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AgustaWestland Copter Mess
Copter scam set to impact Defence modernisation
Haschke ‘cleaned up’ files from his computer |
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India, US and Afghanistan to focus on post-pullout stability
Pirate attacks: CISF may guard Indian vessels
In India, one convict sentenced to death every 3 days since 2001
Govt begins process to set MCI house in order
Cong, BJP conspired to stall quota Bill, says Mayawati
Win gives AP Cong much-needed booster
Railways bans motormen from using mobiles at work
Tribune Exclusive
suryanelli case
Row over Cong MP’s comment on victim
Ex-cop held for builder’s murder
Trade unions firm on 2-day strike on February 20, 21
Jantar Mantar
GJM outlines prolonged agitation programme
1 more rhino poached in Kaziranga
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AgustaWestland Copter Mess
New Delhi, February 17 The team is being sent to probe bribery allegations in the purchase of 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of aerospace giant Finmeccanica in Italy. The Rs 3,500-crore deal was signed in February 2010. A warrant in an Italian court names European and Indian middlemen as beneficiaries of Rs 350 illegal pay-off by the AgustaWestland to secure the deal. Among those blamed are former IAF Chief SP Tyagi and his three cousins. The Indian team comprises a Joint Secretary of the MoD, an Air Commodore of the IAF, a DIG of the CBI and a law officer of the CBI. They will be accompanied by an official of the Ministry of External Affairs, tasked with local diplomatic liaisoning. They are expected to be in Italy tomorrow morning. The MoD and CBI teams have been meeting over the past two days with the probe agency getting a detailed presentation from IAF on the tendering process. Yesterday, an Italian court at Busto Arisizio had informed the Indian Embassy in Rome that it could not share the documents at this stage. The law officer of the CBI will study, at what stage, can India seek the documents. The Indian team will be looking to attend the proceedings in court. In Italy, the police and preliminary probe in handled by the Judiciary and is delinked from the Executive, said sources. India will be requesting the Italians to allow its team to speak to prosecutors who are presenting evidence in court regarding the money trail between AgustaWestland and the middlemen in India and Europe. The CBI and the MoD have no papers as all transactions have been carefully routed through front companies in Tunisia, Africa. As of now, even the Interpol has told the CBI that help can be provided only after a regular case is registered by the CBI. India does not have a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) with Italy. Under the Italian law, however, the countries not having a MLAT can use a provision to petition the Minister of Justice to seek documents. The minister, on receiving the letter can order that documents be provided, unless the documents requested “may prejudice the sovereignty, safety or other essential interests of the state; the request are expressly forbidden by the law or are contrary to the fundamental principles of the Italian legal system and the criminal proceedings may be prejudiced by discriminatory reasons”. The Minister of Justice, if he/she believes that the letter of request is enforceable, shall forward it to the Court of Appeal (in this case Busto Arsizio). The Court of Appeal shall execute the orders. India has a
bright chance as the documents do not impinge on Italian national security. Russian copters for VVIPs
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Copter scam set to impact Defence modernisation New Delhi, February 17 Besides doing business with India over the past five decades, Finmeccanica has six legal entities - in power, transportation and Defence electronics and a joint venture with Tata through AgustaWestland - registered in the country. AgustaWestland had supplied 41 Seaking helicopters to the Indian Navy four decades ago. "The biggest casualty and fallout of corruption is India's military capability… political establishment has to lift the level of debate and is unfortunately not paying enough attention to it," strategic affairs analyst Cmd (retd) Uday Bhaskar said. He said while the services are seeking modern weapons, the government has at times speeded up the process, including procuring it under direct government-to-government sales (foreign military sales) with the United States, which levies a charge for concluding the deal. Finmeccanica is eyeing both growing commercial market and requirements of the Armed Forces. And its estimates 10-billion euro market for 600 military helicopters over the next 10 to 15 years. It has pitched NH90 for Indian Navy's requirement of 16 helicopters. The deal is in final stages and is intended to replace Seaking 42 A that came with aircraft carrier INS Viraat. Competitor for the $1-billion deal is American Sikorsky. In addition, the Indian Navy is working on replacing Seaking 42 B and looking for 56 multirole helicopters. Also in the pipeline are 70 naval utility helicopters to replace the Chetak fleet and AgustaWestland is one of the leading competitors in the field of helicopters, whose elimination is bound to squeeze the field and reduce leverage for a competitively priced product. It may also affect the already delayed indigenous aircraft carrier programme since Finmeccanica is contracted to install radars on the ship now under construction at the Kochi.
