said, are harbouring insurgent groups. There are Maoists in Nepal, LTTE in Sri Lanka, terrorists in Pakistan and insurgents in Bangladesh. “In which direction is the foreign policy of this country heading? In seven months it is in a shambles. There are contradictory statements. The Defence Minister, the Home Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office are all speaking in different voices.” |
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CPI: Introduce job guarantee Bill
New Delhi, December 20 “We demand expeditious decision by the government on a comprehensive Bill for the unorganised working people to guarantee minimum wages, accident benefit, maternity allowance and provident fund cover with adequate Central funding and enforcement machinery,” CPI leader P.K. Vasudevan Nair said. Demanding a “serious initiative” by the government on the Women’s Reservation Bill, he also sought special schemes to unearth black money, besides enhancing tax on corporate sector, increasing income tax at the higher level, effective enforcement of laws and taxing of the rich agriculturists. “Unfortunately, the government is following the economic line of the NDA government in rolling out the red carpet to
FDI, believing it will ensure rapid economic growth,” he said. The CPI leader also opposed reported moves to amalgamate public sector banks “into giant banks” saying it would lead to monopolistic growth and abandon the principle of transparency and competition. He criticised the BJP for raising slogans against Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, “obstructing” the functioning of Lok Sabha and disrupting business. |
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Govt may bring ordinance on patents
New Delhi, December 20 It declined today to give any assurance to bring legislation in the current session, though only three days are left, when the Opposition members in the Lok Sabha raised the issue. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Water Resources Minister Priya Ranjandas Munshi remained silent when the Opposition benches raised the issue in the Lok Sabha during zero hour today. The Pharmaceutical industry is apprehending that with the implementation of the Patent Act, the price of most of the drugs will go up manifold. Consequently, the government is trying to evade the issue as long as possible. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had to tell the members,” I cannot compel the government to respond on the issue.” BJP members were seen pointing fingers towards Left Party members perhaps asking to support them on the issue. Opposition benches alleged that government was not taking Parliament into confidence despite it being in the session, and was bent on promulgating an ordinance to amend the 1970 Patent Law, an obligation under the WTO. Raising the matter, Mr P.C. Thomas (INDP) said to fulfil the WTO obligation, the government will possibly bring an ordinance before the stipulated period of January 1, 2005. Mr Thomas, a member from Kerala, demanded that the government should summon a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue and later refer it to the Standing Committee of Parliament for further deliberation. Supporting him, Deputy BJP Leader V.K. Malhotra and his party colleagues stood up pressing for a statement from the government. Mr Malhotra said this was a very serious issue, which concerned the interest of the common people. “But the government wants to circumvent discussions on it,” he alleged. |
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Pak delegation visits Parliament
New Delhi, December 20 In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee welcomed the delegation of Pakistan National Assembly, led by Speaker Chaudhary Amir Hussain, and wished them a happy stay in India and fruitful interaction with their Indian counterparts. While welcoming the delegation in the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan, said their visit would further strengthen Indo-Pak bilateral relations. Members in both Houses thumped the desks to greet their counterparts from Pakistan. |
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Haryana Cong poll panel to meet on Dec 25
New Delhi, December 20 The panel of names shortlisted by them are to be forwarded to the AICC’s screening committee by December 27 to enable the party to select the candidates well in time for the February 3 poll. Mr Janardan Dwivedi, AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana, today said the zila and block committees had been asked to send in their applications by this given date. He said they had conveyed the urgency of timely selection of candidates to the Haryana state unit since elections are round the corner. Although the party is making a genuine effort to speed up the selection process, past experience shows that this never really happens. The selection process inevitably goes on till the last minute and this is particularly so in state units which are wracked by infighting. Haryana Congress clearly tops the list of such states. AICC leaders informally admit that all efforts to end factionalism in the state unit had come to
nought. The state unit remains as divided as ever with PCC chief Bhajan Lal and his traditional rivals, Birendra Singh and Bhupinder Singh Hooda unable to see eye to eye.
