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Court verdict likely today
All PMs, coal ministers since 1993 should face CBI: Tewari
49 infants die in Kolkata hospital in seven days
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Babus can go abroad for treatment; govt to foot bill
SC: Husband’s affair no reason for wife’s suicide
IPL spot-fixing: Chandila, two others granted bail
Stay united ahead of polls, RSS tells BJP
UPA launches portal to highlight schemes
Defamation case against TMC gen secy Mukul Roy
Walmart upbeat about growing wholesale business in India
PCI team to assess journalists’ safety in Assam
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Court verdict likely today
New Delhi, September 9 The verdict in the incident, which had evoked nationwide outrage and consequent amendments to the anti-rape laws, follows a trial which was concluded in 130 hearings and was extensively covered by the media. The decision comes nearly 10 days after the juvenile accomplice was sentenced to three-year term at a detention centre after being held guilty by the Juvenile Justice Board of gang rape and murder of the paramedic and robbing a carpenter before the incident of gang rape in the same bus. The trial in the robbery case against the four is progressing in another court. While the victim’s male friend did not attend to repeated phone calls, his counsel D K Mishra said, “He wants to move ahead in life.” The victim’s parents, who were not satisfied with the sentence given to the juvenile, say “nothing less than death to the four adult accused can do justice to their deceased daughter.” The paramedic’s brother, however, accepts that law provides not more than three years’ punishment to a juvenile but adds that the four co-accused should get death as all the evidence against them were put extensively before the court. Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna had on September 3 reserved his order for tomorrow after the prosecution and the accused concluded their arguments. During the trial, accused Mukesh admitted his presence in the bus, three accused -- Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta -- denied the charges levelled against them, while prime accused and bus driver Ram Singh was found dead in his cell in Tihar jail on March 11, merely over a month since the beginning of the proceedings. Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan had, however, junked accused claims and pressed the prosecution version that the accused were on the road on December 16 night in pursuance of a plan and targeted the victims, including the girl, in their “quest for sexual satisfaction and loot”, committing a crime which was “grotesque to say the least”. Terming the case different from other criminal cases, Krishnan had said that the grievous injuries inflicted on the victim themselves explain the “brutality” and extreme torture. According to the prosecution’s theory, Ram Singh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan, Mukesh and the juvenile had allegedly gangraped the girl in a bus after luring her and her 28-year-old male friend, who was also assaulted, on board the vehicle, which was later found to be plying illegally on Delhi roads. The victim’s friend, a software engineer, had fractured his limbs in the incident. The girl succumbed to her injuries on December 29, 2012 at a Singapore hospital. Except Akshay, who was arrested from Aurangabad in Bihar on December 21, rest four accused were arrested within 24 hours of the incident. Ram Singh was arrested the morning after the incident.
— PTI Four adults were tried
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All PMs, coal ministers since 1993 should face CBI: Tewari
New Delhi, September 9 Answering specific questions at the launch of the Bharat Nirman Campaign portal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said attempts were being made to politicise the “court-monitored investigations” and all the predecessors and minister holding the coal portfolio since 1993 should also face the central investigating agency. He asserted that the Prime Minister had an impeccable track record in the government and there has never been a question with regard to his integrity. To a specific question asked about the remarks of Union Minister Kamal Nath that the PM would make himself available to the CBI in the Coalgate investigation if a formal request is made, Tiwari said: “If at all, this is being speculated, I would request to keep this in mind that this should be a principle which should apply across the board,” and to all political parties. He pointed out that the coal allocation scam, as being investigated by the CBI, covers the entire period from 1993 to 2009 and during this period various other ministers, former PMs and leaders of other political parties have also held charge of the coal ministry. He said the PM has extensively spoken inside and outside Parliament with regard to the government’s transparency on the entire issue of coal block allocation scam as brought out by country’s highest audit body Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which said that the national exchequer faced a loss of Rs 1.86 laklh crore due to the faulty allocation of mines. Tewari’s statement came two days after BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley accused the government of trying to sabotage the investigation into the missing coal block allocation files and sought to know why the Prime Minister is not being questioned and an FIR lodged on the “stolen” files.