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Haschke ‘cleaned up’ files from his computer New Delhi, February 17 But to Haschke's misfortune the documents were retrieved from his computer hard drive along with other papers he had hidden at his mother's home. According to reports in the Italian media, the investigators termed the information found in his computer drives as a “Pandora's box” where he has noted details of his appointments, his meetings with Indian intermediaries, in Italy and Lugano and several international transactions including that of Finmeccanica. These documents are being used by the prosecutors in the Italian court Tribunale de Busto Arsizio to build their case in fixing responsibilties of several accused including former Finmeccanica chief Giuseppe Orsi for allegedly paying Rs 360 crore in kickbacks to bag the Rs 3,600 crore deal, reports in Italian daily Republica suggested. “He thought he had deleted everything, buried every track on the big business on behalf of Finmeccanica. He had ‘cleaned up’ all his computer and he felt calm,” the daily said quoting the Italian investigators' report. It said the prosecutors in the court Busto Arsizio recovered the “computer hard drives of Haschke where the intermediary had recorded the whole story about the sale of helicopters and other business”. “Documents and files that are now on the table of the Prosecutor of Busto Arsizio, Eugenio Fusco, who is trying to rebuild any responsibilities and roles of the protagonists of this ‘affair’,” it said. The report said the “fate of Orsi is entrusted to its reading of the documents found in a suitcase that Haschke had hidden in his mother's house and found those files in his computer that he thought he had cleared and reset.” Haschke is alleged to have been appointed by former Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi, who has been arrested, for clinching the deal for AgustaWestland. — PTI drives recovered Prosecutors have recovered Haschke’s “computer hard drives where the intermediary had recorded the whole story about the sale of helicopters and other business”
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India, US and Afghanistan to focus on post-pullout stability
New Delhi, February 17 Top officials of the three countries would also discuss how they could cooperate among themselves in various developmental activities. The US has been insisting that India increase its involvement in the embattled nation after the foreign forces hand over control of the security operations to Afghan forces. The Indian side at the meeting is expected to include YK Sinha, Additional Secretary in-charge of Afghanistan in the External Affairs Ministry. The US is sending Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake for the meeting. Officials here said the meeting was significant since the US, India and Afghanistan all share a common vision for a strong, peaceful, and prosperous region and have pledged to work together on common challenges and opportunities including combating violent extremism, strengthening cultural exchanges and increasing regional trade and economic integration. They said the meeting reflected their mutual commitments to transparency and coordination as Afghanistan continued with it ongoing security, economic and political transitions. The meeting follows the inaugural trilateral consultations held at the Afghan Mission in New York on September 25 last year. This is not the only trilateral on Afghanistan in which India is involved. In fact, a trilateral meeting between Russia-India-China (RIC) on Afghanistan is also being scheduled shortly. India, being the fifth largest donor to Afghanistan, is quite concerned over the evolving situation in Afghanistan, particularly once the foreign troops withdraw from there. As many as 94 out of 102 members of the Upper House of the Afghan Parliament were in India earlier this week to hone their skills in democratic culture and institution-building. In October 2011, it had signed a strategic partnership agreement with Afghan which, among other things, training of the Afghan National Army. Meanwhile, Britain is said to be pitching for a strategic partnership agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan to the discomfiture of New Delhi. British Prime Minister had earlier this month played host to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to prepare the ground for the strategic partnership agreement. India, however, feels that Britain is looking at Afghanistan from Pakistan’s point of view without involving countries like India in it. ON AGENDA
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Pirate attacks: CISF may guard Indian vessels
