The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Another PIL for scrapping coal block allocations
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, November 14
Another PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of all the coal blocks allotted to private companies since 1993 and a court-monitored CBI probe into the alleged scam involving over Rs 1 trillion.

The petition has been filed by former Secretaries, including Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian, and Common Cause, an NGO, alleging that the Centre had gone for “massive allocation of the scarce natural resource of coal to a few select private companies at no cost in a completely arbitrary and non-transparent manner causing a huge loss to the public exchequer running into tens of lakhs of crores of rupees.”

Among the other petitioners are former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, former Union Secretaries Ramaswamy Iyer and Sushil Tripathi and Admirals (retd) RH Tahiliani and L Ramdas, who has been the Navy Chief.

Either a court-monitored probe by the CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was necessary to “unearth the full magnitude of the coal scam which involves not only the Ministry of Coal but also the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Power and governments of various states where the coal blocks are located,” the PIL said.

On September 14, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Coal Secretary on a similar petition. The apex court has sought details on various aspects to ascertain as to whether any guidelines had been violated in the allocations.

Since 1993, through the process of screening committee, successive governments had been allocating coal blocks for captive use of the manufacturers of iron and steel, power and cement. This process was highly arbitrary and resulted in a windfall gain to private companies, the PIL said.

The Coal Ministry announced a competitive bidding policy in June 2004, but continued with the non-transparent process of the screening committee “which was marred by multiple illegalities, corruption and favouritism. The screening committee recommended the allocation of coal blocks without comparative evaluation of the inter se merits among applicants, which is apparent from the minutes of the meetings of screening committee,” the petitioners said.

Of the 250 coal blocks allotted since 2004, 101 were for steel companies, 97 for power, 10 for cement and 37 for “commercial” use. The term commercial was apparently meant to violate the statutorily mandated “captive” concept and thereby provide ample scope to private parties to sell coal for windfall profits in violation of laws, they contended.

VIP petitioners

The petitioners include former Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian, former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, former Union Secretaries Ramaswamy Iyer and Sushil Tripathi and Admirals (retd) RH Tahiliani and L Ramdas

PM’s Japan visit put off; trip to Cambodia on
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 14
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has deferred his visit to Japan beginning tomorrow due to sudden political developments in that country, it was officially announced here today.

However, Singh will go ahead with his three-day trip to Cambodia from November 18 to participate in the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.

He said the new dates for the Prime Minister’s visit to Tokyo would be decided later in consultation with the Japanese Government.

The announcement came hours after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said in Tokyo that he might dissolve the Lower House of Parliament following differences with the Opposition on various issues, including electoral reform.

Singh is expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the margins of the two summits in Cambodia. Sources said there was a possibility of the Prime Minister meeting US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

2G auction earns just over Rs 9,400 crore
Govt may approach TRAI for Spectrum repricing
Girja Shankar Kaura/TNS

New Delhi, November 14
For once the telecom operators have been able to make their viewpoint clear to the government as the 2G Spectrum auction has been able to garner just about one-third of the target of Rs 40,000 crore set by the government.

By the end of the second day of the auction, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal had few answers to offer for the failure of the auction, prompted by the cancelling of 122 licences by the apex court earlier this year.

But the auction, which was a far cry from the 35-day 3G auction carried out by the Department of Telecom (DoT) in 2010, brought out a point for the government that keeping the base price high would not fetch it the desired money.

Reports suggest that the DoT is expected to make a fresh reference to sector regulator TRAI on Spectrum pricing. The government received just over Rs 9,400 crore in the auction process that remained on for the second day as some operators who had lost licences due to the apex court order maintained interest in Bihar circle.

The auction, which lasted just two days, got total bids worth Rs 9,407.64 crore, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters at the end of bidding. The bidding for the 3G Spectrum in 2010 got the government Rs 67,719 crore.

Videocon and Idea won Spectrum in seven circles while Telenor got stake in six circles. Airtel and Vodafone won Spectrum in one circle each, industry sources said.