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49 infants die in Kolkata hospital in seven days
Kolkata, September 9 "Forty-nine child patients have died in our hospital in the last seven days, and almost all of them were brought in a critical condition," hospital sources said. They said there were seven deaths in last 24 hours. The sources, however, denied allegations of any medical negligence on the part of doctors and nursing staff. Quoting reports submitted by a three-member probe committee set up by the State health department, Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya said no medical negligence by the hospital authority had been found. "During this season, children suffer a lot and most of the time they are brought in a critical state at this only referral hospital for children. Situation is nothing abnormal," Bhattacharya said after her meeting with the hospital authority. “Despite this, we have strengthened our medical team, nursing staff and infrastructure in the hospital to reduce the number of mortalities," she said. Chairman of the task force formed to supervise child health care, Tridib Banerjee had earlier said, "The health department has been struggling to take the best of child health care as per instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee." "We have been striving to ensure that not a single infant dies for want of proper health care and treatment," he had said. Sources said death rate in the hospital was generally five to six per day and "in this case it is seven (per day) in the last seven days." According to hospital authorities, 70 terminally ill child patients are, on an average, brought to this hospital every day, and best of care is given to them.
— PTI
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Slowdown fails to dampen Ganesh festival spirit
Mumbai, September 9 People were seen carrying idols of the Lord in trains, buses, two-wheelers and even atop their heads for installing at their homes. According to the Ganesh Murti Sculptors’ Association, more than 3 lakh idols of the Lord would have be installed at homes, society compounds and in sarvajanik Ganpati mandals. Despite the economic downturn, sponsors have come out in large numbers to fund the public Ganesh pandals across the city. “We have several big builders and real estate agents who sponsor our Ganesh pandal every year,” says Dinesh Shetty, an office-bearer of a pandal in suburban Borivali. Though figures are not easy to come by, organisers say they have received good support from politicians cutting across the political spectrum. While sitting MPs and MLAs are liberally sponsoring the Ganesh festival, even municipal corporators are opening their purse-strings with the General Election due early next year. With the Ganesh pandals traditionally showcasing current events in their pandals, a number of events like corruption, the recent rape cases in Mumbai, soaring inflation, etc are finding expression across Mumbai. According to Naresh Dahibhavkar, who heads the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvaya Samiti (BSGSS), there are more than 11,400 mandals across Mumbai. Of these 6,000 have huge idols and more than 25 have installed extremely big Ganeshas. One of the biggest idols happens to be the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja installed at suburban Lower Parel measuring 18 feet in height. Security is tight in Mumbai with the entire city police out on the streets. In addition contingents of the State Reserve Police Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Rapid Action Force, Border Security Force, Maharashtra Police, Traffic Police, etc have also been deployed. A large number of celebrities, including film stars, have said that they would be bringing in Ganpati this year. Among those who are regulars every year include Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, the Kapoor clan and various industrialists. Several public Ganesh installations have announced that top film stars will grace the occasion.
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Prez salutes the spirit of scout-guide movement New Delhi, September 9 The Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, with all its resplendence, offered a perfect setting for the occasion that saw six adult leaders led by Jammu and Kashmir Governor and Trustee of The Tribune Trust NN Vohra receive the highest national award of Scouting and Guiding in India, the Silver Elephant Award for 2011-12. This award goes to adult leaders for the service of the most exceptional nature to the movement which has grown tremendously from a membership of three lakh in November 1950, when the awards were presented by the first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad, to 52 lakh now. Vohra, patron of the Jammu and Kashmir Bharat Scouts and Guides, received the award for “being an ardent supporter of the Scout Movement”. His citation reads: “Under the patronage of NN Vohra, the Governor of J&K, the Jammu and Kashmir Bharat Scouts and Guides reached new heights. He is instrumental in the promotion of Scouting and Guiding activities in the state. In recognition of his distinguished services of exemplary nature to the movement, he is being honoured with the Silver Elephant Award”. The other five recipients of the Silver Elephant Award were Shurhozelie Leitietsu, Nagaland’s Minister of Higher Education and honorary president of the Nagaland State Bharat Scouts and Guides; Annasaheb Howale, vice-president of the Maharashtra State Bharat Scouts and Guides; Timir Baran Banerjee, state commissioner of West Bengal, Bharat Scouts and Guides; Birinchi Dev Mishra, state secretary of the Scouts and Guides Movement for Northeast Frontier Railway, and Shyam Sunder Chamoli, director, Bharat Scouts and Guides, National Headquarters, New Delhi. The President used the occasion to salute the spirit of voluntary service as promoted by the Bharat Scouts and Guides Movement and called for an enhanced focus on the youth. “My simple message today is that ‘we are proud of you’. While we speak of inclusive growth, grassroots leaders like you will be the harbingers of change,” he said mentioning the ongoing demographic transition which will result in an average India being just 29 years old in 2020. Recalling the rich history of the movement (second largest globally in terms of girl guides and the third largest in the world in terms of scout members), the President congratulated the volunteers for their support in the relief and rehabilitation efforts during the recent Uttarakhand floods and the polio eradication and anti-tobacco campaigns in the Kumbh mela. He presented close to 70 medals to scouts and guides who attended today’s award ceremony. Also present on the occasion were Rameshwar Thakur, president, Bharat Scouts and Guides and LM Jain, National Commissioner of the Movement, who introduced the subject. The President gave away 19 awards today to adult leaders-six Silver Elephant Awards; two Bar to Silver Star Awards and 11 Silver Star Awards. The latter two are presented to those who dedicate several years to the movement.