However, it has been about a year since the Indian National Ship Owners’ Association (INSA) had requested the government for the armed guards on its merchant vessels for protection against pirates at mainly off the Gulf of Eden. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had assigned the task to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), but the security cover arrangement is yet to be finalised. The Ministry of Shipping recently sent an initial proposal to the MHA, requesting it to grant permission for the CISF personnel to guard the Indian merchant vessels. The MHA has replied asking for the specification of the objectives. “The Shipping Ministry needs to specify how many men they want, for how much time, the terms of conditions, the training and deputation. They would also have to decide on the rules of engagement for the CISF personnel. The Home Ministry will provide the manpower and the weapons based on their specifications,” said sources. Anil Devli, the CEO of the INSA, said it had first made its demand to the Shipping Ministry for armed guards on board its vessels about a year ago. The Shipping Ministry got in touch with the MHA. “We have had three meetings in which we discussed the operational details like where the men will board the ships and the rules of engagement. We also discussed the amount of the salaries they would be given,” he said. The CISF officers assert that the main reason for the delay in finalisation of the agreement is the rules of engagement in foreign waters have not been decided. “It has been about a year since the proposal was made and this issue is yet to be settled. The Ministries of Shipping, Law and Justice and External Affairs have to decide on this matter. We don’t want a similar incident like the Italian marines had faced,” said a CISF officer. Two Italian marines were arrested for allegedly killing two Indian fishermen off the Kollam coast in Kerela on February 15, 2012, while mistaking them as pirates. The CISF officer said the new task would benefit the force by providing varied expertise to its men. “This will create further recruitment in the force. It will increase human resources. These men who will deployed on the ships are likely to get handsome payment in dollars, which will include their salary and insurance, besides other benefits,” he added. The CISF is presently awaiting the go-ahead to start training an initial contingent of 150 to 200 of its water-front commandos. These men are posted at locations consisting of water bodies, nuclear power plants and units of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
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In India, one convict sentenced to death every 3 days since 2001
As many as 1,455 convicts were given death penalty between 2001 and 2011, says National Crime Records Bureau statistics revealing the growing preference for capital punishment with an average of 132.27 convicts condemned to execution annually since 2001. During these 11 years, the highest number of death penalties were imposed in UP (370) followed by Bihar (132), Maharashtra (125), Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (95 each), Madhya Pradesh (87), Jharkhand (81), West Bengal (79), Delhi (71) and Gujarat (57). Other states in the dubious league of convicts being sentenced to death were Rajasthan (38), Kerala (34), Odisha (33), Haryana (31), Assam (21), Jammu and Kashmir (20), Punjab (19), Chhattisgarh (18), Uttarakhand (16), Andhra Pradesh (eight), Meghalaya (six), Chandigarh and Daman and Diu (four each), Manipur and Himachal Pradesh (three each), Tripura and Pondichery (one each) and Goa (one). No capital punishment was awarded in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakswadweep. The sheer numbers indicate that the rarest of rare doctrine, which the Supreme Court laid down to prevent capital punishment from becoming a rule, is not being followed. An analysis of death penalty trends done by the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), a member of the Working Group on Human Rights for India and the UN, confirms this. “With an average one convict being awarded death penalty in less than three days, where is the application of the doctrine?” asks Suhas Chakma, coordinator, National Campaign for Abolition of Death Penalty in India and Director, ACHR. Following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, civil society has also reinforced its demand for abolition of death penalty by India and called to question the issue of discrimination in Guru’s hanging. For instance, with several death row convicts already in the queue after their mercy petitions were rejected by the President, why was Guru hanged first. “In the queue are Devender Pal Singh Bhullar of Punjab, Mahendra Das of Assam and former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s killers Murugan, Sanathan and Peraivalan. If not for political reasons, why did the government jump the queue to hang Guru first?” asks Chakma. Activists are also asking why Guru’s right to appeal was not protected. Bhullar, accused of several killings in the 1993 bomb blast on Raisina Road in Delhi, had his clemency petition rejected on May 25, 2011, and on June 24, his wife Navneet Kaur moved the Supreme Court pleading against the execution of a mentally ill person. The petition is pending. Mahendra Das of Assam who in 1996 killed a person while on bail in another murder case had his petition rejected by the President after 12 years. Das’s family moved the Guwahati HC saying the delay caused severe trauma to their kin. The appeal is pending. Similar appeals against rejection of mercy petitions of Sanathan, Murugan and Perarivalan and that of Balwant Singh Rajoana, the killer of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, are also pending. Interestingly, the ACHR analysis uses government’s data to show that scientific evidence does not support death penalty. No execution took place since Dhananjay Chatterjee’s in 2004, yet the number of murders declined. In 2001, there were 36,202 murders but in 2011 there were 34,305 despite India’s population rising from 1.02 billion to 1.21 billion. Globally, 140 nations have abolished death penalty. Capital punishment
