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India, Pak to expedite disposal of pending Interpol references
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India-B’desh train on anvil
NDA demands probe into Scorpene deal
MP targets Civil Aviation chief
Jet, Sahara officials may meet before Friday
HC moved against BJP yatras
SC for ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriages German rape victim returns to Delhi CBI to
re-examine its appeal in Mattoo case Truth — now a defence against court’s contempt powers
Nizam in palace row with ex-wife
Ramdev plans to popularise yoga in Pak
TDP MLAs suspended
Bank chief arrested for embezzlement
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India, Pak to expedite disposal of pending Interpol references
New Delhi, March 22 A decision to this effect was taken at the second round of the Central Bureau of Investigation (India) and Federal Investigation Agency (Pakistan) technical-level talks that concluded here today. India
has sought Pakistan’s assistance to hand over about 100 persons wanted
by the CBI and other law-enforcing agencies, believed to be in Pakistan,
while Islamabad claimed that 70 of its wanted persons were in India. A joint statement read out by CBI Director Vijay Shanker after talks with his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Pervez said the two sides decided to have periodical meetings at short intervals between the Interpol nodal points. “All
efforts will be made by both sides for expeditious disposal of pending
Interpol references,” the statement said. To a question whether
India specifically raised the issue of handing over of Dawood, the main
accused in the 1993 serial Mumbai bomb blasts, the CBI Director told
newspersons that there were no individual references made during the
meeting, which he termed as “a very important confidence building
measure between the two countries. “Both sides decided to execute
all the Red Corner notices at the earliest. We agreed that all such
references, which are delayed or have been deliberately delayed, should
be expedited in the best of the interests of the countries,” Mr
Shanker said, adding that the two sides had decided to cooperate on
reciprocal basis and “wish to resolve all the issues quickly.” However,
after the joint press conference, FIA Director-General maintained that
Dawood Ibrahim was not in Pakistan. The statement said the talks, held
after a gap of 17 years following a decision during the Home
Secretary-level talks in New Delhi in August, 2005, were “constructive
and held in a cordial atmosphere. “Both sides identified areas of
mutual interest and agreed to work out the modalities of cooperation.” As
for the Joint Study Group, Mr Shanker said a Nodal Officer each would be
appointed in New Delhi and Islamabad to pursue cooperation between the
CBI and FIA in the areas of human trafficking, counterfeit currency and
illegal immigration. The two agencies would also explore possible avenues of professional training and share experience in various criminal investigations, it said, adding that the CBI Director also accepted an invitation from his Pakistani counterpart to visit Pakistan with his team of senior officers by the end of this year. |
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India-B’desh train on anvil New Delhi, March 22 Key sources told The Tribune that there were no concrete deliverables after Begum Zia’s maiden bilateral summit with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but there was greater willingness from both sides to consider all outstanding issues. A specific achievement on the horizon is that, for the first time, a train service between India and Bangladesh may start. The proposed train service is both for passengers and freight. The proposed Sialdah-Jaidevpur rail link will be for passenger train, while a goods train is proposed to run on the Kolkata-Akhaura-Agartala route. The latter train service has the potential to become quickly viable as track is ready on either side and only a 13-km-long missing link in Bangladesh is to be constructed to connect two Indian cities to each other through Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi side evinced greater interest in rail connectivity rather than bus connectivity between the two countries. However, Dhaka refused to relent on Indian request for transit rights and cited the need for first sorting out such issues as tariff, non-tariff barriers. During her visit (March 20-22), Begum Zia also held meetings with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani, and, significantly, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga. The fact that Begum Zia’s visit could not produce any substantive outcome was reflected by the fact that the two leaders chose not to hold any joint media interaction. There was no Joint Declaration or even a Joint Statement. Only a Joint Press Release was issued at the end of the visit which spoke of a constructive and forward-looking exchange of views between the two Prime Ministers. “Both leaders agreed on the need to maintain high-level political dialogue between the two countries… The visit is also testimony to the highest priority attached by both countries to the promotion of their bilateral relations in all aspects.” For the record sake, the Joint Statement mentioned that Begum Zia’s visit had “contributed to further consolidation and progress in the already close and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries.” Begum Zia extended an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister to visit Bangladesh which was accepted. Precise dates of the visit would be worked out through diplomatic channels.
