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Students to get UID for performance
tracking UIDAI chief Nandan Nilekani during the signing of an MoU between the HRD Ministry and the Unique Identification Authority of India in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI
Ruchika Molestation and Suicide Case |
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Nandigram: WB, CBI trade charges
CAT 2010 rolls without glitches
India, US spar over Headley
Ramalinga Raju set to be behind bars again
Blast derails four rail
coaches in Assam
Bid to regain a paradise lost to insurgency
Bhawali-Almora road opened, but not fit to travel
Hyderabad’s snake man Raj Kumar dies of malaria
Death Anniversary of Brig Rajinder Singh
Temple to worship ‘Dalit Goddess English’
Controversy around ‘Modi’s magic’
Whistleblower Case
B’desh border to be floodlit
Rajiv
Assassination Govt not to pursue Bhopal compensation case in US courts Brave teenager foils robbery bid
SC judge status for Shunglu
Rita Bahuguna to lead Cong in ‘Mission UP 2012’
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Students to get UID for performance
tracking
New Delhi, October 27 The numbering of children will start from age 5, when their unique identity would be determined through the irises of the eyes. From age 15 onwards, fingerprints will serve to establish the student’s identity. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in collaboration with the Ministry will undertake the task of providing a UID to each student in schools, colleges and universities. UIDAI chief Nandan Nilekani today said the identity would serve in proper implementation of the Right to Education Act. He spoke after Joint Secretary, HRD Ministry Amit Khare and Anil Kachi, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure public delivery of education through a UID. It also turns out that the Government included irises among biometric parameters to cover as beneficiaries the students aged 6 to 14 years (the beneficiaries of RTE Act). Nilekani said first fingerprints were to be taken as biometric parameters. “But we realized that fingerprint stability starts at age 15 whereas iris stability starts at age 5. The latter was included to cover infants, who are also to be tracked under the immunization programmes,” he added. Under the MoU, the UIDAI would be required to partner with schools to ensure every student gets an ID which then can be put on his degrees after they are dematerialized (Government is working on a law for that). This would end the problem of fake degrees. “Also through an ID, the government can know which student has taken how much loan to help us track dropouts and migrant children,” Sibal said. The number would help the Government implement the RTE Act, through which private schools can be asked to show if they have enrolled 25 per cent students from the weaker sections. “The ID will serve as a base and then software’s can be developed to monitor students’ attendance and their performance at school. The ID is not sufficient as a monitoring tool in itself. It would need add-ons,” Nilekani said. THE ADVANTAGES
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Ruchika Molestation and Suicide Case R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, October 27 “We are not underestimating your right to celebrate Divali. But you must also consider the grievances of the victim’s family. If you say Divali for you, the same thing applies for the other side,” a Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan told senior counsel UU Lalit during the arguments on the plea for interim bail. Rathore’s bail plea will be heard again on November 11. The Bench, at the same time, rejected the CBI’s plea for a six-week adjournment, observing that Rathore had already completed five months and 18 days behind the bars against the six-month sentence announced by the trial court, though the High Court subsequently enhanced it to 18 months for molesting Ruchika in August 1990. The student committed suicide three years later, in November 1993. The bail plea would become meaningless if the court granted long adjournments, the Bench clarified and asked Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal, who appeared for the CBI, why the investigating agency was opposing the bail plea. The ASG said the CBI’s investigation into three other cases against Rathore was at a critical stage and if he was let out on bail he might try to influence the witnesses and thereby hamper the probe. The three cases related to the allegations of driving Ruchika to commit suicide, illegal detention and torture of her brother and forging of a document relating to her death. Lalit, however, said these “trumped up charges” were being revived against his client because of “media pressure” in the wake of the HC enhancing the sentence. The SC had gone into the merits of the abetment to suicide charge and ruled that there was no evidence against Rathore. Ruchika had never talked about harassment by Rathore, he said. The HC had also restrained the CBI from filing chargesheet in the abetment case and granted him anticipatory bail. The HC granted him anticipatory bail in January this year and the CBI had not complained that he had misused his interim relief till he was arrested and sent to jail on May 25 when his conviction was confirmed in the molestation case, Lalit said. Rathore has challenged his conviction in the SC, but when the matter was taken for hearing today Lalit restricted his plea to bail. Since the CBI opposed the bail plea and sought six-week adjournment, Lalit pleaded for a 10-day interim bail to enable his client to celebrate Divali. The Bench asked the CBI to give reasons at the next hearing for reviving the abetment case on a fresh complaint filed by another person despite the fact that the SC had already gone into its merits.