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Govt begins process to set MCI house in order
The Ministry of Health has finalised the draft of the Indian Medical Council Amendment Bill 2013. It will, for the first time, give the government the power the remove the president and other senior functionaries of the council in cases of corruption and moral turpitude and matters where their continuation in office would harm larger public interest. The Bill is expected to be brought for passage in the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament considering that the term of Board of Governors currently managing the MCI ends on May 13. The board was brought in to replace the MCI elected body on May 13, 2010 after Ketan Desai was held on charges of graft. He was caught accepting a Rs 2 crore bribe from the management of a medical college in Punjab. The corruption forced the government to bring in a fresh structure to cleanse the MCI. The first board was installed through an ordinance which was later converted into a law and subsequently the government kept on extending the Board of Governors’ term by one year for three years. In the last session of Parliament, the government came under tremendous strain from the Opposition parties and allies alike, who questioned the continuance of the board and the government’s denial of election in the MCI. The BJP and the TMC both demanded that the MCI be restored to its original elected character. The Bill is forward looking in the sense that it contains safeguards against corruption. For one, it limits the tenure of the MCI president to four years for two consecutive terms. At present, the MCI president enjoys a tenure of five years and can be reelected any number of times. Ketan Desai held the MCI charge for close to two decades, coming to control it strongly. Secondly, the Bill provides for clauses that say the government can remove the president or office-bearers of the MCI if they are found indulging in corrupt practices or serious offences of moral turpitude. The amendment Bill, which the Cabinet will have to clear before it goes to Parliament, adds that the president and office-bearers of MCI can be removed by the Centre if they are declared insolvent, physically and mentally incapable or have been declared by a court of law as having an “unsound” mind. The government will also retain the power to remove office-bearers if any financial interests which they have acquired prejudice their functioning and if their continuation hampers overall public interest. Office-bearers found guilty of misbehaviour will also be liable to be removed. The removal of erring office-bearers will, however, happen after they have been afforded ample opportunity to explain themselves. Yet another clause in the amendment Bill mandates renewal of registration of doctors in the medical council registers every 10 years. The MCI came into existence in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act of 1954. It was amended in 1956.
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Cong, BJP conspired to stall quota Bill, says Mayawati
Congress could have also asked a competent legal counsel to defend the case of continuing the reservation quota in promotions, but it did not do so, she said. Both the Congress and the BJP conspired to deny the rights to lakhs of government employees, she alleged and asked the cadre to maintain equi-distance from both the parties. The BSP had to take the fight to streets and finally to Parliament. “Though we have succeeded partially as the Rajya Sabha has passed the Amendment Bill, but it is still pending in the Lok Sabha,” she said. She said the Supreme Court ruling has affected the reservation in promotions which the employees enjoyed since 1955. “The SC verdict has started showing its ill-effects in states like Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh where a number of SC/ST employees are being denied promotions,” she said. The former UP Chief Minister asked her party workers to ensure a big victory for the BSP in the next general elections and make her deliver her Independence Day speech as Prime Minister from the Red Fort. Mayawati said if her party comes to power at the Centre, it would provide reservation in promotions to SC/ST government employees. Opposing the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail, Mayawati said the UPA government should adopt developmental policies which would benefit the general public. She also criticised the direct cash transfer in subsidy schemes saying it would not help the poor. She also demanded stringent punishment to the persons involved in the VVIP helicopter scam. Mayawati called her party cadre to remain alert against forces that might try to corrupt them during the Assembly and the Lok Sabha elections. “Don't become a saleable commodity,” she warned. Alleging that the Central government was reluctant to release the full Indu Mills land in Mumbai for Dr B R Ambedkar's memorial, she said if BSP comes to power (at the Centre), the required 100 acres of land would be parted with. Suitable museums and memorials of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr Ambedkar would be constructed in Maharashtra, she promised. She also said they will construct a memorial of late BSP supremo Kanshiram in Punjab. She also supported creation of Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh and favoured statehood to Vidarbha. Party stalwarts Satish Mishra and state president Vilas Garud also spoke on the occasion.
