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1996 fodder scam
Court frames charges against former Bihar CMs Lalu, Mishra

Patna: A CBI court on Thursday framed charges against former Bihar Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra and ruling JD (U) MP Jagdish Sharma in connection with the multi-crore fodder scam. Charges were also framed against former RJD MP RK Rana in connection with the case.

Designated CBI Judge V. K. Srivastava framed the charges against them in the case relating to fraudulent withdrawals of around Rs 46 lakh by officials of state animal husbandry department from Banka and Bhagalpur treasuries through fake enforced bills between 1994-96.

During the period, Prasad was the Chief Minister of Bihar.

Prasad alleged that he has been falsely implicated in the case and the "CBI had not procured gubernatorial nod for prosecution in this case".

The Central investigative agency had charge-sheeted them in this conspiracy angle case on March 3, 2003. — PTI

Non-bailable warrant against Azharuddin in cheque bounce case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against former Indian cricket captain-turned-MP Mohammed Azharuddin after he failed to appear in person before a court in a cheque bounce case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Vikrant Vaid issued the warrant against Azharuddin even as his counsel moved an exemption application on Thursday on the ground that he was busy campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

"The exemption application is dismissed," the court said while directing Azharuddin to appear in person on March 7.

Earlier, the Delhi court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him for not appearing in court on the day of the final verdict in the case, a lawyer said.

According to complainant Sanjay Solanki, he helped Azharuddin purchase property in Bandra in Mumbai for Rs.1.5 crore. As per the agreement to sell and purchase, Azhar agreed to pay double the initial amount of Rs 1.5 crore if the deal fell through due to his failure to comply with the terms.

When the deal did not mature, Azhar refused to pay double the amount, the complainant's counsel Gurvinder Singh Talwar said. Azhar issued two cheques of amount Rs 1.5 crore twice to the complainant, which were dishonoured, he said.

Azhar during the framing of charges claimed innocence and told the court that he did not know the complainant personally and met him for the first time in court.

He added that he made the payment to the person who had set the deal as the agreement, carrying the MP's Delhi address, was made by another person. "That person told me that he had paid the money to Solanki," Azhar told the court July 21, 2011. — IANS

3rd suspected terrorist detained in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI: The Jharkhand police has detained a man named Taufeek, who is suspected to be a member of terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba's North Indian module busted by the Delhi police on Wednesday. The Delhi Police Special Cell will go to Jharkhand to interrogate him. He is the third person to be detained in less than 24 hours.

The Delhi police had on Wednesday detained two suspected militants from Nizamuddin Area in the national Capital. While addressing a press conference, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the Lashkar-e-Toiba was planning to detonate a bomb in a crowded locality in New Delhi and further interrogations would reveal more about their plan. Chidambaram had said, "This module had planned a terrorist incident in Delhi. Central agencies and police have busted their plan."

There were no VVIPs on the target of the module. They wanted to detonate bombs in crowded localities, said Chidambaram. The Home Minister also complimented the Central agencies and police of three states—Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand— for busting the terror module.

Brahmaputra dries up in Arunachal

ITANAGAR: The Siang (Brahmaputra) River, originating from Tibet, was suddenly found to have almost dried up at a town in Arunachal Pradesh, a state government spokesman said.

The people of the century-old Pasighat town in East Siang district found that the water level of the river receded so much this evening that it almost dried, Tako Dabi said.

Dabi, also the Political Adviser to Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, expressed apprehension that China could have diverted the water of the river, which is known as Yarlong Tsangpo in Tibet, or there could be some artificial blockade due to which this has happened.

On June 9, 2000, the water level of Siang rose suddenly by 30 metres and inundated almost the entire township, causing widespread destruction to property besides claiming seven lives following the collapse of a hydropower dam in Tibet, said Dabi, who himself inspected the dried bed of the river.

Dabi suggested that the Centre and its agencies like the Central Water Commission should immediately conduct a study in collaboration with the state government to find the crux of the problem.

Boat hits ship, 2 fishermen killed

KOCHI: Two fishermen were killed and three others were missing after their boat hit an unidentified ship at sea 12 nautical miles off Manakkodam Light House in Alleppey district on Thursday morning.

The Kollam collector P. G. Thomas said the two deceased had been identified as Jestin from Kovil Road and Xavier of Chavara. He said the Navy, Coast Guard and marine police are conducting search operations.

Two fishermen were rescued with injuries and they have been hospitalised. The bodies of Xavier and Jestin have also been brought ashore.

Coming as it does within couple of days after the gunning down of Indian fishermen by naval marines on board an Italian oil tanker ‘Enrica Lexie’, the incident has sent shock waves among the fishing community in Kerala.