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DMK suspends Alagiri
Chennai: Former Union Minister and DMK leader M. K. Alagiri was today suspended from the party headed by his father M. Karunanidhi on charges of going against the party's stand and airing divergent views on the issue of stitching an alliance with Vijaykant's DMDK.
Alagiri was temporarily removed from all posts, including the primary membership of DMK.
Alagiri's scathing attack on DMDK leader Vijayakant proved to be his undoing, with the party taking a strong view of his remarks against the Opposition leader, since it intends to align with him.
While there were enough platforms and fora inside the party to air divergent views and grievances, he had not chosen to use them, party general secretary K. Anbazhagan said while announcing Alagiri's suspension.
In a statement, he said the Madurai leader had made disparaging remarks about the "high command of parties who wish to align with" DMK, in an apparent reference to Alagiri's criticism of Vijayakant in a Tamil TV channel recently.
His comments, including his opposition to the DMK-DMDK alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, had ruffled many feathers in both camps as Karunanidhi himself is favourably disposed towards such an electoral tie-up.
Anbazhagan charged Alagiri with asking party workers not to work, criticising disciplinary action taken against certain DMK members, "directly involving in improper discussions," and thus "creating confusion." "Considering that his continuing in the party is not proper, and that it could affect party discipline, Alagiri is being temporarily removed from all party posts including primary membership," Anbazhagan said in the statement.
Anticipating apparent discontent among Alagiri's supporters, the general secretary also appealed for support from all in the interest of the party's unity and discipline.
SC to relook at Bhullar's plea for life
NEW DELHI: Ten months after refusing to commute death sentence of Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar to life imprisonment, the Supreme Court today decided to take a relook at the issue.
In view of the apex court's verdict this week holding that death sentence of a condemned prisoner can be commuted to life on grounds of delay in deciding mercy plea and mental condition of the convict, a
Bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam said it will hear the curative plea filed by Bhullar's wife on January 28 and 29 and "notice will have to issued on the petition".
The court passed the observation when senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi, appearing for Bhullar's wife, mentioned the matter and pleaded the court to direct his medical examination as he is suffering from mental illness.
His wife filed a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict of April 12 in which the court had rejected her plea to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment on grounds of delay on the part of the government in deciding his mercy plea.
Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist Bhullar was convicted and awarded death penalty for triggering a bomb blast in New Delhi in September 1993, which killed nine
persons and injured 25 others, including then Youth Congress president M.S.
Bitta.
The apex court had on March 26, 2002, dismissed Bhullar's appeal against the death sentence awarded by a trial court in August 2001 and endorsed by the Delhi
High Court in 2002.
He had filed a review petition which was also dismissed on December 17, 2002. Bhullar had then moved a curative petition which too had been rejected by the apex court on March 12, 2003.
Bhullar, meanwhile, had filed a mercy petition before the President on January 14, 2003.
The President, after a lapse of over eight years, dismissed his mercy plea on May 14, 2011. Citing his delay, he had again moved the apex court for commutation of the death sentence but his plea was rejected.
The apex court on January 21 had held that inordinate delay by the government in deciding mercy plea of death row convicts can be a ground for commuting their sentence and had granted life to 15 condemned prisoners including four aides of forest brigand Veerappan.
In a landmark judgement, the court had held that prolonging execution of death sentence has a
"dehumanising effect" on condemned prisoners who have to face the "agony" of waiting for years under the shadow of death during the pendency of their mercy plea.
— PTI
Swiss national killed in avalanche at Gulmarg ski resort
SRINAGAR: A Swiss national was on Friday killed while five of his associates were rescued after they were struck by an avalanche while skiing at the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir.
The deceased has been identified as Arno Roy.
The avalanche hit the Gulmarg tourist resort between Kongdoori and Afferwath when the group of six skiers from Switzerland was enjoying the sport on the slopes this afternoon,
the police said.
the police said Roy was among three tourists who were trapped in the snow and was later found dead by the rescuers.
The other tourists escaped with minor bruises and were rescued by local authorities, the police said.
The Kashmir Valley, including Gulmarg, a star attraction for tourists, experienced heavy snowfall early this week. — PTI
Bharti fails to appear before Delhi Women's Commission
NEW DELHI: Delhi's controversial Law
Minister Somnath Bharti on Friday failed to appear before the Delhi Women's Commission and instead sent his lawyers who had a public spat with the panel chief Barkha Singh after she refused to entertain them.