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PM’s wife hosts lunch
New Delhi, December 20 UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, were among the prominent guests at the lunch. |
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India, Malaysia sign three pacts
New Delhi, December 20 These discussions were held between the visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three agreements between the two countries were also signed in the presence of the two Prime Ministers. Malaysia has been facing a serious problem at the hands of Islamic terrorists as several pro-Al Qaida outfits have consolidated their position in several countries of south-east Asia, including Malaysia, an Islamic state. The importance of being the Malaysian Prime Minister was clearly reflected in the list of Mr Badawi’s appointments. He had one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, followed by delegation-level talks in which senior Ministers including Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and Civil Aviation Minister Prafful Patel were present. After the talks, Dr Manmohan Singh hosted a dinner in honour of the visiting dignitary. Mr Badawi also called on President APJ Abdul Kalam and Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. |
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DGP held on corruption charge
Mumbai, December 20 Mr Gopal, who holds the rank of the DGP and is the Managing Director of the Maharashtra Police Housing and Welfare Corporation, was recently found in possession of Rs 1 lakh cash in the company of Pune-based astrologer Govind Chandak, who is known as a “fixer” in the police and political circles. “We have arrested Rahul Gopal today after a thorough probe into the incident,” ACB Director-General P.S. Pasricha said here tonight. Mr Gopal will be produced in an ACB court tomorrow, ACB sources said. There are four DGPs in the state as per the Central sanction — DGP-Maharashtra K.K. Kashyap, DG-ACB Dr P.S. Pasricha, DG Home Guards PKB Chakraborty and DG-Housing Rahul Gopal.
— UNI |
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Indian team
to assess Parechu river
New Delhi, December 20 In a written reply, Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Naryaan Yadav told the House that the Tibet Autonomous Region Authorities had agreed that structural measures for controlled removal of blockage leading to emptying of the lake are necessary before the advent of the next flood season and that the matter has to be taken up with their Central government through diplomatic channels. He said during a visit of an Indian technical team to Lhasa during September 12, 2004, the Chinese authorities had informed that the artificial lake created due to blockage of the river by landslide on July 8 had started receding from August 20. Formation of the lake had threatened many parts of Himachal Pradesh during the monsoons this year. |
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Left gets more DD coverage in 2004
New Delhi, December 20 Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy told Rajya Sabha today that eight hours and two minutes of coverage of Mrs Sonia Gandhi by Doordarshan between May 23, 2004 and October 31, 2004 also included appearances in her capacity as chairperson of National Advisory Council and chairperson of UPA. The BJP president got four hours and 11 minutes of coverage while NCP chief appeared on Doordarshan for one hour and 33 minutes during the period. Mrs Sonia Gandhi had got nearly three-and-a-half hours of coverage on the public broadcaster in the same period last year, BJP president almost five and half hours and NCP chief 28 minutes. Mr Reddy said CPI(M) leaders got over one hour and five minutes of coverage on Doordarshan between May 23, 2004 and October 31, 2004 as opposed to just four minutes in the same period last year. The CPI leaders got one hour and 38 minutes on DD in the same period this year as against just three minutes for corresponding period previous year. Replying to another question, Mr Reddy said the Centre was planning a legislation to address security concerns and check any obscene programmes on television following introduction of Direct-to-Home (DTH) service. He said the government was strengthening the mechanism for monitoring DTH programmes. The minister said the existing DTH licence conditions for setting up and operating DTH service in India contain adequate safeguards with regard to the carriage of undesirable contents. Mr Reddy said terms and conditions of the Licence Agreement make it obligatory for the DTH
licence to adhere to the programme and advertisement codes as laid down by the ministry. |
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Popularly known as the “Don of Chennai”, Krishnasamy, alias Appu, was today remanded in three-day police custody following his arrest for alleged involvement in murdering a temple official, Sankararaman, at the behest of the Kanchi Shankaracharya.
In a day of hectic developments, underworld-don-turned-MLA Arun Gawli’s wife, Asha, was arrested, remanded in judicial custody till January 3, only to be released on bail later.
