Lalu guilty in fodder scam, jailed
* Faces disqualification as MP
* Bihar ex-CM Mishra among 45 convicted
* Sentencing on Oct 3
Ranchi, September 30
Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad today suffered a major blow when a special CBI court convicted him in a 17-year-old fodder scam case of corruption that can disqualify him from Parliament and keep him out of electoral arena for at least six years.

Nation page: BJP uses verdict to target Congress, JD-U
Lalu's Black Cat commandos may be withdrawn

More stories on Nation page RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav arrives at Ranchi to attend a court hearing in the fodder scam on Sunday. — PTI

Payoff row: NC MLAs move privilege motion against VK Singh
Srinagar, September 30
The ruling National Conference legislators today moved privilege motions in both Houses of the state legislature against the former Army Chief Gen (Retd) V K Singh for his comments about making payments to ministers of Jammu and Kashmir.

Age COntroversy
Faces contempt proceedings
New Delhi, September 30
The Supreme Court has initiated contempt proceedings against former Army Chief Gen VK Singh for questioning its fairness in disposing of his petition relating to the controversy over his age.

PM wants to give Sharif a chance, says Khurshid
New York, September 30
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met Nawaz Sharif here despite strong criticism from opposition back home, wants to “trust” the new Pakistan Prime Minister and give him a chance to “walk the talk” on stopping ceasefire violations and terror activities against India.

Don’t harass Muslim youth, Shinde tells CMs
New Delhi, September 30
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today stirred the proverbial hornet’s nest when he asked chief ministers to ensure that no innocent Muslim youth was wrongfully detained in the name of curbing terror. The BJP opened a frontal attack demanding that Shinde should be sacked while the Left parties termed it as vote-bank politics.

It’s pad-up time for Yuvraj again
Chandigarh, September 30
Yuvraj Singh has fought his way back into the Indian team with selectors picking him for the lone T-20 international and the first three ODIs against Australia. (Details on Sports page)

Petrol prices slashed by Rs 3
New Delhi, September 30
Petrol price was cut by Rs 3.05 per litre, the first reduction in rates in over five months and the steepest in over five years, while diesel prices were raised by 50 paise a litre. The price changes announced by oil companies are excluding local sales tax or VAT and will be effective midnight tonight.

HC quashes appointment of 1,983 Haryana PT instructors Chandigarh, September 30 No less than 1983 physical training instructors working in schools across Haryana may have to go. For, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has minced no words to hold that “hundreds of candidates with poor academic profile” were selected due to highly inflated marks in viva voce examination.