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NDA demands probe into Scorpene deal
New Delhi, March 22 The NDA asserted that though the submarine system was “good”, the
procurement method adopted by the Congress-led UPA was “wrong”. “I had
always maintained that Bofors is a very good gun but the procurement
method was wrong. Similarly, the Scorpene is a very good system. We are
not questioning the quality of the weapon but the methodology of
procurement,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh told
newspersons here. Expressing disappointment over the Defence Minister
Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in the Lok Sabha on the deal yesterday,
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L.K. Advani alleged the agreement has
been violated by the French supplier as a “middleman, said to be
working on behalf of Congress party, received a huge amount”. “Therefore,
the middleman be arrested immediately, the Scorpene deal be scrapped and
a comprehensive and credible inquiry be instituted to fix political
responsibility and to ascertain the facts related to the scandal,” he
said. Giving a point-by-point rebuttal of Mr Mukherjee’s statement,
Jaswant Singh, flanked by NDA Convener George Fernandes, said, “Exposes
of the Scorpene scandal reveal continuing governmental obfuscation,
aimed at diverting the nation’s attention from a high-level cover-up
operation”. Rejecting opposition charges of middlemen and kickbacks
in the Scorpene submarine deal, Mukherjee had said the government
brought down the costs by Rs 313 crore and signed “integrity” pacts
to ensure transparency. |
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MP targets Civil Aviation chief
New Delhi, March 22 The MP, Mr Sanjay Raut, who has reeled off a volley of letters over the past 12 months to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and to the Regulatory body overseeing civil aviation in the country, has yet again drawn pointed attention to "a fraudulent circular" issued by the "tainted Director (Operations) of Air-India, Capt M K Hathi" regarding the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) of the pilots of the carrier. Mr Raut, who is a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has taken strong exception to Mr Satender Singh not acknowledging any of the letters where he has repeatedly drawn the DGCA's attention to unabated violations of the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) by Air India. In his latest communication to the Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry Mr Ajay Prasad on March 18, Mr Raut maintained that even after the Prime Minister declared at a public function in Mumbai recently that "safety is supreme," this does not seem to be the motto of the DGCA at all. While taking note that the DGCA is due to retire 10 days later on March 31 and in the light of all the stunning revelations of continuing CAR violations by Air-India which "could not have occured without the agreement of the head of the Regulatory body," he sought appropriate disciplinary proceedings to be intitated against Mr Satender Singh. "Pending the proceedings the retiral, other benefits and dues of the DG must be held in abeyance," Mr Raut stressed. The MP believes that "this will serve as a stern warning and therefore dissuade other DGCA officials from compromising air safety standards." Earlier this month on March 12 after newspaper reports that a senior Boeing pilot-instructor had filed a case in the US Surpreme Court alleging coercion and intimidation by Air-India's CMD to circumvent DGCA's mandatory CAR, Mr Raut had written to the Prime Minister to expeditiously initiate "tangible and serious action against AI's CMD V Thulasidas and Capt Hathi" failing which he might be forced to file a PIL (public interest litigation) in this regard. He urged the Prime Minister to immediately sack Mr Thulasidas and Capt Hathi and restore some sanity in the long term interest of AI and the travelling passengers. The Prime Minister had acknowledged the receipt of this letter. On January 6 this year, AI management had undertaken an instructor training programme on B 777-200 in Ahmedabad for four pilots all of whom did not have the requisite 500 hours as pilot in command on the said type of aircraft. When AI sent the name of Capt Amitabh Singh to the DGCA for clearance as an instructor on B 777-200, the regulatory authority had rejected it on the ground that he had commenced training without meeting the "flying experience requirements." |
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Jet, Sahara officials may meet before Friday Mumbai, March 22 “There should be a meeting before March 24” when the escrow account opened for the acquisition expires,” Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj Dutta told PTI when specifically asked about the likelihood of a meeting between Sahara Group chief Subroto Roy and his Jet Airways counterpart Naresh Goyal. However, he was not forthcoming on when and where such a meeting would be held. — PTI
