Kasab should be hanged: Rehman Malik

Islamabad: Ajmal Kasab is a terrorist and should be hanged, said Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik today.

"Kasab is a terrorist. He is a non-state actor. He should go to the gallows," Malik told Indian journalists in Maldives where India and Pakistan have sent delegations headed by their Prime Ministers to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit.

Kasab was the only terrorist caught alive during the 26/11 attacks in which 10 young men from Pakistan sailed into Mumbai and unleashed an unprecedented terror attack. 166 people were killed, so were nine of the terrorists. Kasab has been sentenced to death by the Bombay High Court; he has appealed against this in the Supreme Court in Delhi.

India has said that Pakistan must take effective action against people like Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi, a senior commander of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who it holds responsible for helping to plan and execute the 26/11 attacks. Mr Lakhvi and six others allegedly involved with 26/11 are in a jail in Rawalpindi. India has expressed its frustration with the slow pace of their trial.

That could change, Mr Malik said today, with a visit to India by a judicial commission from Pakistan. In the past, Pakistan has said it would like access to Mr Kasab to cross-question him about 26/11. The Interior Minister said future developments will depend on whether the commission finds "credible evidence" against those on trial in Pakistan. He said ideally, the commission should be allowed to visit India for three or four days "as long as "you can accept them as guest." — PTI

Bhanwari Devi case: CBI grills former Rajasthan Minister

Jodhpur, November 10
Suspecting that the missing nurse Bhanwari Devi might have been killed, CBI today grilled sacked Rajasthan Minister Mahipal Maderna here on his alleged links with her and another suspect Sahiram Bishnoi.

The questioning of Maderna, who was removed from Cabinet by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on October 16 after his name cropped up in the case, came as the CBI prepared to submit tomorrow the status report on the probe to the Rajasthan High Court on a habeas corpus petition.

In the plea, Bhanwari's husband Amarchand had alleged that she was abducted at the behest of Maderna who had denied the charge.

Accompanied by his supporters, Maderna reached the CBI office where his questioning continued during the day, CBI sources said.

The call records of cell phones used by Bhanwari Devi's kidnappers indicate that suspect Sahiram was in touch with Maderana until the day she was kidnapped from Jodhpur's Bilara area on September 1, the sources said. The agency suspects that she was abducted and murdered and her body burnt.

CBI's questioning of the former Water Resources Minister revolved around his call records, details of his meetings with Bhanwari Devi, Sahiram and other suspects besides some recent recoveries made by the agency in the case, they said.

The Rajasthan High Court, which is hearing habeas corpus petition filed by Amarchand, had asked the CBI to submit on November 11 the progress report of its probe in the case.

The court had also slammed the government for its "escapism" in dealing with the case.

Bhanwari, 33, was posted as auxiliary nurse midwife at a sub-centre in Jaliwada village, around 120 km from Jodhpur district. — PTI

ED issues summons to Jaganmohan Reddy

Hyderabad, November 10
Widening its probe into the finances of YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to him in connection with the money laundering case against the MP.

The ED has asked Jaganmohan, son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, to send an authorised person who has his power of attorney to submit documents and answer questions on his behalf at its headquarters in Delhi on or before November 28.

The ED has registered a case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against him and is also probing alleged contravention of foreign exchange rules in his financial transactions and investments, sources said.

The ED action comes days after the CBI had searched various premises belonging to him.

The CBI, which has also registered a case against him, had called him recently for questioning in connection with the alleged multi-crore iron ore mining scam.

The agency is said to be probing alleged nexus between Jaganmohan and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy who owns Obulapuram Mining Company.

The case was registered after ED conducted a probe to trail the funds pumped by the Kadapa MP and his associates into the companies owned by them. — PTI

Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrated with fervour

Chandigarh, November 10
Devotees today thronged gurudwaras across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh where Guru Nanak Jayanti was celebrated with traditional gaiety and religious fervour.

Chanting religious hymns, devotees took holy dip in ponds of the Sikh shrines.

People in Amritsar made a beeline outside the famous Golden Temple, which was tastefully decorated on the occasion.

A large number of devotees took a holy dip in the Sarovar and Kali Bein near Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Punjab's Kapurthala district, where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, had spent many years of his early life.

Guru Nanak Dev was born at Nankana Sahab near Lahore in Pakistan in 1469. A large number of Sikhs from Punjab and other places have gone to the neighbouring country to join the celebrations at Nankana Sahab.

Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda have extended their greetings to the people on the occasion. —PTI