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BCCI panel to probe Meiyappan, three cricketers
Another IPL match under scanner
Judicial remand for Sreesanth, 3 others
Cricketer S Sreesanth being produced in a Saket court in the IPL spot-fixing case in New Delhi on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph |
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Vindoo’s police custody extended
Naval war room leak case: UK orders Shankaran’s extradition
Maoist Attack
NIA team visits site of Maoist attack
Dewan case: Effectively implement parents protection Act, says HC
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu pays tribute to party founder NT Rama Rao at Gandipet on Monday. — PTI
Indian warships on way to disputed South China Sea
2G: Tatas lost race, ineligible Swan got spectrum, says Radia
Mamata dares Centre to invoke Article 356
Punjab Cabinet approves online lottery
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BCCI panel to probe Meiyappan, three cricketers
New Delhi, May 28 Justice T Jayaram Chouta, former judge of the Karnataka and Madras high courts, Justice R Balasubramanian, former judge of the Madras High Court, and BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale, will also look into the allegations against three players of the Rajasthan Royals team and its franchise as well as the Chennai Super Kings, of which Meiyappan was the Team Principal. "The IPL Governing Council today appointed a three-member Commission with two independent members to inquire into the complaints of the BCCI against the following persons/entities - Gurunath Meiyappan; India Cements Ltd, the owner of the Chennai Super Kings franchise; Jaipur IPL Pvt Ltd, the owner of Rajasthan Royals franchise," Jagdale said in a statement. BCCI sources said two judges were included after IPL chairman and board vice-president Arun Jaitley declined to be part of the probe commission in order to ensure that there was no question mark on the fairness of the probe. Shukla and Jaitley are believed to have suggested that instead of one retired judge there could be two judges for a fair probe. The sources claimed that on the day of the IPL final in Kolkata it was suggested to Srinivasan by Shukla and Jaitley that he step down from the post but he curtly turned it down saying stepping down was not in his nature. The BCCI release said the commission would initiate the adjudication proceedings shortly. Srinivasan, who has rejected calls for his resignation in the wake of Meiyappan's arrest, had announced on Sunday that an inquiry would be constituted to probe the charges against his son-in-law. He had also said the same procedures would apply in the case of Rajasthan Royals players S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan who have been arrested on charges of spot-fixing in the IPL. — PTI
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Another IPL match under scanner
New Delhi, May 28 The fresh developments came after investigators learnt that Bhupender Nagar, a security manager of a night club in Nehru Place area, and his friend Vicky, a bouncer at a night club in Hotel Park, had facilitated meetings between Chandila and two bookies. At a meeting in Jaipur, “The bookies had asked Chandila who would win the match between KKR and RC on May 12. He predicted KKR to win and the team actually won,” said a source in Delhi Police’s Special Cell, which is investigating the spot-fixing case. The police, however, does not have evidence to come to the conclusion that the match was fixed. Chandila’s prediction has raised suspicion over the match, which is likely to be examined by the investigators. They are ascertaining if other players are involved in the spot-fixing case.
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Judicial remand for Sreesanth, 3 others
New Delhi, May 28 Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma turned down the plea of the Special Cell of Delhi Police for Sreesanth’s custody saying he could not be held liable for what had happened behind his back. “Admittedly, Sreesanth cannot be held liable for instances at his back. I am of the considered opinion that it would amount to injustice to the accused,” the court said on the police argument that his hotel room was cleaned up and some articles were removed immediately after his arrest. The court also pulled up the investigators for not showing any fresh ground to take Sreesanth’s custody, saying as to why he should be handed to “your hospitality” for two days. “How will you (investigators) establish that the removed articles belong to Sreesanth as anyone can plant these to falsely implicate him,” the court said. The court also dismissed Rajasthan Royals player Ankeet Chavan’s bail plea. Sreesanth’s bail plea will be heard on June 4. It further remanded Chandila and two bookies Ashwani Aggarwal and Chandresh Patel in judicial custody after the police said they were no more required for custodial interrogation. Senior public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan informed the court that interception of various calls suggested that several big names might be involved in the episode as calls were made to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. The police said there were some missing links and they were working on these. While seeking Sreesanth’s custody, the prosecutor told the court that Abhishek Shukla had joined investigation and that he had allegedly cleaned the cricketer’s hotel room immediately after his arrest. The court also directed the Tihar Jail authorities to produce accused Ashwini before a Mumbai court, which had issued a production warrant against him. It also said he should be brought back before June 4. Bookies Bhupender Nagar, Sayed Durez Ahmed and Sunil Saxena are in police custody till May 30. — PTI
Chennai hotelier summoned
* The Crime Branch-CID of the Tamil Nadu police has issued summons for May 30 to Chennai hotelier Vikram Aggarwal *
He will be interrogated for his possible role in the IPL betting racket * DSP Rajasrinivasan has dismissed reports that the hotelier has been picked up by them for interrogation, as claimed by Aggarwal’s lawyer *
The Mumbai police says it will also issue summons to Aggarwal, owner of Radisson Blu hotel in Chennai