None of the five companies in the fray bid for pan-India rights for which the reserve price was set at Rs 14,000 crore for 5 Mhz of airwaves.

Delhi and Mumbai, which accounted for 40 per cent of the base price of Rs 14,000 crore for 5 MHz of 2G Spectrum, drew no bids at all. Bids in most of the circles were around the base price with the exception of Uttar Pradesh (East and West) besides Bihar.

Vodafone emerged as the biggest winner, getting additional Spectrum in 14 circles of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh (East), Uttar Pradesh (West), Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala, Orissa, North East, Punjab and Kerala.

Its market competitor Bharti Airtel managed to get Spectrum only in Assam circels. Idea Cellular was the second biggest winner. It got Spectrum in eight circles, including all seven circles where its licences were cancelled and an additional win in Bihar. Norway's Telenor promoted Telewings secured Spectrum in six circles. Videocon got Spectrum in Bihar, Gujarat, MP, Haryana, UP (East and West) circles.

Protest by cane farmers
Stir spreads to more areas in M’rashtra
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, November 14
The stir by Maharashtra's sugarcane farmers demanding higher prices for their crop has spread to more areas of the state’s western region.

Today, farmers came out in large numbers and fought pitched battles on the roads linking the cities of Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara to Mumbai. According to the state police control room, traffic jams have been reported on these roads. Police personnel called to control the crowds were stoned and many of them were beaten up by the farmers.

Police vehicles were also set on fire as farmers demanded that the government pay compensation to the kin of a farmer who was killed in police firing on Monday.

The farmers' stir is being spearheaded by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), a local party of farmers which has been making inroads in this area for the past many years. Member of Parliament Raju Shetti, head of the SSS who has been arrested by the police, has refused to seek bail thereby adding to the tension here.

The agitating farmers are also preventing the movement of milk trucks to Mumbai in order to create a shortage in the metropolis. The Kolhapur-Sangli-Satara belt is known for its sugar and milk co-operatives.

The sugarcane farmers are demanding that they be paid Rs 3,000 per tonne of cane as the first advance as against the Rs 2,300 per tonne being offered by the sugar co-operatives. The co-operatives which are controlled by the leaders of the ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have come in for criticism for not paying enough to the farmers for their crop.

Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal who has extended his support to the sugarcane farmers said that co-operatives controlled by the Congress and NCP politicians were exploiting farmers. "How many sugar mills in Maharashtra are owned by NCP, BJP, Congress people? Which ministers own sugar mills? That data would explain why the government is not giving better sugarcane prices and favouring sugar mill owners,” Kejriwal tweeted.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who sought to diffuse the tension by promising to look at cane pricing during the forthcoming Winter Session of the state legislature, was rebuffed by farmers. Raghunath Patil, a farmers' leader affiliated to the SSS, said they wanted immediate increase in price for cane.

The state government has further been put on the back foot with social activist Anna Hazare extending his support to the agitating farmers.

"This is a Black Diwali for farmers after the government opened fire on protesting farmers," Hazare told a news agency at his village Ralegan Siddhi. Hazare, however, appealed to farmers that they should not resort to violence and protest peacefully.

The protests have also assumed caste overtones with Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar alleging that sugar co-operatives controlled by the Maratha community were being targeted in the protests. His hint that co-operatives controlled by members of the Jain community were benefiting from the protests has drawn flak from farmers’ organisations in the state.

Don’t harass Muslims while identifying B’deshis in Bodo areas: Minority panel
Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS

Guwahati, November 14
The Muslim community in the violence-affected Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTC) has demanded an end to “harassment” of minority community people in the BTC area in the name of detection of illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Hundreds of members of the Religious Minority Council of the BTC staged a demonstration here on Monday demanding fulfilment of their charter of six demands that would be submitted to Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi.