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HC moved against BJP yatras
New Delhi, March 22 ‘‘The proposed yatras are likely to incite communal feelings amongst the
Hindus, Muslims and other minority communities in the country and expose them to
the hatred, which led to the Gujarat riots,’’ said the petition filed by the
Indian National Sikh Youth Forum. The petition filed by Counsel Naval Kishor Jha sought the direction of the court to former Deputy Prime Minister L.K Advani and BJP President Rajnath Singh to desist from proceeding with the proposed yatras which would pass through many states inciting people to fight against one another. The yatra is also in violation of the model code of conduct in force in some states going to the polls, said the petition filed by forum president Tinkle Singh Bindra. Making
Mr Advani, Mr Rajnath Singh, Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs,
Secretary Ministry of Law and Secretary Parliamentary Affairs as party
of respondents, the petition said, ‘‘The proposed rath yatras would
not achieve any purpose for the general public except exposing them to
further hatred and isolation.’’ The party was trying to capitalise
on the recent bomb blasts in Varanasi, the temple city, the petition
said. — UNI |
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SC for ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriages as ground for divorce
New Delhi, March 22 “Irretrievable breakdown of marriage is not a ground for divorce under the
Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Because of the change of circumstances and for
covering a large number of cases where the marriages are virtually dead and
unless this concept is pressed into service, the divorce cannot be granted,” a
three-judge Bench of Mr Justice B.N. Agrawal, Mr Justice A.K. Mathur and Mr
Justice Dalveer Bhandari said, while permitting dissolution of 30-year wedlock
between Kanpur industrialist Naveen Kohli and Neelu. While awarding Rs 25 lakh
as permanent maintenance to Ms Neelu, including Rs 5 lakh awarded to her
by the trial court, with interest, the Bench said “ultimately, it is
for the Legislature whether to include irretrievable breakdown of
marriage as a ground for divorce or not but in our considered opinion
the Legislature must consider irretrievable breakdown as a ground for
grant of divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act.” The Bench also
referred to the Law Commission’s 1978 report, recommending inclusion
of this as a valid reason for the dissolution of marriages, saying “we
deem it appropriate to recapitulate the recommendation extensively.” |
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German rape victim returns to Delhi Alwar (Rajasthan), March 22 A German man approached the Kotwali police with the request to allow him to escort the woman to Delhi, SP Rajesh Arya said. Yesterday the police intercepted a New Delhi-bound inter-city train at Khairtal station and arrested accused B.H. Mohanty while he was returning with the victim from Jaipur. Mohanty was produced before a local court, which remanded him in a 15-day judicial custody. He was being interrogated, Mr Arya said, adding that a challan would be produced after recording statements of both parties, which could take two or three days. However, the preliminary probe was over, he said. However, the accused, son of Orissa-cadre Additional Director-General of Police B.B. Mohanty, has confessed to his involvement in the matter saying he had intercourse with the woman, Mr Arya claimed. — PTI
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CBI to re-examine its appeal in Mattoo case New Delhi, March 22 Priyadarshani, a third-year law student, was raped and strangled to death in the bedroom of her south Delhi flat on January 23, 1996, and main accused Santosh Kumar Singh, son of IPS officer J.P. Singh, was acquitted by District and Sessions Judge G.P. Thareja in 1999. “I am as concerned as a prosecuting agency that a matter in which an accused was acquitted and my appeal is pending for the past six years. I am as much at unease as would the father of Priyadarshani be with this kind of dispensation of justice,” CBI Director Vijay Shanker told reporters here. He said he would also re-examine the review petition. — PTI