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Babus can go abroad for treatment; govt to foot bill
New Delhi, September 9 A member of All India Services-- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)--can also be airlifted outside the state in cases of a medical emergency, the new rules by Ministry of Personnel said. "A member of Service shall be eligible to obtain medical treatment outside India or, as the case maybe, to claim reimbursement of the cost of medical treatment obtained inside or outside India," they said. Earlier, reimbursement of cost of medical treatment incurred abroad by All India Services officer was disallowed. An IAS, IPS and IFS officer may avail medical treatment outside India for himself or for a member of his family for complex or high-risk cardio-vascular surgery, bone marrow transplant and for complex medical and oncological disorders, such as leukemia and neo-plastic conditions, the rules said. They may also get treatment abroad for complex high-risk cases in micro-vascular and neuro surgery and extremely complex ailments. However, a screening committee will decide on recommending cases for treatment abroad. An attendant of member of services will also be entitled for to and fro air fare. "The scale of expenditure and the eligibility for treatment is identical to the scale of expenditure and the eligibility of an official of the Indian Foreign Service of the corresponding grade in the Ministry of External Affairs," according to the rules. As many as 4,737 IAS officers, 3,637 IPS officers and 2,700 IFoS personnel are working across the country. The Centre has also decided to allow airlifting of an officer outside the state in case of an emergency on the basis of the recommendation of a doctor from the government or from a recognised private hospital.
— PTI For complex diseases
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Tribune employees donate blood
Chandigarh, September 9 Justice SS
Sodhi, president of the Tribune Trust, inaugurated the camp and said there was no activity more meaningful and noble than blood donation. Also present on the occasion were Mrs Bonny
Sodhi, Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa, Editor of Dainik Tribune Santosh
Tiwari, Editor of Punjabi Tribune Varinder Walia, officiating General Manager Vinay Verma and Principal of Tribune Model School Vandana
Saxena. Earlier, Balbir Singh Jandu and Anil Gupta, president and general secretary of the Tribune Employees Union, respectively, while welcoming the donors said it was 40th camp where employees have donated blood. The camp was conducted by a team of doctors led by Dr Suchet of the Department of Transfusion Medicine,
PGI, Chandigarh.
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SC: Husband’s affair no reason for wife’s suicide
“But for the alleged extra marital relationship, which if proved could be illegal and immoral, nothing has been brought out by the prosecution to show that the accused had provoked, incited or induced the wife to commit suicide,” a Bench comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Pinaki Chandra Ghose held. The apex court said the trial court and the Gujarat High Court “have committed a serious error in holding that it was due to the extra-marital relationship the accused had with” one of his colleagues, who had also been made an accused but acquitted, amounted to cruelty and abetting his wife’s suicide. The SC noted that the victim had in her suicide note exonerated her husband. “On the other hand, the deceased described herself as extremely selfish, egoist and therefore not a match for the accused husband. She entertained the belief that her husband (accused A1) was in love with A2 (the other woman) and wanted to marry A2. The note states it was for their happiness she had decided to end her life… “On reading the suicide note, one can infer that the deceased was so possessive of her husband and was always under an emotional stress that she might lose her husband.” “We are, therefore, of the considered view that the relationship the husband had with another woman was not of such a nature which under normal circumstances would drive one to commit suicide or that he by his conduct or otherwise ever abetted or intended to abet the wife to commit suicide,” the court ruled.