An office-bearer of the minority council, B Ali Ahmed, said that the council has demanded that Rs 10 lakh be paid as compensation to the kin of each of the members of the community who were killed in the recent communal riot in the BTC area. The council has sought Rs 7 lakh compensation for each injured person.

The council has demanded that all the illegal migrants from Bangladesh who had sneaked into Assam after March 25, 1971 should be detected and deported without any condition according to the Assam Accord that was signed in 1985 as a culmination of Assam Agitation (1979-1985) against illegal migration from Bangladesh among the Government of India, Assam Government and the leaders of the Assam Agitation.

The council further demanded that that the 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam should be updated on the basis of 1971 voters list so that it becomes easier to detect illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The council stated that there should not be any further harassment of members of the Muslim community in BTC area in the name of detection of illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Illegal migration from Bangladesh is being blamed by various mass organisations in Assam for the changed demographic pattern in the state where the indigenous tribal communities are now suffering from an identity crisis.

Across the border

Illegal migration to Assam from Bangladesh is being blamed for the changed demographic pattern in the state where the indigenous tribal communities are now suffering from an identity crisis

This is a key reason for the prevailing tension between the Bodo tribe and Muslim community in the BTC area

Scinde Horse marks 175 yrs of existence
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
One of the Army’s most illustrious armoured regiments, Scinde Horse is commemorating 175 years of its existence. A host of events, including a ceremonial guard mounting and special sainik sammelan besides social and cultural events, are being organised at the regiment’s location in Punjab this week to mark the occasion.

The Postal Department is also releasing a special stamp and a first-day cover. Last month, the regiment was also affiliated with the INS Satpura, a Shivalik Class guided missile stealth frigate recently inducted into the Navy, to foster jointmanship and boost inter service comradeship.

The Scinde Horse traces it origins to two regiments of the Scinde Irregular Horse raised at Hyderabad in 1839 and 1846, respectively. They were absorbed into the regular forces after the mutiny of 1857 and saw active service in Northern and Central India, Persia, Afghanistan on the North West Frontier as well as the First World War, where they served in France and Palestine. The two regiments were amalgamated in 1922 and renamed as the 14th Prince of Wales's Own Scinde Horse which served in World War II as part of the 31 Armoured Division.

On May 1, 1938, Scinde Horse became the first Indian regiment to dismount from its horses and convert to tanks, the Vickers light tanks and Chevrolet Armoured Cars. The day is since observed by the Indian Army as Armour Day. The regiment is also the first armoured unit to receive the President’s Standards.

Army Regiment

Scinde Horse is one of the Army's most illustrious armoured regiments

It is commemorating 175 years of its existence

Events are being organised at the regiment's location in Punjab this week to mark the occasion

Doublespeak of BJP, RSS exposed: Cong

New Delhi, November 14
The Congress today took a dig at RSS and BJP over the flip-flops of RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy over giving clean chit to BJP President Nitin Gadkari saying it brings out the "internal fight" in both the organisations and dubbed them as "champion of double speak".

“Their internal fight is going on. Everybody knows that there is infighting both within the BJP and the RSS,” party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said when asked about the recent remarks by Gurumurthy over the Gadkari issue.

Gurumurthy, on whose analysis of the Gadkari's Purti Group account the BJP had backed its president, yesterday made a flip flop when he declined to have given him a clean chit but later retracted his remarks.

Reacting to his tweets, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh commented on Twitter: “BJP Lokpal Gurumurthy acquits, Gadkari-BJP applauds. He now withdraws his observation-Now says BJP National President should not do business. BJP silent...BJP is a champion of double speak". As Gurumurthy's remarks created a flutter, he deleted his posts on Twitter a couple of hours later.

Today, he said that he had found “no moral or legal wrongdoing” in Purti Group's funding and alleged that the media is giving the issue a political colour. AICC general secretary B K Hariprasad said the “conflicting” statements of Gurumurthy in last two days show that the BJP is in a “pathetic” condition.