— PTI Mayaspeak
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Win gives AP Cong much-needed booster Hyderabad, February 17 For Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who has been facing the flak for his alleged ineffective leadership in the face of growing dissidence and the political uncertainty over the Telangana statehood issue, the poll outcome has come as a booster dose. The Congress bagged 55 per cent of the 2,949 primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS), which went to polls in two phases, the first on January 31 and the second on February 4. There are around 1.4 crore members in PACS, a fair representation of the total number of voters who exercise their franchise in the general elections. More importantly, these polls reflect the voice of the farmers as they form the major chunk of voters. Though the elections to the co-operative societies are conducted on a non-party basis without involvement of party manifestos, flags or symbols, local politics dictate the choice of the candidates who are affiliated to one political party or the other. For the record, the parties at the state or district level play no role in the selection of candidates, who are chosen from among the members of PACS. Normally, in such elections, the ruling party has an advantage because the official machinery is at its disposal and local MLAs can bulldoze the elections on the polling day. It was alleged that the Congress had enrolled a large number of bogus members into the societies, whereas farmers, the actual members, were left out at several places. The Congress wrested the PACS in 14 of the 23 districts. The results of the PACS elections came as relief for the Chief Minister who has been facing internal trouble from his detractors in the party. Not surprisingly, Kiran sought to showcase the poll performance before the party high command during his recent visit to Delhi. His supporters point out that the Congress’ position in Andhra Pradesh was not as bad as had been projected in the media, evident from its impressive performance in Rayalaseema and Telangana regions, which are supposed to be the strongholds of the YSR Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) respectively. Cooperative societies poll
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Railways bans motormen from using mobiles at work
Mumbai, February 17 According to sources here, the decision was taken by the railway ministry in Delhi and accordingly circulars have been issued by all regional railway headquarters in the country. "A circular was issued last month banning motormen, guards, loco pilots and assistant loco pilots from using mobile phones while they are operating trains," a Western Railway official said. The decision to ban train drivers and guards from using mobile phones while running trains was taken based on recommendations of the Railway Safety Board and parliament's standing committee on railways, the official said. Preliminary investigations into a mishap in Tamil Nadu more than a year showed that the motorman may have been using his mobile phone because of which he did not see the signals and rammed his train into a goods rake. Fifteen persons died in the accident. As per the government order, train drivers are to provide details of their official and personal mobile phones, numbers and names of service providers so that the authorities could verify if the devices were used while the trains were in operation. The railways have also noted that motormen may use the official mobile phones only in emergencies like accidents or major equipment failure and also made it a requirement for them to enter the use of these phones in a log. Motormen have been provided with walkie-talkies and VHF sets to communicate with station masters. The railway unions have, however, opposed the measure. The all India Loco Running Staff Association and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen have opposed the measure saying they were not consulted before the measure was adopted. Posters opposing the move have been put up at different places by the unions. "The railways could have put up mobile jammers in drivers' cabins instead of banning mobile phones completely," N Raghav, office-bearer of the NFIR said. The unions have now officially protested the circular in messages sent to the railway board. Why the decision
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Tribune Exclusive
New Delhi, February 17 The norm for this prestigious post is that for one term, the chief will be an intelligence officer and a scientist will be his successor for the next term. Kumar spent 38 years in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external espionage agency. The names of many serving and retired Indian Police Service officers are doing the rounds for this coveted post. They include: Sanjeev Tripathi, former RAW chief, Amitabh Mathur, head of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), and four Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers — R.N. Gupta, Rajagopalan, Yashovardhan Azad (all 1976 batch officers) and S. Jayaraman (1977 batch), who were superseded by S. Asif Ibrahim. In December-end, Ibrahim became the first Muslim IB head. A.G. Apte, a scientist and number two in the NTRO, is also said to be in the race. Eyebrows though are being raised in the intelligence community the way hectic lobbying is being done in the corridors of power to install Tripathi at the top in the NTRO, which has huge funds at its disposal. Tripathi has already served a fixed two-year tenure on an executive post as RAW Secretary. So far, only seven posts come under the two-year fixed tenure category - Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, External Affairs Secretary, IB and CBI Directors and the RAW Secretary. Tripathi retired as RAW chief on December 29, 2012. For the NTRO chief's post, Tripathi faces almost no competition from incumbent IB officers who have either been 'accommodated' or are on the verge of retirement. Azad has been made Secretary (Security). Jayaram has become Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry. A section of the intelligence community is, however, wondering why Tripathi wants to head a nine-year-old spy agency (NTRO) after being the chief of the 46-year-old RAW. The position of the NTRO chief is considered to be a 'lower post' in the espionage organisations. Tripathi's critics also argue that his entry in the NTRO may attract unnecessary controversy that the organisation could The NTRO was established in 2004 after the Kargil war as the top technical intelligence-gathering agency. It is on the pattern of America's super-espionage agency, the National Security Agency. The NTRO works under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.