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Nandigram: WB, CBI trade charges
New Delhi, October 27 At one stage of the arguments, the Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and AK Patnaik asked the CBI why it was treating the state government as an accused in the case. “Please don’t treat the West Bengal government as an accused. We don’t understand.” The Bench also wanted to know why the CBI was refusing to provide the report to the state government which wanted to study it for coming out with its comments. Neither the Supreme Court nor the High Court, which ordered the CBI probe, had directed the agency to submit the report only to the HC and, that too, in a sealed cover as it did, the Bench clarified. The apex court had merely restrained the CBI on December 13, 2007 from going ahead with initiating criminal proceedings against the state police personnel on the HC order, the Bench explained. At the same time, the SC asked the state government why it was not paying compensation to all the victims of the police firing, restricting the relief only to those who were not involved in the violence against the police. The SC said it had directed payment of compensation to all victims. Besides the fatal casualties, over 100 persons were injured in the police firing on people protesting against acquisition of land in Nandigram for setting up a special economic zone (SEZ). The court listed the case for December 2 for hearing arguments on the plea for handing over the report to the state government and the demand for entrusting the probe with another agency.
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CAT 2010 rolls without glitches
Minor glitches, however, surfaced at some centres where students complained of software hanging causing some loss of test time. But overall, the examination went on smoothly on day 1, with the IIMs confirming to The Tribune that most of the 4548 candidates registered to sit for the test at the 78 listed venues took the test successfully; 5 to 10 per cent dropout rate was reported across centres. The important part was glitch-free conduct of CAT 2010 by Prometric, the firm that’s holding the online examination on the behalf of IIMs. In a statement today, Prometric said that 4548 candidates had registered for CAT and all who started the test completed it successfully. “We are pleased that the administration met our global standards and that candidates were able to take the test under appropriate testing conditions,” said Soumitra Roy, Managing Director, Prometric India. He reminded candidates to refer to CAT website for check-in time for the test and arrive at the venues in time. Some students across centres missed their exam this year as they arrived late at the venue today and were not allowed to enter. Some others complained they were not permitted to take the test as their identification cards were not treated as valid. When contacted, CAT 2010 convener Himanshu Rai told The Tribune that CAT website, registered candidate’s admit card and all his relevant documents mentioned clearly that no one would be allowed to enter the venue if he/she arrived later than 8.30 am and arrived without either all or any of the following three documents -registration voucher; admit card and a valid photo identification card (which includes IDs admitted by the Government like a valid driving licence, a passport, PAN number, etc). Students, who missed the test today on the above-stated accounts, asked the IIMs to reschedule their test in any of the 20 days till November 24 - which is the window period for the test this year. By IIMs ruled our rescheduling of the exam. “Anyone who misses his slot misses the chance to take the test this year. There’s no way we can reschedule candidates because each computer has been fed with technical details of aspirants who are registered to take the test on any given day.” A glitch free CAT 2010 can be attributed to the lessons the IIMs learnt this time. They took control of all 78 test venues on October 10 and isolated the systems from the rest of the colleges. “Unlike last year when we depended on computers provided by institutes serving as venues, this time we installed Prometric software and Prometric anti-viruses on each system. Also, timely control of venues helped us sanitise the computers well,” Rai said. Last year’s CAT was marred by a virus attack emanating from pirated anti-viruses on the computers of some of the test centres. This year, Prometric has provided the entire anti-virus system and software for online CAT 2010.