“This whole episode exposes the real face and ideology of BJP. They have exposed their double standards,” be said. However, both Alvi and Hariprasad evaded questions on whether Gadkari should continue or not as BJP president. — PTI

Gurumurthy firm, says no bunglin

New Delhi, November 14
RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy, who was asked by the Sangh founthead to probe charges against BJP President Nitin Gadkari, today said he had found “no moral or legal wrongdoing” in Purti Group's funding and alleged that the media is giving the issue a political colour.

In a letter to the BJP president, Gurumurthy emphasised that he has given a clean chit to the beleagured BJP leader. He said he stood by the views he had expressed at the BJP Core Committee meeting on November 6 after which the party had expressed its full faith in Gadkari.

“I reiterate that on my investigation I have found that there is no wrong doing by you morally and legally in the Purti matter,” Gurumurthy said in his letter. — PTI

Hapless women mull selling kidneys to rescue husbands imprisoned in Dubai
Suresh Dharur/TNS

Hyderabad, November 14
Their husbands are languishing in a jail in a far-away country. They can neither reach out to them nor are they in a position to meet the expenses of legal battle in a foreign country.

Frustrated over their helpless condition, a group of six poor women from Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh have now decided to sell their kidneys to raise money to secure the release of their husbands imprisoned in Dubai in connection with a murder case.

The women mustered courage and approached the AP State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), urging it to allow them to sell their kidneys to raise enough “blood money” for the release of their jailed husbands.

Sivaratri Rajavva, S Rena, Ellavva, D Padma and Reshma, wives of S Mallesh, S Ravi, Nampelli Venkati, Laxman, S Hanumanthu and Syed Kareem, respectively, belonging to different parts of Karimnagar district arrived at the SHRC here and submitted a joint petition.

Their husbands, all construction workers, were convicted for the murder of a Nepali guard. They have been serving sentences in a Dubai jail for the past seven years. Five of them were sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment and one for 10 years. Their wives, however, believe that they were innocent but did not get legal aid.

As per the Sharia law of Dubai, the convicts could be released if the families of victims accept the compensation, known as “blood money”, and pardon them. The women petitioners said they were hopeful of ending the ordeal as the wife of the Nepali guard had agreed to condone the crime if she was paid a compensation of Rs 15 lakh.

The victim’s wife made the offer after the representatives of the Indian consulate in Dubai held negotiations with her. The petitioners said since they were not in a position to arrange such a huge amount and their requests to the state and the Central governments for help evoked no response, they be permitted to sell their kidneys.

The SHRC issued notices to the Principal Secretary to the NRI cell in the General Administration Department and the Protector of Immigrants of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and asked them to submit their reports by January 17.

Blood money

A group of six poor women from Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh approached the State Human Rights Commission, urging it to allow them to sell their kidneys to raise enough “blood money” for the release of their jailed husbands

Their husbands, all construction workers, were convicted for the murder of a Nepali guard and have been serving sentences in a Dubai jail for the past seven years

The widow of the murdered Nepali guard agreed to condone the crime if she was paid a compensation of Rs 15 lakh

Himachal politicians now woo postal voters
Army, state govt employees form a big chunk of postal ballots
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 14
One might think the Assembly elections in Himachal are over with the polling taking place on November 4, but that’s not so for the candidates in fray. They are burning the midnight oil to woo the 1.16 lakh persons entitled to cast their votes through postal ballots, including 74,000 Army personnel and 42,000 state government employees who were on poll duty.

As such, the 45-day-long gap between polling and counting of votes in Himachal is being utilised by candidates to sway the postal votes in their favour. Several candidates, including some heavyweights from both the Congress and the BJP, are desperately seeking support of these postal voters whose vote can reach by 8 am on the day of counting (December 20).

The presence of rebels from the two main political parties has made the elections very close and uncertain this time. With a majority of the 68 Assembly constituencies witnessing a keen contest, the fate of many political bigwigs could be decided with a slender margin, below 100 votes or so. So influencing postal voters could save them from defeat.

