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Aarushi case: Rajesh Talwar to remain on bail till Feb 4

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Noida-based dentist Dr Rajesh Talwar, the main accused in the murder of his teenage daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj, would remain on bail till February 4 and face trial. On Friday, the Supreme Court had rejected a separate petition filed by the Talwars, requesting it to overrule the verdict of the Ghaziabad court that ordered the CBI to make them the main accused in the case.

The apex court refused to intervene but said that its decision did not reflect any judgement on their alleged involvement in the teen's death.

The investigation in the case was initially carried out by the Uttar Pradesh police, which had arrested Aarushi's father on May 23, 2008.

Rajesh Talwar was granted bail in 2008 after the CBI had filed a closure report on the twin murder case citing insufficient evidence. The court, however, rejected the closure report and asked them to face trial in the case.

Aarushi, 14, was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in her parents' Jalvayu Vihar apartment in Noida, May 16, 2008. Their domestic help Hemraj's body was found on the flat's terrace a day later. — ANI

Vajpayee, Modi on BJP’s list of poll campaigners

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is seriously ill for the past two years, and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who did not canvas in the Bihar polls due to objections from ally JD (U), figure on the BJP's list of election campaigners.

Vajpayee's name is the first on the list of BJP campaigners which the party is sending to the Election Commission for the mandatory approval in connection with the upcoming Assembly elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

The list also sets at rest speculation of Modi's participation in the UP election campaign. There were reports that he may keep away as his bete noire and former General Secretary (organisation) of the BJP, Sanjay Joshi is one of the party's main election in charge in UP.

Modi had stayed away from the last BJP National Executive as he was sulking over party President Nitin Gadkari's decision to bring back Sanjay Joshi into the party.

Joshi had to leave when a controversial CD had appeared.

Other prominent leaders to campaign in UP for BJP are L. K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Murli Manohar Joshi. However, they are likely to keep away from those constituencies where tainted candidates like Shakshi Maharaj, Chhatrapal Singh, Bhadshah Singh and Daddan Mishra have been fielded.

These Central leaders had objected to the induction of tainted former Minister in Mayawati government Babu Singh Kushwaha and made it clear that they would not campaign for the tainted candidates.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh and Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda will also campaign in UP, along with Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi. — PTI

Work on veiling Maya’s statues, BSP’s symbol yet to commence

LUCKNOW: Two days after the Election Commission's directive, work on covering the statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and her party symbol is yet to commence in the state capital and in Noida.

Though some statues were covered in haste by employees in Noida yesterday, the orders for the same arrived only last evening, officials said today.

"Draping of statues as directed by the Election Commission would be completed in stipulated period given by January 11 at 5 pm," said Hridesh Kumar, District Magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar.

There are around 52 elephant statues and two Mayawati statues at Noida National Dalit Prernasthal. At Gautam Budha University, too, there are 10 statues of elephants and one of Mayawati, Kumar said.

Authorities in Lucknow also said they had received the order, and draping would start from tomorrow and would be done in stipulated period given by the Commission. However, it has not begun yet.

"The work of draping statues will not be executed today and could start from tomorrow," Lucknow district magistrate and district electoral officer Anil Sagar told PTI.

He said that efforts would be made to complete the work within the deadline fixed by the EC.

Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said that orders had been given and it had to be complied by the DEO.

"January 15 deadline has been fixed. DEO can take time for logistics, but if they can do it immediately then they should proceed," Sinha said.

The statues of BSP's symbol, elephant, constructed under a fountain in Samajik Parivartan Sthal at Gomti Nagar in Lucknow were covered yesterday, though some BSP activists allegedly removed the veil within minutes.

The EC had on Saturday ordered that all statues of Mayawati and her party symbol installed at several places in UP be covered until the Assembly poll were over in the state.

Chief Election Commissioner S. Y. Quraishi had said the directive should be implemented "at the earliest" as the matter related to the model code of conduct.

The ruling BSP has termed the order as "one-sided and against natural justice". — PTI