DCW had summoned Bharti following allegations that he led a group of AAP workers who misbehaved with a number of African women on the pretext of a raid on an alleged drug and prostitution ring in South Delhi last week.
The Law Minister was asked to depose before the Commission on Friday afternoon to explain the charges against him but he sent his lawyers, who said he was absent due to "some urgencies".
DCW chief Barkha Singh said the Commission had asked the minister to depose before it and would not accept explanation of his lawyers.
One of Bharti's lawyers Rishikesh Kumar said Singh did not allow them to put across his point on the issue.
"I have been asked by Somnath Bharti to represent him in today's proceeding. I came here at 3
pm and as I entered inside, I saw many camerapersons were already present there. So, I said that it's already 3 o'clock and we have been sent by Bharti to represent him," he said
"We were told lawyers cannot represent. I said I have got the instructions. I have got the authorisation, and can you please let me speak? Then, she said,
'no, you are a lawyer'. But I kept saying that we have a humble submission. I told her that because of some urgencies Bharti might not be able to attend today's hearing," Kumar said.
The AAP had on Thursday decided to back Bharti and to await the findings of a judicial inquiry before any action can be taken against him.
However, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the party chaired by
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal disapproved of the language used by Bharti against senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley and noted lawyer Harish Salve and asked him not to use foul language in public discourse.
Kumar said Bharti will file a written reply as the minister had received four separate complaints by four different women.
"We are going through the letters of complaints and will soon file a written reply because we have got the notice and we don't want to evade the due process of law and duly
authorised representative can speak on behalf of the law minister. That's what we are trying do but there was already a lot of chaos," he said. — PTI
SC slams Delhi Police over Kejriwal dharna
NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal's role in leading a protest while holding constitutional office today came under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which slammed law enforcing agencies
for allowing unlawful assembly of supporters of the Chief Minister in the heart of national
Capital.
The apex court disapproved Delhi Police's inaction in permitting people to gather outside the Rail Bhavan despite prohibitory orders under
Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure barring assembly of five and more persons being in force.
"How did they (people) assemble when prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC
were clamped. Why did you let it happen in the first place when the mob is already there," a
Bench comprising justices R. M. Lodha and Shiva Kirti Singh asked Delhi Police Commissioner B. S.
Bassi.
"Why did the police at all permit people to gather when it will amount to breach of prohibitory orders. What we are inclined to know is whether
the police acted," the Bench said, while adding that "by allowing five people it swelled into 500 and thereafter into thousands".
Observing that "the task in hand is to see that the constitutional provisions are respected," the
Bench sought explanation by Janaury 31 from the Police Commissioner why people were allowed to gather unlawfully at the site of dharna by
Kejriwal.
The AAP party was demanding action against policemen who refused to carry out a raid on an alleged drug and prostitution ring on a Delhi minister Somnath Bharti's directive last week.
"We want information on two queries as to why despite the prohibitory order under
Section 144 of CrPC the law enforcing agencies/police permit five and more persons unlawfully.
"Second, whether law enforcing agencies/police acted appropriately and with utmost expedition in dispersing the unlawful assembly by force under section 129 (2) of CrPC after such assembly was informed under section 129 (1) of CrPC to disperse and despite such command the assembly did not disperse," the
Bench said in its order.
The Bench, which was hearing the PIL filed by advocate M. L. Sharma, issued notice to the Centre through the Ministry of Home Affairs and
the Delhi Government and sought their response within sex weeks on the issue whether constitutional post holder can resort to agitation in violation of law.
"The Constitution is supreme and every institution is a product of
the Constitution, and every individual who holds the office is governed by the Constitution," the
Bench observed, while adding that "we are only concerned with
constitutional issues".
It agreed to examine "whether a Chief Minister/minister is allowed to play a double role, i.e., holding constitutional office and street agitator against the constitutional systems
at the same time under the Constitution of India". The Bench also tagged the petition filed by another advocate N
Rajaraman, who also raised identical issues.
The court was told that the "law makers have become law breakers" and this has been manifested by Kejriwal and his ministers who staged the
dharna, hampering preparations for the Republic Day.