Although the last date for issuance of postal ballots was November 3, some worried candidates are even trying to get them now. “The postal ballot count has been sealed on November 3 and issuance of any ballots after that will be considered a serious violation and action will be taken as per law,” warned Narinder Chauhan, Chief Electoral Officer.

So far, the votes of about 18,000 employees, who were on poll duty on the day of polling, have been recorded in EVMs.

They cast their vote at the place where they had been assigned poll duty on the basis of election duty certificate (EDC) issued to them. Since rest of the 24,000 votes of state government employees are yet to arrive through post as postal ballots, there is ample time to sway these crucial votes.

Similarly, the 74,000 votes of Army personnel and those serving in paramilitary forces could decide the fate of many candidates. As such, candidates, especially from districts like Hamirpur, Kangra and Bilaspur, where practically every household has a member serving in the forces, are approaching every voter personally by writing to them and approaching their families.

These 74,000 voters are governed by the Indian Army Act and issued postal ballots within 48 hours of the finalisation of the list of contesting candidates. As these votes have yet to arrive through post, there is still time for candidates to woo them in their favour.

Bal Thackeray critical, Mumbai on alert
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, November 14
The condition of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray turned critical today with the octogenarian leader suffering from extreme breathlessness and lack of appetite, according to party leaders.

Thackeray who remains under treatment at his residence in suburban Mumbai has several doctors attending on him. As his condition worsened this evening, several senior specialists from Lilavati Hospital rushed to his residence.

Relatives of the Thackeray family, including his nephew Raj Thackeray, are at his bedside, party leaders said.

As news of Thackeray's deteriorating health condition filtered out, several thousand Shiv Sainiks have congregated outside his residence.

Senior police officials who have rushed the spot are monitoring the security situation. Apart from the regular police personnel, contingents of the State Reserve Police and the Rapid Action Force have been deployed.

All approach roads to the Thackeray residence from Bandra and Sion railway stations have huge police contingents, police officials said.

According to sources, a contingency plan put together in case of any untoward incident concerning the Thackeray family has been put in motion.

Disrespect to National Anthem
Kerala HC declines to interfere in proceedings against Tharoor

Kochi, November 14
The Kerala High Court today declined to interfere with the proceedings in a lower court against Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor in a case relating to alleged disrespect to the National Anthem.

Justice SS Sateeschandran passed the order while dismissing Tharoor's petition challenging the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court's order, declining his plea to issue summons to the Federal Bank manager to produce a CD recorded by the bank of the function on December 16, 2008.

"It cannot be canvassed by the accused at a pre-trial stage to seek the aid of the court to summon a document to prove his innocence," the judge said.

A case was registered against Tharoor on the basis of a private complaint by human rights activist Joy Kaitharath of Ernakulam in the ACJM court that he had committed offences under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1977, enacted to prohibit desecration or insult to the country's National Anthem.

In the complaint, it was alleged that on December 16, 2008, Tharoor had interrupted the National Anthem after a public lecture of the Federal Bank at Kochi.

The complainant said Tharoor took a microphone and directed the audience that the National Anthem is to be sung in the American way keeping the right hand on the left chest instead of the attention posture.

Tharoor had approached the magistrate court after the case was taken cognisance of by the magistrate in 2009.

Later, Tharoor sought the production of the CD recorded by the bank which was declined by the magistrate. Challenging this, he approached the high court and the proceedings in the lower court were stayed.

Consequent to the dismissal of the petition, the magistrate can proceed with further proceedings. — PTI

IAEA completes safety review in Rajasthan N-plant

Mumbai, November 14
A team of global nuclear experts led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today completed a 16-day review of the safety practices at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) units 3 and 4 in Rawatbhata.

The team, comprising experts from the IAEA, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia, "noted a series of good practices and made recommendations and suggestions to reinforce safety practices", an IAEA statement issued here said.