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India, US spar over Headley
New Delhi, October 27 Union Home Secretary G K Pillai today said India was disappointed that Washington did not provide any information about Headley even though he had visited India after the Mumbai attacks to reconnoiter fresh targets. “The name was never given... the time and date of his arrivals was never shared,” said Pillai. The US never provided the name of Headley to the Indian agencies even though he was under active surveillance of various US agencies. India was not even given the opportunity to trace his steps and who were those he was meeting. Headley was, at one time, an informant of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The Home Ministry and the agencies working under it were never tipped off by the US authorities even before the Mumbai attacks. The Indian official said the Indian authorities could have nabbed Headley when he came to India in March 2009 if New Delhi had been provided prior information about him. US Ambassador Timothy Roemer responded quickly and told the media that the US provided "regular and consistent" information to India even before the 26/11 attacks. “The US has been sharing intelligence with India on a daily and hourly basis, even prior to the Mumbai attacks,’’ he added. He said the USA had no hesitation in providing access to Indian sleuths to interrogate Headley as part of the counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries. “We were not afraid of giving access to the Indians…India could sit with Headley and ask him what happened prior to 26/11,’’ he added.
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Ramalinga Raju set to be behind bars again
Hyderabad, October 27 The apex court yesterday cancelled the bail to Raju and five others, including his brother and former managing director of Satyam Computers B Rama
Raju. They were earlier granted bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on August 18 on health grounds. While cancelling the bail, the Supreme Court asked them to surrender in the trial court on November 8. A Division Bench, comprising Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak
Verma, asked the trial court to complete the trial in the Rs 14,000-crore scandal before July 31 next year. The CBI had approached the apex court on September 14 challenging the high court order. The investigating agency contended that Raju could influence the witnesses in the case and tamper with the
evidence. Raju has been undergoing treatment for hepatitis-C infection since September last year. After his arrest in January last year, he spent around eight months in the Chanchalguda jail here. Later, he got himself admitted to the state-owned Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences
(NIMS) due to deterioration of his health condition. The fallen IT czar had constantly dodged the CBI and avoided trial on health grounds. While granting bail, the high court had asked him to appear before the CBI every day after his discharge from the hospital and cooperate in the
investigation. Raju was discharged from the hospital on October 2. Since then, he has been appearing in the trial court and also the CBI for interrogation. It remains to be seen whether he would again get admitted to hospital on the pretext of continuing treatment. “The treatment for hepatitis-C is underway. He still has to take another 10 injections spread over as many weeks,” NIMS sources said. The CBI, which filed two charge sheets in April and November last year, accused Raju of faking illness. The investigating agency has put the loss suffered by Satyam investors in the fraud at Rs 14,000 crore and alleged that Raju had siphoned off huge money to tax-haven countries like Mauritius.
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Blast derails four rail
coaches in Assam
Several militant outfits are active in the area and the police is yet to ascertain which group was behind it. “We are investigating into the incident, but are still not sure which group had triggered off the explosion,” VK Ramisetti, SP, Dima Hasao, said over the telephone from Haflong. Though both factions of the dreaded Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) are presently under ceasefire with the government, the faction led by Dilip Nunisa called an indefinite bandh in the hill district effective from last night complaining of “harassment” of its cadres by the police though the group is under ceasefire with the Government of India. Northeast Frontier Railway spokesman JK Sharma said though four coaches of the Barak Valley Express had derailed due to the impact of the explosion, there was no harm to life due to the incident. The derailed coaches of the train that was going from Lumding to Silchar included one brake-cum-luggage van and three general coaches.