Before seeking explanation from the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Bench raised several questions to Additional Solicitor General Siddharth
Luthra, who had contended that there was no need to go into the petition filed by Rajaraman as the prayers made by him has become infructuous.
Luthra had submitted that the police had swung into action on January 19 evening by issuing prohibitory orders but people violated it and started gathering
around the site of Kejriwal's dharna the next day.
When the ASG explained the process for dealing with the violation of prohibitory order, the
Bench questioned why there was delay on part of the cops to disperse the unlawful assembly of people.
"These are matters of law and order. How did they (people) assemble. Mob is already there and you are allowing the gathering to swell," the
Bench said and added that law enforcing agencies should have acted under the legal provision by issuing a command that people should disperse.
"Our concern is when we are empowered to enforce law, why did it allow it to happen (unlawful assembly)," the
Bench said.
When ASG said the police generally wait for 45 minutes after the command, the
Bench declined to accept his explanation and gave an example of the terror strike at World Trade Centre in
the US. "In three minutes, the WTC collapsed in the US," the Bench said.
— PTI
Centre to appoint Lokpal head, members soon
NEW DELHI: The government has set the ball rolling for
appointment of chairperson and eight members of the Lokpal by inviting applications for the posts.
It has also decided to expedite passage of four pending anti-corruption legislations in Parliament as part of the resolve to give the nation an effective anti-corruption framework, the Ministry of Personnel
said on Friday said.
Out of the eight members in the Lokpal, four will be from the judiciary and the rest non-judicial. Fifty per cent of the members shall be from the
SC, ST, Other Backward Class, minorities and women.
These vacancies have been circulated to the Registrar of Supreme Court, Registrars of High Courts, Chief Secretaries of
state governments and secretaries in the Central government departments and
ministries, calling for nomination of eligible candidates by February 7, 2014.
“The new enactment is indicative of the resolve of Parliament and the government to give to the nation an effective anti-corruption framework,” it said.
The historic Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, passed by Parliament — on December 17, 2013 in the Rajya Sabha and on December 18, 2013 in the Lok Sabha — paves the way for setting up of the institution of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in
states within one year of coming into force of the Act.
The new law provides for a mechanism for dealing with complaints of corruption against public functionaries, including those in high places.
“Another significant feature of the Act is that it has taken its present shape after repeated consultations with all stake holders including civil society.
“The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act is perhaps the only legislation in the history of independent India, which has been so widely discussed, both inside and outside Parliament and has, thus, generated so much awareness in the public mind about the need to have an effective institution of Lokpal to tackle corruption,” the release said.
the government has decided to expedite four pending anti-corruption legislations — Whistleblowers Protection Bill, 2011, Foreign Bribery Bill and Private Sector Corruption, Amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act and Right to Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services Bill in Parliament.
As per the Whistleblowers Protection Bill, persons who report corruption or wilful misuse of power or discretion which causes demonstrable loss to the government or commission of a criminal offence by a public servant need statutory protection.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 27, 2011, and it is now pending in the Rajya Sabha.
The prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in March 2011.
The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law & Justice and Personnel has submitted its report on the Bill and the majority of its recommendations have been accepted by the government.
The Bill could not be taken up for discussion during the recent winter Session of Parliament.
The government has decided to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, by incorporating provisions for confiscation and forfeiture of property illegally acquired by corrupt public servants.
This Bill was introduced in Parliament on August 19, 2013, and has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, and Law & Justice for examination.
The Centre has introduced the Right of Citizens for Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, aimed at empowering citizens and to improve accountability and transparency in governance in the Lok Sabha in December, 2011.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has submitted its report on the Bill to Parliament. The Bill is presently pending in the Lok Sabha. — PTI
Omar disappointed
over Pathribal case closure
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday expressed his extreme disappointment over Army's decision to close the Pathribhal fake encounter case and said
the state law authorities will be asked to examine options to address this "serious" matter.
Omar said a matter as serious as Pathribal can't be closed or wished away.
"Extremely disappointed with the decision of the Army regarding Pathribal. Will ask the Law Dept & Advocate General to examine options.
A matter as serious as Pathribal can't be closed or wished away like this more so with the findings of the CBI so self evident," he tweeted.