The operational safety review team, assembled at the request of the Government of India, was led by the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Installation Safety, and carried out an in-depth review between October 29 and November 14. The team identified several good practices at the RAPS which will be released subsequently by the IAEA for the consideration of the global nuclear industry.

It asked the authorities at the RAPS to enhance actions to maintain electrical cable conditions at a high standard, identify and correct fire-door functions and enhance certain aspects of the plant's surveillance testing programmes, among others. —IANS

Infiltration bid foiled; 3 jawans, 2 ultras killed
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 14
Three Army soldiers and two militants were killed in a gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.

Gunfight broke out in the dense Shamsabari jungle when a group of unknown number of infiltrating militants was intercepted by soldiers. Three Army soldiers and two unidentified
militants were killed in the initial engagement.

“An infiltration attempt has been foiled and two terrorists have been killed. We also lost our three boys,” Army spokesman Lt Col JS Brar told The Tribune. He said the encounter began in the morning. The exact number of the infiltrating militants could not be known because of darkness, he added.

“The search operation is on in the area but gunfight has ended,” Lt Col Brar said.

The Wednesday gunfight in the frontier Kupwara district is one of the bloodiest encounters between the two sides in recent months as the region witnesses an upsurge in militant attempts to infiltrate into this side of Kashmir before the winter sets in and snowfall blocks the infiltrating routes and key mountain passes.

Sources in the Army said the three slain soldiers belonged to 17 battalion of the Jat regiment.

Police fires at protesters, one killed
Tribune News Service

Kolkata, November 14
The police fired at a demonstrating group which killed one Ashoke Sen, a Congress supporter, on the spot and injured over 12 others at Tehatta in Nadia district today.

This is the first time during 15 months’ tenure of the Mamata Banerjee government that a person has been killed in the police firing during a demonstration by local people.

An inquiry was ordered by the Chief Minister. She regretted that the police resorted to firing on the demonstrators which was against the government policy.

It was stated officially that the locals were protesting against the decision of cancelling the permission for organising the Jagadharti Puja (another form of Durga Puja which was introduced by Lord Rama in the Ramayana) in the area by a local club.

Additional DGP S Purkayastha said the police had resorted to firing in the face of attacks by the angry mob armed with firearms, iron rods, lathis and bricks. He claimed three policemen, including the local SDPO, were injured.

The police first fired a few rounds of tear gas shells for dispersing the angry mob. When the attempt to disperse the mob failed, the police resorted to firing. During the demonstration, the police picket was attacked and three police jeeps were burnt down, Purkayastha stated.

Union Minister of State for Railways Adhir Chowdhury and Junior Minister for Urban Development Deepa Das Munshi strongly condemned the police firing. CPM secretary of the state Biman Bose also criticised the police action.

Tea planter shot dead by ultras in Assam
Tribune News Service

Guwahati, November 14
A tea planter and director of a 4-star category Dynasty hotel in Guwahati was shot dead by suspected militants belonging to the anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) at the Harisinga area under the Itakhola Police outpost in Sonitpur district bordering Arunachal Pradesh.

The incident occurred at 1.30 pm on Tuesday about 70 km away from the district headquarter town of Tezpur.

The police said Adilur Rahman (50), who owns the Mahalaxmi Tea Estate in Sonitpur district, was returning from inspection of an outer division of the tea estate when a group of armed militants ambushed his vehicle and shot him dead despite a brave fight put up by his lone security guard Motilal Tirkey.

Rahman was declared brought dead by doctors at a government hospital at Biswanath Chariali. Seriously injured Tirkey was treated at the Army base hospital in Tezpur before being referred to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital here.

The police suspected it to be the handiwork of the anti-talk faction of the NDFB active in the area bordering Arunachal Pradesh in Sonitpur district. A combing operation has been launched to track down the culprits.

Pinki plans defamation case against cops

Pinki Pramanik

Kolkata, November 14
Asian Games gold medallist athlete Pinki Pramanik, described as a male in a police charge sheet which also accused her of rape, Wednesday said she would file a defamation case against investigators and a government lawyer.