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Bid to regain a paradise lost to insurgency
Guwahati, October 27 Jatinga is centrally located at the junction of the roads leading to Haflong, Lumding and Silchar. A curtain of fog descends on the sleepy place during September and November. During these late monsoon months, mysterious behaviour of birds is witnessed. When the air is moist due to fog, there is slight rain and the wind is blowing from south to north, Jatinga villagers put up numerous light sources on a particular strip of the ridge on moonless nights. The birds get killed by hitting various obstacles in their flight towards the light sources. The phenomenon used to attract hundreds of tourists, including ornithologists from various parts of the country and abroad. But the flow of tourists not only to Jatinga but also entire North Cachar Hill (now called Dima Hasao) district dried up once Dimasa tribe insurgents started ruling the roost there since 1990s. Now that both the Dimasa tribe militant groups - Dima Halam Daogah and Black Widow - have given up arms to start peace talks with the Centre, the guns have fallen silent for the time being, throwing up an opportunity to put up an effort to woo tourists to the enchanting hill district and Jatinga once again. The first-ever International Jatinga Festival is being organised in the hill district from today which a host of guests, including tour operators and travel writers from the various parts of the world, are attending. Besides, speakers will participate in seminars organised during the festival in Haflong and Jatinga villages and other neighbouring areas. “A number of programmes have been chalked out to highlight the Dima Hasao district as a potential tourist destination. Eco-tourism like trekking to the Hempeopet Peak, visits to different community villages and tourist spots, exhibition-cum-sale of crafts and cuisine would be some of the highlights of the festival,” said Kulendu Daulagupu, one of the organisers of the festival. “The Jatinga Festival 2010 is an attempt to regain the Paradise that was lost due to the various socio-political dynamics and insurgency movement in the Dima Hasao district of Assam. This festival is a humble effort towards spreading message of communal harmony, sustaining peace and to open up new vistas for tourism promotion,” he said.
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Bhawali-Almora road opened, but not fit to travel
Almora, October 27 The road between Chara and Almora had remained closed for more than a month and people wanting to go to Almora were travelling via Ranikhet covering an additional 47 km in the process.
The administration opened the road last week. A ride by this correspondent up to Almora on a motorcycle was nothing less than a nightmare. The journey on the track, particularly between Chara and
Kwarab, is full of life-threatening dangers. There are several stretches where mud has settled down and the oozing water from the hill slides has made these stretches slippery and extremely dangerous. The half of the road towards the Kosi river is either broken or has sunk. No driver knows where he would encounter a ditch, a stretch of badly broken road or a stretch still having boulders covering a section of the road. To cap it all, even buses are now plying on this stretch. Throughout the journey, one does not come across a single facility that could provide first aid in the event of some emergency. No security personnel was seen on the stretch. With proper mobile connectivity still eluding large parts, there is no way a person can even make a distress call. Mona
Sen, a traveller from West Bengal who was travelling on this route in a taxi, told The Tribune, “We were told by taxi operators that the road was open and hence we decided to undertake the journey. It would have been much better had the administration taken more time but provided a safe
route”. Sudha Sundararaman, general secretary, All-India Democratic Women’s Association
(AIDWA), who had come to Almora for a meeting, said, “One can imagine the plight of ailing people, particularly women, if they have to be transported by such a road.” Officials, on the other hand, pointed out that the top priority of the administration was to open the road as it is the arterial road that leads right up to international borders. It is also being pointed that the first thing on the mind was to get hundreds of vehicles that had been stuck in the middle of the broken stretches out from there. They said that the repair works are now to be undertaken as the agencies involved like the NHAI and the PWD have worked out the basics.