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Vindoo’s police custody extended
Mumbai, May 28 Public prosecutor Kiran Bendbar told the court that Vindoo played a major role in getting Rauf leave the country shortly after the spot-fixing scandal broke. The court also extended the custody of hawala operator Alpesh Patel and Prem Taneja. — TNS
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Naval war room leak case: UK orders Shankaran’s extradition London/New Delhi, May 28 "On May 22, the Secretary of State, having carefully considered all relevant matters, signed an order for Ravi Shankaran's extradition to India. Mr Shankaran is accused of industrial espionage under the Indian Official Secrets Act," a Home Office spokesperson told PTI in London today. UK Home Secretary Theresa May issued the orders for his extradition to India and facing trial, but gave Shankaran, a close relative of former Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, 14 days time to file an appeal in the case, CBI said in New Delhi. Shankaran's defence team told the court that he intends to appeal against the order. Unless an appeal is filed within the time-frame, the authorities will proceed with extradition procedures immediately. At a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on March 27, District Judge Nicholas Evans had said in his ruling that "a case to answer has been made out" against the accused, clearing the way for the Home Secretary to take the final call. The CBI, while pressing for his extradition, had assured the Westminster Magistrates Court in Britain that his bail will not be opposed once he is brought back to face trial.aShankaran had listed denial of bail in India among the reasons for opposing his extradition to this country, sources said. The CBI plans to send a team to the UK to bring him back once all legal formalities of that country are completed. — PTI Key accused *
Ravi Shankaran is one of the key accused in the case of leaking classified information from the War Room to arms dealers *
The retired Naval Commander has been absconding since the case was registered by the CBI in March 2006 *
The 49-year-old, a close relative of former Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, was first located in UK in 2007 and an extradition request was sent *
However, he fled from London to other parts of Europe before he ran out of luck in 2010 when he was arrested by Scotland Yard
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Bastar dist SP suspended; IG, Collector shifted
Raipur, May 28 SP Mayank Shrivastava has been suspended while IG Himangshu Gupta was shifted to police headquarters. Bastar Collector P Anabalagan has been shifted to the state secretariat. Shrivastava has been attached to the DGP office till further orders and Gupta will now serve as IG, Crime Investigation Department (CID). Anabalagan will be posted as a Deputy Secretary in the secretariat. Ajay Yadav will be new SP of Bastar district, Arun Deo Gautam IG, Bastar range and Ankit Anand the Collector. LS Ken will replace Ankit Anand as new Jashpur collector. It has also been decided by the government that Director General of Police Ramniwas will now look after the VIP security himself, assisted by an IG and a DIG. — PTI
Shukla critical but stable
Gurgaon: Veteran Congress leader VC Shukla, who received bullet injuries in Saturday's Maoist attack, has shown "slight improvement" even as he remained in a "very critical but stable" condition. Dr Naresh Trehan, the Chairman of Medanta Hospital, however, said it was "too early to say" that 84-year-old Shukla was out of danger.
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NIA team visits site of Maoist attack
Raipur, May 28 "The six-member NIA team visited the Jiram valley (located around 400 kms from state capital Raipur) in Darbha region of Bastar, where the attack was executed," a police official said. "The security has already been stepped up in the region after the attack," the official added. The team was accompanied with the technical staff of SPG, senior officials of the CRPF, besides forensic experts. The NIA team inspected the attack site for nearly two hours during which they collected blank cartridges and other material as evidence, the official said. — PTI
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Dewan case: Effectively implement parents protection Act, says HC
Chandigarh, May 28 The assertion came after the Dewans’ counsel argued that the welfare of senior citizens remained a neglected affair. Though emphasis was being laid on child and women rights, there was no mechanism to ensure the welfare of the elderly. Even a complaints’ authority had not been set up for the redressal of their grievances. Justice Dewan and his wife had raised the issue of special cells for the aged and the infirm left to fend for themselves in the twilight of their life by their progeny, after alleging harassment at the hands of their son. Seeking protection from their own son Suvir Dewan, they had also sought directions to the UT Administration and other respondents to ensure his shifting from their Sector 11 house to his own residence in Panchkula. As the case came up for resumed hearing before the Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, the Dewans’ counsel furnished a list of four former judges and a senior advocate, who could act as mediators. The list mentioned the names of Supreme Court’s former judges Justice Kuldip Singh and Justice HS Bedi, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice SS Sodhi, former Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, and senior advocate ML Sarin. Suvir’s counsel also submitted a list, which included the names of two sitting judges. Rejecting his list, the Bench indicated that sitting judges could not act as mediators. Seeking a fresh list, the Bench reiterated the need to solve the issue amicably through a mediator. The case will now come up for hearing on Thursday. Before parting with the case, the Bench asked the Chandigarh Administration to come up with its response on the issue of effectively implementing the Protection Act. Taking up former Chief Justice Dewan’s appeal, the Bench, on the previous date of hearing, had asked both the father and the son to supply a list of respectable and others, who could bring about a family settlement.