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suryanelli case
T N Seema, Kerala state President of the CPM's women- wing AIDWA, submitted a letter in this regard to Ansari, also the Chairman of the Upper House of Parliament, on his arrival here on a two-day visit yesterday.
“In the light of the Supreme Court judgement for re-trial in the Suryanelli case, it is a matter of concern that a person accused in a sexual assault case by the victim, is occupying the position of the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” she said in the letter. The MP contended action against Kurien was inevitable for upholding the
dignity and esteem of Parliament. In the forthcoming Parliament session, the law against sexual assault on women replacing the ordinance promulgated by the President is most likely to come up for discussions, she said. “The status of our Parliament will be irreparably damaged in the eyes of the world if such a discussion is permitted to be guided by a person who has been accused of involvement in a case of rape of a minor girl,” she said. With the Supreme Court quashing that Kerala High Court verdict of 2005 (acquitting 35 accused), the latter's ruling discharging Kurien in a related case stood on questionable ground and the complaint of the victim against him ought to be heard again, she added. Kurien has rejected demands for his resignation saying he had been cleared by the High Court and also the Supreme Court.
— PTI
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Row over Cong MP’s comment on victim
Thiruvananthapuram, February 17 K Sudhakaran’s comment during a media interaction in Muscat triggered widespread condemnation not only from the Opposition but even from women leaders of the Congress. The Lok Sabha MP from Kannur made comments against the girl and linked it with the remarks made by a former judge of the Kerala High Court, Justice R Basanth, who was part of the two-member Bench that acquitted the accused in the case in 2005. Justifying the judgment, Justice Basanth had said there was ample evidence to suggest that the victim had been used for child prostitution. Mahila Congress leader and AICC secretary Shanimol Usman demanded an apology from her party colleague for his remarks.
— PTI
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Ex-cop held for builder’s murder
Mumbai, February 17 Navi Mumbai Commissioner of Police AK Sharma told reporters that Amolik was arrested on the basis of information provided by one of the killers, Venkatesh Shettiar, who was nabbed by the public while trying to flee from the scene of crime. The police commissioner said records of phone calls indicated that Shettiar was in regular contact with Amolik. The motive for the murder was yet to be ascertained. Both Amolik and Shettiar were remanded to police custody till February 22. ACP Amolik was among the first encounter specialists of the Mumbai police who was part of the team of policemen who shot dead then notorious dacoit Manya Surve in 1982. In later years, Amolik was suspended and arrested by the police for allegedly killing a suspect in cold blood. However, he was later reinstated into the police force. He retired in 2011.