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Hyderabad’s snake man Raj Kumar dies of malaria President of the Hyderabad-based "Friends of Snakes Society", Kumar was popularly known as the "Snake Man of Hyderabad". His saga of adventures with the slithery but largely misunderstood creatures was featured in Paul Merton's popular television serial on India on National Geographic channel. An effable person who was always accessible to people whenever an SOS was made to him, Kumar (29) was a celebrity in his own right in the city and elsewhere. The snake lover used to attend at least 30 calls a month to rescue the reptiles in the twin cities. He had also conducted hundreds of shows in schools and educational institutions across the country. He was particularly fond of the King Cobra. "We are unable to digest the news. There are no words to describe him," said Raju, an aspiring ophiologist. Kumar was trained in Pune Snake Park and Bronx Zoo in the United States. His society was involved in spreading awareness on snakes apart from rescuing and rehabilitating the reptiles. He had done around 3,000 rescues and 4,000 educational demonstrations. Kumar, who was always ready to hold demonstrations for anyone interested in knowing about snakes, survived at least 29 bites, including that of a cobra and a viper. "Things turned serious twice and his fingers had to be amputated," recalls A
Shankaran, Deputy Conservator of Forests and a long-time friend of Raj
Kumar.
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Death Anniversary of Brig Rajinder Singh
Rajinderpura (Bagoona), October 27 And the amount, too, is paid irregularly. His last payment received was in April this year and that was his salary from August to November 2009. Practically, he hasn’t been paid since a year. Even as glowing tributes were paid to the Brigadier, hailed as the “saviour of Kashmir”, on his 63rd martyrdom here today, the respect seemed to be more in words than in deeds. None of the special guests, VIPs and Army Officers participating in the memorial function held at Brigadier Rajinder Singh Park today went to his house where the library-cum-computer centre is located and which is situated at just an arm’s length from the function venue. Had they gone there, they would have met Hazara Ram and seen the condition of the house. A faded life-size portrait of the Brigadier is the first shock to visitors. Next, there are no new books and the computers don’t work. This surely was not the “dream” of the family members of the heroic Army Officer. Forty-one-year-old Hazara Ram is one of the two employees at the centre, which was set up by the Indian Army and handed over to the state government in 2004. That seemed to have brought its nemesis. Hazara Ram’s monthly salary was then fixed at Rs 100 and continues to be the same, as the state government hasn’t sanctioned the post till date. But his workload has also, ironically, not increased much. For the Department of Libraries, has not added any new book to the library since June 2009, when about 65 books were added. Three computers in the training centre are lying unused and closed due to some snag. The tin roof of the backyard is broken, while the water tank and pipes leak. There was a time when several newspapers were subscribed to for the library but now only two are taken and the bill, too, is being paid by the assistant librarian posted there. Though proud at working in the house, where the “saviour of Kashmir” once lived, Hazara Ram feels sorry for his salary. “My condition has been the same for seven years. I was told my post would be regularised but nothing has been done so far. I survive on the little income from our land and help from relatives. I have got four children, including three daughters. There are expenses of education, food and their marriage in future,” he said. Sources disclosed that the Indian Army had set up the library and computer centre under Sadbhawna scheme. Youngsters initially came at the computer center, but as no diploma or certificate course was offered, they lost interest. Deputy Director, Libraries, Rajindera Singh said proper salary can be given only when the government sanctions the post. “Funds are needed for maintaining the building. We have placed orders for 400 books. We would send them soon,” he said. The library has about 1,400 books out of which 1,100 were the personal collection of the Army Officer. The government has in the past seven years provided only 300 books.
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Temple to worship ‘Dalit Goddess English’
Lucknow, October 27 The temple, a single-storey structure covered with black granite, would have an over-three-feet-tall idol of 'Dalit Goddess English’ installed on a pedestal in the shape of a computer holding a pen, a copy of the Indian Constitution and donning a gown and a hat. The temple in Banka village, whose construction began in April this year with the help of funds collected from well-wishers, was set to be inaugurated on October 25, to coincide with the birth anniversary of Lord Macaulay, whose attempts at Dalit empowerment are appreciated by the community. Due to some problems, it will now be inaugurated in November, Chandra Bhan Prasad, the brain behind the temple, said over phone. The idol has been inspired by the Statue of Liberty and the computer screen would have a dharma chakra (a Buddhist symbol)."When it was being debated as to what should be the national language of India after independence, Dr Ambedkar was the only national leader who vociferously batted for English, while all the others were against it. Today we see the imbalances caused in society because of English as those who do not know it are left behind," he said. Prasad said that the temple is being built to popularise English among Dalits, who form a sizeable number in the area, so that they can move ahead in their lives. "This temple would help encourage them to learn the language which has become essential for one's growth as in 20 years' time, no decent job would be available without its knowledge," Prasad said. "In future, the temple would become the focus of Dalits with most of their rituals like the ones relating to births and weddings revolving around it," he said. The site for the temple is the Dalit-run Nalanda Public Shiksha Niketan. The temple would be run by a trust, Prasad said. "To give a touch of modernity, the engravings of symbols and formulae of physics, chemistry, mathematics and English sayings would adorn the walls. Efforts are also being made to build the staircase of the temple in the form of a computer keyboard," he said. The locals have also composed a song which would be played everyday during prayers, Prasad said.