Nearly 14 years after the Pathribhal fake encounter that rocked Jammu and Kashmir,
the Army has closed the case saying the evidence recorded could not establish prime facie charges against any of the five accused persons.
Army authorities have conveyed this decision to the Court of the Judicial Magistrate in
Srinagar.
"The evidence recorded could not establish a prime facie case against any of the accused persons," a defence spokesman said in Jammu.
However, it was "clearly established that it (the Pathribal encounter) was a joint operation by
the police and Army based on specific intelligence," the spokesman said.
"The case has been closed by Army authorities and intimation given to the Court of the Judicial Magistrate in Srinagar," the
spokesman said yesterday.
the CBI had in 2006 indicted five Army personnel for staging the encounter while giving a clean chit to state police.
After it was handed over the case in January, 2003, the CBI alleged that officers and jawans of the Seven Rashtriya Rifles
— Brig Ajay Saxena, Lt Col Brahendra Pratap Singh, Maj Saurabh Sharma, Major Amit Saxena and Subedar Idrees Khan
— had staged a fake encounter and killed five innocent civilians, whom they said were terrorists involved in an attack on Sikhs at Chittisinghpora in south Kashmir.
Five persons were killed on March 26, 2000, at Pathribal in south Kashmir.— PTI
Bengal gangrape case: SC issues notice to state
govt
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of gangrape of a young tribal woman by 13 villagers in West Bengal’s Birbhum district and issued notice to the state government.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, justices Ranjan Gogoi and M.Y. Eqbal passed the order and directed district judge of Birbhum to visit the place and file a report before it within a week.
The gangrape of the 20-year-old woman was allegedly ordered by a village head at a kangaroo court in Labhpur, about 200 km from Kolkata, as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different religion.
She was gangraped by 13 persons after a kangaroo court decided to punish her on January 21.
The woman is battling for her life at a hospital in Suri.
The victim and her family members in their complaint before the police there had said that among those who brutalised her were people old enough to be her father.
The victim and her paramour were caught, tied to a tree and assaulted after which they were asked to pay a fine of Rs 25,000. The gang rape took place after the girl expressed her inability to pay the amount. — PTI
Sania-Tecau in Australian Open mixed doubles final
MELBOURNE: Sania Mirza stands just one win away from clinching her third mixed doubles Grand Slam title after the Indian and her Romanian partner Horia Tecau entered the Australian Open final with a come-from-behind win on Friday.
Sania and Tecau defeated the Australian pair of Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden 2-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a contest lasting an hour and 13 minutes.
In a see-saw battle, Sania and Tecau were outplayed in the opening set, during which they failed to earn even a single break point. Gajdosova and Ebden were markedly better with their first serve to pocket the opener in 28 minutes.
But Sania and Tecau roared back into the match in the second set. The Indo-Romanian pair held serve and converted the only break point they earned.
They were also helped by the nine unforced errors, which their rivals committed, to stay afloat in the match. Sania and Tecau were immaculate in the decider and did not commit a single unforced error en route to outwitting the local favourites.
Sania and Tecau will be up against the winners of the clash between Sino-American pair of Jie Zheng and Scott Lipsky and the French-Canadian combination of Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor.
If Sania and Tecau win the summit clash, it would be the Indian's second Australian Open mixed doubles title. Sania had earlier won the trophy with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009. — PTI
Dense fog hits air, rail traffic
CHANDIGARH: A thick blanket of fog over entire Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh today affected the normal life even as the minimum temperature in the region rose by up to four notches above normal at some places.
The minimum temperature settled at above normal in most parts of the region, the MeT office said here.
However, a thick cover of fog affected air, rail and road traffic in the region due to poor visibility, they said.
In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Amritsar settled at a low of six degrees Celsius, three notches above normal.
While Chandigarh had a low of 7.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, the minimum temperature at Karnal and Narnaul settled at an identical low of eight degrees Celsius, three notches above normal.
Among other places, Ludhiana and Patiala had an identical low of 9.2 degrees Celsius, two notches each above normal, followed by 9.7 degrees Celsius at Ambala, also three notches above normal, and 9.8 degrees Celsius at Hisar, which was four notches above normal.
Bhiwani had a low of ten degrees Celsius.
The MeT forecast cloudy conditions with possibility of rains and foggy weather in the morning during the next 24 hours. — PTI
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