Court favours mediation
* Punjab and Haryana High Court ex-Chief Justice Shanti Sarup Dewan, 85, and his wife Romilla, 75, moved the HC against their son Suvir, alleging that he "has been ill-treating them in their own house” *
They sought the ouster of the son from their house in Sector 11 * The Dewans’ counsel furnished a list of four former judges and a senior advocate to act as mediators *
Suvir’s counsel also submitted a list, but the Bench rejected it, indicating that sitting judges could not act as mediators *
Seeking a fresh list, the Bench reiterated the need to solve the issue amicably through a mediator
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BJP expels Jethmalani
New Delhi, May 28 BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar’s letter to Jethmalani said the party’s parliamentary board had taken a unanimous decision on Monday to expel him from membership of the party. “The central parliamentary board after considering all your replies, responses and letters was of the unanimous opinion that you have indulged in a breach of discipline. The parliamentary board, therefore, has decided to expel you for a period of six years from the primary membership of the party,” it stated. Many are seeing the suspension as a “message” to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, whom Jethmalani has been supporting as “impeccably secular, honest and fully qualified” to become the Prime Minister of the country. “Modi is honest, possesses administrative ability and is fully qualified to become the Prime Minister. He is BJP’s best bet for the top post,” he had recently said. Jethmalani was suspended in November last year after he attacked the party over certain issues. In particular, he was extremely critical of Gadkari continuing as party president despite allegations of corruption. The BJP suspended Jethmalani and issued him the show-cause notice asking why he should not be expelled. Later, other BJP leaders also spoke up against Gadkari, resulting in him losing the chance to be made president of the party for the second term.
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Kin battle over NTR’s political legacy
Hyderabad, May 28 NTR, as he was popularly known, had founded the Telugu Desam Party in 1982 and went on to sweep the Assembly elections in 1983, ending the Congress’ monopoly in the state. The party is now headed by his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu who took over the reins after dethroning his father-in-law in a midnight political coup in August, 1995. Since then, the first family of the TDP has been witnessing periodic bouts of turbulence. The simmering differences came to the fore once again on his birth anniversary today. NTR’s grandson and film star Junior NTR took a dig at the TDP leadership for not inviting him to the party’s two-day annual convention, Mahanadu, which began here yesterday. Adding to the bitterness, Junior NTR’s actor-father and a senior TDP leader N Harikrishna spoke about the “injustice” being meted out to his family. “This is not the occasion to talk politics. I will speak about the injustice at an appropriate time,” Harikrishna said after paying tributes to his late father on his 90th birth anniversary at NTR Ghat here. The outburst came against the backdrop of a well-choreographed attempt by Naidu to groom his industrialist-son N Lokesh as his successor. Harikrishna, who is Naidu’s brother-in-law, is peeved at the move to anoint Lokesh as the heir to the party’s throne. A section of the NTR family and TDP leaders have been rooting for Junior NTR to take over the reins to revive the party which lost power in 2004.
