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SRK banned from entering Wankhede for 5 years
Reconsider ban, Mamata appeals to MCA

NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday appealed to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to reconsider ban on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan from entering the Wankhede stadium for five years. Incidentally, her government has appointed the film star as the brand ambassador of West Bengal, and the Chief Minister is a self-confessed fan of Shah Rukh Khan.

The Chief Minister said Shah Rukh was there in the stadium with the kids and whatever happened there just because of some misunderstanding. 

Earlier in the day, the Mumbai Cricket Association banned Shah Rukh Khan from entering the Wankhede Stadium for five years for misbehaving with its officials and violating its rules.

The "unanimous" decision was taken at the MCA managing committee meeting called to discuss action on Khan who was involved in a skirmish with the security and officials of the association after KKR's victory over Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night.

MCA president Vilasrao Deshmukh, who chaired the meeting, said that his association was sending out a message that misbehaviour of any kind would not be tolerated.

"If rules are violated, action will be taken. It does not depend who the individual is. It's a message to everyone whosoever he or she may be that stern action will be taken if there is any misbehaviour," he told a press conference.

Khan had, however, had denied he had misbehaved and acted only after children, including his kids, were "manhandled" by the security staff.

"How can he go inside the ground without proper accreditation. Even I can't go inside the ground if not invited for presentation ceremony," he said.

"We have handed him a five-year ban and it was a unanimous decision. It applies to any match whether domestic or international at the Wankhede," he said.

Asked if BCCI can reverse this decision to ban Khan, Deshmukh said, "We have taken a decision to protect the dignity of our association. BCCI is our parent body and we have written to them informing what had happened. We have no control over BCCI's decision. We are also an independent body with the Wankhede being our property."

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, said that a final decision will be taken by the BCCI.

"State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the Board will decide (on the ban)," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Deshmukh said that many MCA officials were present at the time of the fracas and they have expressed their strong views against Khan in the meeting.

"There were a lot of MCA officials present at the time of fracas. Nothing more was needed to prove that he (Khan) misbehaved. The Assistant Commissioner of Police himself was present and he said Khan was drunk," he said.

Asked if there was still a chance of the ban being reconsidered, Deshmukh said, "There is no question of that.

Khan did not make any representation to us, nor apologise. He could also have filed a police complaint but he did not do that.

Khan on Thursday rejected allegations that he misbehaved with stadium officials and security at the Wankhede stadium and said that he deserved an apology. "They should apologise to me," Shah Rukh told reporters. He alleged that the staff at the stadium was high handed and that they misbehaved with children including little girls.

"It won't change my life if I am not allowed into the stadium," SRK said. — Agencies

IPL player arrested for molestation

New Delhi: More controversy has hit IPL season 5. IPL cricketer Luke Pomersbach, a foreign recruit of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team, has been arrested for allegedly molesting a woman from the US and allegedly beating up her boyfriend at Delhi five-star hotel, the Maurya Sheraton. The incident reportedly happened after the Delhi Daredevils-Royal Challengers Bangalore match on Thursday evening.

Police has filed a case of molestation against the player. He has been taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in Delhi for medical test. Later he will be produced in court.

Zohal Hamid, a US national, was allegedly molested by Mr Pomersbach when they were partying in her room at the hotel. A scuffle allegedly broke out after her fiance; Sahil intervened. Both foreign nationals were reportedly injured and have been admitted to the Primus hospital. 

Pawar pulls up Sangma for Prez bid

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar pulled up party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma for projecting himself as a Presidential candidate. This came a day after the BJD and AIADMK supported the candidature of the former Lok Sabha speaker.

The NCP had made it clear that the party couldn't aspire for such a big post as it didn't have the numbers.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said that the BJD and the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK would support PA Sangma. Patnaik's announcement followed his meeting with AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in Chennai. The former Lok Sabha speaker had met Jayalalithaa three days ago.

Jayalalithaa said, "Following a letter I received from PA Sangma and his recent meeting with me in Chennai on May 15, after due consideration and consultations within the AIADMK as well as consultations with Naveen Patnaik, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has decided to support the candidature of Shri PA Sangma, former Lok Sabha Speaker, for the highest office of the Republic of India."

Sangma had demanded that the President must hail from the Scheduled Tribes community. He had said that a request in this regard had also been sent to the leaders of the parties. 

Asian markets tumble on eurozone turmoil

Hong Kong: Asian markets resumed their downward trend on Friday as the eurozone debt crisis was stoked by a ratings downgrade for Greece and 16 Spanish banks, while weak US data added to the pessimism.

The BSE benchmark Sensex on Friday dipped below the 16,000 points level in early trade today by losing nearly 232 points on heavy selling by funds and retail investors, tracking weak global markets. 

The 30-share barometer, which had closed higher by 40 points in Thursday's session, tumbled by 231.97 points, or 1.44%, to 15,838.51.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty too dipped below the crucial 4,800 points level. It was trading lower by 73.80 points, or 1.51%, to 4,796.40.

The losses followed a sell-off in Europe and on Wall Street as dealers become more risk-averse, which added to pressure on the euro.

Tokyo tumbled 2.34% by the break, Hong Kong fell 2.13%, Sydney shed 1.99%, Seoul dived 2.54% and Shanghai was 0.96% off.

Moody's slashed the ratings of 16 banks in Spain by between one and three notches, citing "renewed recession (in Spain), the ongoing real-estate crisis and persistent high levels of unemployment".

It also blamed the reduced creditworthiness of the government.

Top bank Santander and number two BBVA were both hit with three-notch downgrades to A3, while two other large banks Banesto and CaixaBank, were also cut to the same level.

The move came just over a week after the government intervened to prop up the fourth largest bank Bankia by taking a 45% stake.

J'khand RS polls: CBI raids 15 MLAs' houses

New Delhi: In a major development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted fresh raids on the residences of at least 15 MLAs in connection with the corruption and horse-trading allegations that marred the March 30 Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand.

According to reports, various teams of the CBI are conducting raids at nearly 32 places. Among those whose residence have been raided are RJD MLA Sanjay Yadav and former BJP MLA Ajay Maru.

Sanjay Yadav’s residence in Godda and Banka have been raided. In the process, the central probe agency is believed to have seized several documents and crores of unaccounted money from the residences of these MLAs.

Today’s raids are part of the CBI’s ongoing probe into the horse-trading allegations that marred the March 30 Rajya Sabha elections here.

The CBI had earlier raided the residence of Congress MLA KN Tripathy to make headway in connection with the case.

CBI sealed Tripathy's residence after its sleuths searched the MLA's residence at Medininagar in Palamau district in his presence and seized a laptop and bank accounts.