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Trade unions firm on 2-day strike on February 20, 21
New Delhi, February 17 They have given a call for a nationwide two-day strike on February 20 and 21 against the government’s economic reforms, inflation and labour rights violations. As many as 2,013 trade unions are supporting the strike - said to be one of the largest strikes in the country’s trade union movement. Given the extent of support coming from across sectors - government and private - services on several fronts like banking, transport, telecom, power, coal, education, health, etc will be hit resulting in massive loss to the country’s exchequer. The transport unions in Punjab and Haryana have also extended their support. Confirming the participation of 2,013 trade unions and 11 central unions, CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta said that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray have assured support in their states. After no consensus emerged from the meeting between Union Labour Minister and trade unions on February 13, the matter has been put up as a notice for discussion during the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament beginning February 21. “We met the Labour Minister but no settlement was reached on our 10 demands. For the first time, all the central trade unions will come together along with other organisations - both from the organised and the unorganised sector - for a two-day strike,” said former MP Sanjeeva Reddy of the Congress-backed INTUC. “We have no alternative but to go on strike as the government has constantly ignored our demands starting from containing price rise, enforcement of labour laws, abolishing the contractual system, ensuring minimum wage of Rs 10,000, assured pension for all, compulsory registration of all trade unions within 45 days etc,” said AITUC’s national secretary Amarjeet Kaur. nationwide stir
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Jantar Mantar
But it was NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's lengthy and private meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the celebrations which created the biggest buzz there. The meeting has assumed significance as it comes in the backdrop of the prevailing uncertainty over how UPA will fare in next year' s Lok Sabha elections and the increasing possibility of Modi being projected as the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in view of his growing popularity. Given Pawar's reputation as a shrewd and wily politician, it was expected that his meeting with Modi should set off speculation that the Maratha leader is keeping his future options open and that he would not be averse to doing business with the Gujarat strongman on the off-chance that he does become PM in 2014. BJP ready to put govt on mat
As the BJP gets ready to put the UPA government on the mat in the budget session of Parliament commencing on February 21, the ruling coalition's crisis managers are going all out to keep the leaders of the principal Opposition party in good
humour. Home Minister and Lok Sabha leader Sushilkumar Shinde and minister of state in the PMO V. Narayansamy especially called up Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj last week to greet her on her birthday. While Sushma chatted amiably with the Congress leaders, it is no guarantee that the BJP will respond favourably to their charm offensive. The saffron party has already declared that it will boycott Shinde in Parliament to protest his recent statement that the RSS and the BJP is running training camps for Hindu terrorists. In addition, the Opposition is waiting eagerly to corner the Congress leadership on the recent revelations on the AugustaWestland chopper deal and the raging controversy over Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien's alleged involvement in a 17-year-old rape case. Thin attendance at Cabinet meeting
Last week the Union Cabinet met a day earlier as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was occupied with French President Francois Hollande's visit on Thursday when the meeting is usually convened. Consequently, several ministers could not make it for the meeting which discussed and cleared President Pranab Mukherjee's first address to the members of the two Houses of Parliament on the opening day of the budget session.
Since the speech lays down the government's agenda, ministers usually go through it seriously to ensure that their ministry programmes find a mention in it. The ministers who missed out on this opportunity included Ajay Maken who was in Brazil on an official visit, his colleague Kishore Chandra Deo had to attend a programme in Odisha, Harish Rawat was in Guwahati, Sriprakash Jaiswal was preoccupied with a function, Selja was away to her constituency while NCP chief Sharad Pawar was also out of town. Most of the ministers said they could not wriggle out of these programmes which were fixed for a Wednesday because the Cabinet's weekly meeting is always held on Thursday.
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GJM outlines prolonged agitation programme
Kolkata, February 17 The decision of these prolonged agitation programme was announced at a public meeting in Kalimpong today by Bimal Gurung to protest against the state government’s no to the acceptance of legitimate demands of the hill people. He alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was behaving like a dictator and demanded president’s rule in the state. Gurung warned that they would not allow the CM or any other TMC leader to visit Darjeeling in future.
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1 more rhino poached in Kaziranga
Guwahati, February 17 An official source informed that the rhino was killed at Roumari camp area in Bagori range of the national park by poachers late last night. Forest personnel recovered the carcass of the beast sans the horn early this morning.
— TNS
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The joint team of the CBI and the Ministry of Defence, flying to Italy, has been tasked with a three-pronged approach: To try and get authorised copies of the documents and testimonies presented in court so far, take notes during the hearing and speak to the Italian government prosecutors handling the case.
New Delhi, February 17
New Delhi, February 17
New Delhi, February 17
Nagpur, February 17
Thiruvananthapuram, February 17
The country's who's who was in attendance at the wedding and the receptions hosted last week by Gujarat-based billionaire Gautam Adani when his son Karan tied the knot with Paridhi, daughter of Cyril Shroff, partner of India's biggest law firm.