“Very soon I will slap a defamation case against the police and the additional public prosecutor for defaming me and trying to outrage my modesty,” said the 26-year-old athlete, who was formally charged Monday following a complaint from her former live-in partner that Pinki was “actually a male” who had “repeatedly raped” her.

Questioning how police got access to her medical report which was supposed to be in the custody of the court, Pinki said: “It is surprising that the police have filed the charge sheet based on the medical report.”

She also said the allegations from the complainant seemed to have been accepted in the charge sheet without verification.

“This shows the police are very biased in the case. In fact they have been biased from the very beginning. I will fight my case in the court,” said the middle distance runner.

The police document filed in the court of the chief judicial magistrate at Barasat town in North 24 Parganas district cited the opinion of a seven-member medical board constituted to confirm the athlete's gender in June.

Pinki is now on bail.

Additional Public Prosecutor Santomoy Bose said after the hearing: “I have seen the report...from the doctors' opinion it can be concluded that Pinki is a male.”

The charge sheet also accused Pinki of torture, cheating, co-habiting with the promise of marriage and threat to the complainant not to disclose their relationship.

The athlete was arrested June 14 and remanded in judicial custody the next day after the her live-in partner, a divorcee and a mother of one, filed a police complaint.

Pinki, who retired from athletics three years ago, won gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar's capital Doha. Pinki was a silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year. — IANS

Duped investors line up to claim Rs 70 cr seized from fraudsters
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, November 14
Investors duped by a con couple, who were arrested by the Delhi Police last week, have come together online to stake claim to properties and cash worth Rs 70 crore seized from the duo.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police had arrested Ulhas Prabhakar Khaire and Raksha J Urs who ran the Stock Guru multi-level marketing scam which promised extraordinarily high returns to stock market investors. The duo operated the racket under the names Lokeshwar Dev Jain and Priyanka Saraswat Dev and organised conferences in five-star hotels to lure investors into parting with their money.

According to estimates put out by www.stockguruvictims.com, an online forum of those who lost their money to the duo, more than 2 lakh investors have parted with more than Rs 1,100 crore over the past three years. The website, reportedly run by some victims of the scam from Delhi, is collecting information from the victims of the scam so that they can be compensated from the Rs 70 crore in cash and properties recovered from the couple.

Reports quoting police officials from Delhi have pegged the total value of the scam to Rs 500 crore. Around 11 properties owned by the couple in different parts of the country have been identified by the police.

Though the couple went absconding more than a year ago, investors who lost money to them have been pursuing the case online with several videos of the couple going viral on websites like YouTube and Facebook.

Man held for taking PC’s pictures

Chennai, November 14
A 34-year-old man has been taken into custody for questioning after he was seen taking pictures of Finance Minister P Chidambaram at the airport here, airport sources said today.

They said Amir was seen taking pictures of the minister, who left for New Delhi yesterday, using his camera. Amir had confirmed first-class tickets to Delhi and from there to Dubai. Initial probe revealed that Amir was one among the two persons, detained last month by CISF personnel for reportedly giving contradicting replies at the airport.

Earlier, Amir along with Mansoor, hailing from Kerala, were detained after they wanted to get off the Dreamliner aircraft ahead of its flight to Delhi. The duo reportedly gave contradictory replies when CISF sought an explanation for cancelling their journey at the last minute. — PTI

Five killed in road accident

Raisen (MP), November 14
Five persons were killed on the spot and one seriously injured in a collision this evening, between a Bolero jeep and a truck at Sumer Bridge near Begumganj, about 80 kms from here.

The police said that the Bolero was coming from Hura village of Rahatgarh tahsil of Sagar district towards Begumganj, when the accident took place.

All five victims and the injured person were in the Bolero jeep, the police said, adding that the truck was going to Sagar from Bhopal at the time of the mishap.— PTI