— PTI
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Controversy around ‘Modi’s magic’
New Delhi, October 27 Sushma had stated in Patna on Monday that “Modi's magic worked in Gujarat ... but it is not necessary that every magic works every where.” She also said, “It would be better if the old arrangement continued, alluding to the 2005 Bihar Assembly elections and the 2009 General Election, where Modi kept away from Bihar at Nitish’ instance. Supporting the Bihar Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister Sushma said, “In Bihar, the magic of Nitish Kumar and Sushil Kumar Modi works.” These remarks do not seem to have gone down well with Modi supporters in the party. Today, prominent Hindi dailies here carried an advertisement placed by the Karnataka BJP MLC Lehar Singh Siroya inviting Modi to lead the nation, perceived as a snub to Sushma who had said, “Everybody’s magic does not work everywhere.” The advertisement in Hindi was headlined, “Gujarat’s development for India’s development” and read: “Congratulations to the magical chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi for his spectacular victory in the panchayat elections. We welcome Modi for carrying unparalleled development of Gujarat and holding aloft the flag of patriotism, defying all adversities and defeating all critics.”
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AFT summons Military Secretary
Vijay Mohan/TNS
Chandigarh, October 27 The Tribunal’s bench comprising Justice Chanshyam Prashad and Lt Gen HS Panag directed the Army to consider the petitioner, Lt Col BS Goraya for promotion to the next rank and if found fit, to be promoted with all consequential benefits with effect from May 12, 2010. The bench has fixed November 12 as the next date of the hearing. The Military Secretary is among the principal staff officers to the Army Chief and is responsible for the cadre management of officers. Lt Col Goraya had alleged that he was being victimised and not being considered for promotion as he had exposed irregularities by his commanding officer during his tenure in an Army Service Corps battalion. Disposing-off an earlier petition filed by the officer against his withdrawal from the Service Selection Board for consideration for promotion, the Tribunal had directed the board held in May 2010 to consider him.
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B’desh border to be floodlit
Guwahati, October 27 “Work is on in full swing along the Tripura and Cachar sectors, which is expected to be completed within the next two years,” a senior BSF official said. He added that the erection of poles, transmission lines and setting up of flood lighting equipment was in an advanced stage in the Tripura sector. Floodlighting is expected to improve vigil along the border against infiltration, trans-border criminal activities, militant movement and the Centre had sanctioned huge amount of fund for fencing and floodlighting of the entire 4,056-km stretch of India-Bangladesh border several years ago. However, the projects could not be completed so far due to hurdles in the form of land disputes, hostile terrain etc. Floodlighting is being done in areas along those stretches of the frontier where barbed wire fencing has already been constructed completed. Around 25 per cent of the fence is yet to be constructed in Tripura and Cachar sectors, which is expected to be completed next year. In areas where there is problem of land disputes, the BSF is trying to resolve the issues through dialogue with villagers at local level. The border sentinels expect that border management would improve significantly once it becomes fully fenced and floodlit.