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IPL spot-fixing: Chandila, two others granted bail
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma granted bail to Rajasthan Royals' player Chandila, ex-Ranji player Baburao Yadav and alleged bookie Deepak Kumar on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of like amount each. Chandila was arrested on May 16. The court, however, dismissed the bail pleas of five other arrested accused, saying the provisions of stringent law Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were applicable on four of them. It rejected bail applications of alleged bookies Jitender Kumar Jain, Ramesh Vyas, Ashwani Agarwal, Sunil Bhatia and Firoz Farid Ansari. While granting bail to the three accused, the court said Chandila's connection with the alleged organised syndicate was "too remote". The court also pulled up the Special Cell of Delhi Police for some missing links into the probe of the case and directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to examine the matter within a month. "It is very surprising... There are some missing links in the case. I am sending the full file to the Commissioner of Police to let the case be examine...," the judge said. The court kept pending the bail plea of Chandra Prakash Jain alias Chandresh Jain, who was allegedly accepting bets by the name of Jupiter, saying that probe against him was still going on and police is yet to file charge sheet against him. During the hearing, the court fixed October 7 for hearing the arguments on police's plea seeking cancellation of bail granted earlier to suspended cricketer S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and 19 others who were arrested in connection with the case. The accused, including Sreesanth and Chavan, who were earlier granted bail, today appeared before the court in pursuance to the notices issued to them. The police had filed its 6,000-page charge sheet against 39 persons. 40th accused Chandresh Jain was arrested after filing of the chargesheet in the case. Chandila was arrested along with two other cricketers S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan of Rajasthan Royals along with 26 others in the case. The court had on June 10 granted bail to Sreesanth, Chavan and 19 others for lack of evidence against them to be charged under MCOCA.
— PTI Link too ‘remote’
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Stay united ahead of polls, RSS tells BJP
New Delhi, September 9 At the end of the two-day coordination meeting of the top leadership of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, indications are that there is a "consensus" on the issue of anointment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014. BJP's highest decision-making body - the Parliamentary Board - may meet next week to finalise the date of the big announcement. Sources said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his concluding remarks, asked everyone to stay united and concentrate on forging relations with new allies. Veteran leader LK Advani, who is believed to be opposed to the idea of announcing Modi's name ahead of the Assembly elections, spoke on the formative years of the Jana Sangh -the erstwhile political arm of the RSS. Praising the party's ideological mentor, Advani said the RSS was an inspiration for everyone in the party. Sources say after the meeting, Bhagwat met Advani and his close friend Madan Das Devi (who has been acting as a mediator to get the veteran leader on board). Apart from addressing Advani's concerns, speculations are that a formula could also be worked out where his daughter Pratibha is nominated to the Rajya Sabha and accommodated in the council of ministers, and Sushma Swaraj named Modi's deputy should the BJP come to power. The BJP is now expected to convene a meeting of the Parliamentary Board, between September 13 and 19 to take the final call on the official announcement on Modi's name.
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UPA launches portal to highlight schemes
New Delhi, September 9 At the first official press conference at the spanking new National Media Centre here, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari while launching the two programmes said the Bharat Nirman online portal would help “mainstream the silent transformation that has swept our country during the 10 years of UPA rule”. Highlighting some of the “achievements” of the UPA government, including the recently passed Food Security Bill and Land Acquisition Bill and ambitious Adhaar card scheme, the Bharat Nirman campaign portal is in Hindi and English and would soon be available in 13 other Indian languages. It has six tabs for each of the major welfare programmes launched by the UPA government.
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Defamation case against TMC gen secy Mukul Roy
Burdwan (WB), September 9 The case was filed by Shefali Sarkar, widow of former Barabani MLA Dilip Sarkar, in the court of additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Asansol. Dilip (65), was shot dead by four motorcycle-borne assailants near Asansol on June 9 during morning walk. The CPM blamed the Trinamool Congress for the murder, and Roy, while denying the accusation at a press conference in Kolkata on the same day, allegedly made some defamatory statements. Shefali Sarkar's counsel said the case was filed after Roy did not reply to a legal notice served on him.
— PTI
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Walmart upbeat about growing wholesale business in India
New Delhi, September 9 "Walmart is optimistic about growing our Best Price Wholesale cash and carry business in India, as well as future retail investment opportunities that can be made possible through a clear and predictable FDI policy," Walmart India spokeswoman said in an e-mailed reply. Bharti Walmart, a 50:50 joint venture between Walmart and Bharti Enterprises, operates wholesale stores under Best Price brand name. Reports have said Walmart and Bharti are expected to end their partnership and the world's biggest retailer has begun talks with other firms for front-end retail foray in India. She, however, declined to comment on the issue. — PTI
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PCI team to assess journalists’ safety in Assam
Guwahati, September 9 The Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has appreciated the PCI initiative of sending a team that is scheduled to meet journalists in Guwahati on September 11. Assam has lost over 20 journalists in violence over the past 25 years. The trend started in 1987 with The Assam Tribune correspondent Punarmal Agarwala’s killing in Nagaon by militants belonging to ULFA.
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New Delhi, September 9
New Delhi, September 9
New Delhi, September 9
New Delhi, September 9