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Truth — now a defence against court’s contempt powers New Delhi, March 22 The Contempt of Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2006, has been enacted, having received President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s assent on March 17 and been since sent for Gazette Notification as Act No 6 of 2006, a Law and Justice Ministry statement said. As approved by Parliament, the amended Act substitutes Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, which elaborates the circumstances under which contempt is not punishable, the statement said. Hitherto, the provisions of the 35-year-old law were interpreted in judicial decisions to the effect that truth could not be treated as a defence to a charge of contempt of court, it said. Four years ago, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended permitting truth as defence in contempt cases if the courts found that to be in public interest. The government was advised to amend the 1971 Act so as to introduce procedural fairness and meet the requirements of the Article 21 of the Constitution — Life and Personal Liberty. — UNI
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Nizam in palace row with ex-wife
Hyderabad, March 22 Mukarram Jah, the VIII Nizam of Hyderabad, is embroiled in a legal controversy over a divorce settlement with his estranged wife and former Miss Turkey, Manolya Onur, who wanted the palace as alimony. The opulent palace was built by the Nizam on 400 acres in the 1960s. Over the years, most of the land was taken over by the Forest Department and converted into a national park. Presently, the palace is located right inside the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park. The government wants to extend the park into the private property. The palace has many Rolls Royces. The present value of the land and other valuables has been estimated to be worth around Rs 300 crore. This is the place where Manolya lived for sometime after she married the Nizam in 1989. She was his third wife. At the time, Mukarram was about 58 years old, while Manolya was 36. Though
the marriage was not performed by the official Qazi, it was declared
official. Nawab Habeeb Jung, a close associate of the Nizam’s family,
performed the nikah. Now, more than 15 years later, Jung does not
remember how much money Mukarram committed to Manolya as “mehr”. The Nizam entered into the divorce settlement in Geneva in the mid-90s. The triple talaaq was given over phone soon after he married a 22-year-old Moroccan girl. The Nizam now lives at a seaside resort in Turkey, while Manolya is in Istanbul with her daughter. She has been pursuing her alimony issue for the past nine years. Now, Manolya is fighting for a divorce settlement in the family court here. Sources
said the Nizam had decided to give away the palace and six acre to the
Forest Department. In return, he would be given six acre in the same
area by the Forest Department. Officials confirmed the deal. On March
20, the divorce settlement came up again in the family courts. Though
the divorce came through over a decade ago, the settlement agreement,
given up as lost, surfaced in the high court Registry.
— UNI |
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Ramdev plans to popularise yoga in Pak
Patna, March 22 Talking to the media here, he said that after holding many yoga camps across the country, he was now contemplating holding camps abroad and Pakistan may be his first choice. According to Ramdev, a recent survey conducted by a Chandigarh-based newspaper revealed that he was more popular than film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Sharukh Khan in Pakistan. Quoting
reports, Ramdev said that he was told that many people in Pakistan have
been watching his yoga programme on TV and practising the same. “This
only inspires me to spread yoga in Pakistan,” he added. The yoga guru has been holding a seven-day yoga training camp in Patna from Sunday. He
said he would request the Union Government to introduce “pranayam”
in the Lok Sabha. |
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TDP MLAs suspended
Hyderabad, March 22 The suspension motion was moved by the government following TDP’s refusal
to allow the proceedings of the House over placing records of an irrigation
project before the Speaker. The Opposition party legislators had to be
physically lifted out of the House by marshals. Members of other Opposition
parties, including the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the CPM, the CPI, the
Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen and the BJP also walked out of the Assembly.
— TNS |
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Bank chief arrested for embezzlement
Bhopal, March 22 Manager M. L. Vyas, Cashier Sanjay Thakkar and Chandrika Solanki are the other accused in the case. They are absconding. Following a complaint by a bank employee against the four, the police had registered an FIR under Sections 420, 467, 468, 409 and 201 of the IPC in November last year. The complaint was made after a special audit ordered by the Joint Registrar, Cooperative Societies (Indore), had discovered a misappropriation of Rs 22,19,274 in bank accounts. Sarla Sahu had gone underground immediately thereafter. She was arrested when she was stealthily visiting her home yesterday. |
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