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Rajiv
Assassination
Chennai, October 27 Designated judge K Dakshinamoorthy said the CBI's multi-disciplinary monitoring agency, New Delhi, had filed an additional memo on August 30 stating that the agency had received information from the Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo, along with a communication from Sri Lankan authorities that the two accused were dead. It also added that the agency was satisfied about the information and prayed that the court should pass an order on the matter. The agency had also sought permission to carry on further investigation against the other suspects. The Judge observed that he was satisfied that the prosecution was able to prove that the absconding accused were no more. Therefore, the charges became “abated.” Consequently, the case against the two absconding accused were being dropped, he announced. Prabhakaran, named as prime accused and Pottu Amman as accused number two, had been charged with conspiring in assassinating in the case.
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Govt not to pursue Bhopal compensation case in US courts
New Delhi October 27 “We have taken a decision not to pursue the case as it is not in the interest of victims and not in the interest of India. We have taken a considered decision. Our courts are competent and capable of resolving...(the matter),” Law Minister M Veerappa Moily told reporters here tonight. He was responding to a question on the opinion of Attorney General GE Vahanvati that India should not become party to compensation-related cases in the United States. The decision has been taken with the advice of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the 1984 Bhopal tragedy. An estimated 15,000 persons died in the world's worst industrial disaster. Vahanvati in his opinion said since a curative petition had been filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court on the issue of compensation there was no need for becoming party in the American court. He had given this opinion when the Law Ministry had sought his view on the issue. Some American lawyers had apprised the Centre about a lawsuit in this regard and had asked it to become party in the compensation case, the sources said. The Supreme Court has already issued notices to the respondents on the petition filed by the CBI seeking to restore the stringent charge of culpable homicide, which attracts the maximum punishment of 10 years of jail term, against the accused in the gas leak case. The court will also examine the plea of the victims who have sought enhancement of compensation. The GoM, which delved into various aspects of the Bhopal gas tragedy, had sought a legal opinion on the possibility of filing cases in the US courts to enhance the $ 470 m compensation extracted from the Union Carbide in 1989. Set up to re-examine the gas tragedy, the GoM, headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram, had recommended the Central government to give an additional compensation worth Rs 1,500 crore to the victims and had sent a petition the Supreme Court for a review of its judgment that diluted charges against the perpetrators among other things.
— PTI
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Brave teenager foils robbery bid Lucknow, October 27 The incident occurred at around 2.30 am in the AC III compartment of the Chaura Chauri Express going from Gorakhpur to Varanasi. At Indara railway station falling under Belthara police station of Mau district some unidentified men boarded the train and attacked 50-year-old Ram Singh resident of Mahmurganj in Varanasi. He was working in the Kashi Gomti Joint Gramin Bank in Varanasi and was involved in the jewellery business. The 18-year-old son of the deceased, Yashal, who was traveling with his father grappled with the attackers suffering bullet injuries on his shoulder. However, the attackers were unnerved by this sudden move and left in a huff without looting anything from passengers. A briefcase being carried by the father-son duo containing 2 kg gold was also left untouched by the attackers. In confusion they even left their pistol.
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SC judge status for Shunglu
New Delhi, October 27 The order enhancing the status of Shunglu, a former Comptroller and Auditor General, was issued by the the Cabinet Secretary, which also provides for the member Shantanu Consul to enjoy the status of Secretary to the government. Consul will retire as Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, later this week and join the panel. The panel will have the authority to summon officials, inspect records, call evidence pertaining to the sporting event that came under sharp focus recently.
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Rita Bahuguna to lead Cong in ‘Mission UP 2012’
Lucknow, October 27 After much infighting and campaigning against her, Bahuguna finally emerged victorious proving her detractors wrong. Thanking party president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi for extending support to her for a second consecutive term, Bahuguna, in a statement, said she would put her energy in strengthening the state unit and organising them for winning UP Mission 2012.
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Soon every student — from primary right through to higher education level — will have a unique identification number (UID) to help the Government track performance throughout the academic life.
New Delhi, October 27
Guwahati, October 27
Hyderabad, October 27