L A T E S T      N E W S

9 awarded life imprisonment in 2002 Ode riot case

ANAND (Gujarat): A special court here today awarded life imprisonment to nine persons in the 2002 Ode village riots case, where three persons of minority community were burnt alive.

Special court judge R. M. Sarin convicted the nine accused under the charges of murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy and awarded life imprisonment to them.

The court also awarded six months imprisonment to one accused who has been convicted for voluntarily causing hurt to the victims.

The court acquitted 17 persons saying that they were not involved in the case while 13 others were given benefit of doubt.

Three persons of minority community were killed in Malva Bhagol area of Ode village on March 1, 2002, as part of state-wide repercussions of Godhra train burning incident of February 27, 2002.

There were 41 accused in the case against whom the charges were framed on the complaint of one Rehana Yusufbhai Vohra but one of them had died during the trial. Those killed in the incident were Ayesha Vohra, Nuriben Vohra and Kaderbhai Vohra.

During the trial, the court had examined 67 witnesses and 98 documentary evidence were put up before the court.

This is the second case of Ode village in which court has given its verdict. In the first case, another court had sentenced 18 people to life imprisonment while awarding seven years jail to five others, in connection with massacre of 23 persons in Ode village during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

The case was probed by the Supreme Court appointed special investigation team headed by former CBI director R. K. Raghavan. — PTI

Chattisgarh CM denies secret deal with Maoists

New Delhi/Raipur: Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said there was no secret deal with Maoists in return for the release of abducted Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon and firmly opposed any swap deal to resolve a hostage crisis.

Menon meanwhile reached his Sukma home in Chattisgarh and was reunited with his family, a day after the 12-day hostage crisis ended with the release of 32-year-old IAS officer in a Maoist stronghold in Tadmetla forest area.

He reached Sukma this morning from Chintalnar in a helicopter and was accompanied by the two Maoist mediators, B. D. Sharma and Prof. G. Hargopal, who facilitated his release.

The officer headed straight to his official residence where he was welcomed by his pregnant wife Asha and other family members who performed the traditional 'aarti'.

"I am ok," a visibly tired Menon said as he shook hands with his well-wishers.

Pitching for a national policy to deal with hostage situations, a relieved Singh said, "There is no secret deal or any understanding to facilitate the release of Alex Paul Menon". "There has to be a national policy to deal with hostage crisis," he said.

"There should be no case of releasing someone in order to free a hostage. There should be a rule made in the country that no matter who has been captured, be it even CM, no one should be freed in a swap deal. There should be no exception.

I will not back away from it," Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

Singh who was earlier asked in Raipur about the bail plea filed by jailed woman Naxal Meena Chaudhary asserted that no assurance has been given other than the agreement reached with Maoists. Meena was among those whose release was demanded by the rebels for setting free Menon.

The two Maoist mediators while referring to the demand of Maoists for release of some of their jailed associates said the state government should consider specially the release of those persons against whom there were least number of cases.

Hargopal and Sharma, who were addressing a news conference in Sukma, said cases against 400-odd tribals languishing in jails in Chhattisgarh be taken up on a fast- track mode for review and a maximum of them be released. They also denied any secret deal between Maoists and the state government.— PTI

No tinted glasses in cars from today

New Delhi: The Supreme Court enforced ban on tinted glass on four-wheelers – expect factory fitted – comes into force across the country from Friday.

The Supreme Court banned the use of tinted glass, restricting visions beyond permissible limit as fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act, in vehicles.

The Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, say the glasses of windscreen and rear windows of vehicles should have a visual light transmission of 70 percent and for side windows it should be at least 50 percent.

However, as the court has only okayed car manufacturer-produced ‘tint’, all ‘ dark films’ – irrespective of visibility level - that are sold through car accessories stores have now become illegal.

However, the bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia made it clear that tinted glass can be used in vehicles of government officials for security purposes and asked the state governments to frame guidelines regarding this.

The court passed the order on a plea seeking complete ban on use of dark films on car windows, including the vehicles used by VVIPs, alleging that many crimes in cities were committed by people using such cars with tinted windows.

US slaps fine on Air India

Washington:  The US Transportation Department has slapped a fine of $80,000 on Air India for failing to post customer service, tarmac delay contingency plans on its website and adequately inform passengers about its optional fees.

This is the first penalty assessed for a violation of the Department's new airline consumer rules that took effect in last August.

"Our new airline consumer rules help ensure that passengers are fully informed about airline services and fees and what to expect if their flight is delayed on the tarmac," US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

From August 2011, foreign carriers operating to the US with at least one aircraft of 30 or more seats have been required to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays as well as customer service plans, and to post these plans on their websites.

US carriers have been covered by this requirement since April 2010, the Department of Transportation said in a statement.

Also both US carriers and foreign carriers with a website that sells tickets to US consumers have been required to include a prominent hyperlink on their homepages that takes viewers directly to a page that shows all fees for optional services the carrier charges, including baggage fees.