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Indian warships on way to disputed South China Sea
New Delhi, May 28 The US Energy Administration estimates that 11 billion barrels (bbl) of oil reserves and 190 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas reserves lie buried under the South China Sea-bed. The US Geological Survey (USGS) in 2010 did a 'world petroleum resources assessment' and arrived at as-yet undiscovered estimates of an additional 5-to-22 billion barrels of oil and between 70-to-290 Tcf of gas to be under the South China Sea. India has interest in two oil blocks off the coast off Vietnam. Sources today confirmed that the four-ship flotilla led by Stealth Frigate INS Satpura left the Indian shores on May 20. The other ships are: Rajput class destroyer INS Ranvijay, a Kora class Corvette INS Kirch and fleet tanker INS Shakti — last one carrying supplies. This is part of the operational overseas deployment. At present the ships are conducting an exercise with the Singapore Navy just south-east of the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest shipping choke points in the world. In the next few days the ships will start their journey. The first port of call will be Kelang in Malaysia, followed by De Nang in Vietnam and Manila in the Philippines. Separately, the US also has a naval base at Subic Bay, near Manila. This is second year running that four ships have gone to the east on such deployment. In August 2011, the Chinese Navy is believed to have asked Indian warship, the INS Airavaat, on patrol in South China Sea, that these were disputed waters. The Indian warship had continued on its course. On May 20 when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in New Delhi they described as the Asia-Pacific-South Chain Sea is part of it in the joint statement. It said: "(Asia-Pacific) plays an increasingly important role in global affairs. The current priority is to maintain peace and stability, to establish an open, transparent, equal and inclusive framework of security and cooperation based on the observance of the basic principles of international law". India has also maintained that the dispute of over lapping claims be resolved as per UN mandate while the Chinese have been making claims which were frightening for other claimants. The mention of "observance of the basic principles of international law" in the joint statement indicated a small shift.
Naval patrol
* The four-ship flotilla led by Stealth Frigate INS Satpura left the Indian shores on May 20 *
The other ships are Rajput class destroyer INS Ranvijay, Kora class Corvette INS Kirch and fleet tanker INS Shakti *
At present, the ships are conducting an exercise with the Singapore Navy just south-east of the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest shipping choke points in the world
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2G: Tatas lost race, ineligible Swan got spectrum, says Radia
New Delhi, May 28 Radia, who appeared for the first time in the court in the case as a CBI witness, said she was advising the Tatas on telecom issues and the Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL) had opposed the allocation of spectrum to Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) and Reliance Communications Ltd. She said TTSL had applied for dual technology licences in 2007 which was granted in 2008 but it did not get the spectrum. The CBI, in its charge sheet, had alleged that Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL), an accused in the case, used Swan Telecom, an ineligible firm, as its front company to get licences and the costly radio waves. “During the time of grant of licence and spectrum, there was a very strong public perception, created by the media, of eligibility and non-eligibility. Through the public perception and advice of Tata’s advocates, I came to know that this company was not eligible,” Radia told Special CBI Judge OP Saini. — PTI
Radia warned for evading questions
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Mamata dares Centre to invoke Article 356
Kolkata, May 28 The Chief Minister accused the Manmohan Singh government of treating the state like a colony ever since the withdrawal of support by the party from the UPA government. The state had been denied its legitimate claim,
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Punjab Cabinet approves online lottery
Chandigarh, May 28 The online lottery system was initiated in the state in 2002 but was discontinued after a few years. Now it is set to start again with a few cosmetic changes. Sources said under the new system, the results would be released in four digits. While three digits would be the same, the final digit would count when prizes were given, they said. This is the same as the single-digit lottery system, which has been criticised and even banned in some states for ruining thousands of people, said Lokesh Arora, a lottery agent of Rajpura who at one time operated 108 computers to run online lotteries. An official release said the Cabinet had approved the online lottery system to increase the revenue of the state. It said the system would be organised, conducted, operated and regulated under the provisions of the Lottery Regulation Act, 1998 and the Punjab State Lotteries Rules, 1998. The new system is envisaged to offer lottery games played through a network of computer terminals as approved by the government. The terminals will be installed at retail locations and will be connected to a data hub at a central headquarter. For this purpose, the government will appoint a distributor to design, procure, install, operate and maintain the system. The selection of the distributor will be done through tenders and a monitoring committee. Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa said the online lottery system had been banned during the Congress regime in the state considering its social implications. He said past experience had proven that retailers approved by the state government for online lottery ran parallel “satta” centres. He claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was promoting gambling and trying to bring casino culture to the state by earmarking a piece of land near Ludhiana.
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SRK undergoes shoulder surgery
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The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) today constituted a three-man inquiry commission to go into allegations against board president N Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan who has been arrested on charges of betting on IPL matches.
A local court today remanded arrested cricketers S Sreesanth and Ajit Chandila besides two bookies in judicial custody till June 4 after rejecting the investigators’ plea for two more days of custodial interrogation of the Indian pacer in connection with the IPL spot-fixing case.
Mumbai, May 28
Niira Radia (pic) was warned by a Delhi court for "evading" questions relating to the 2G spectrum allocation case in which she is considered as a "sensitive" and "important" witness. "You are a very sensitive witness. Be brief and be specific in your answers," Special CBI Judge O P Saini told her when she was not giving direct answers and was speaking in an inaudible manner.
