NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee, which investigated the allegations of spot-fixing and betting in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has said that sidelined BCCI president N. Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was involved in betting.

The Mudgal committee report says that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials were aware of Meiyappan's activities but they did not act on it.

While exonerating Meiyappan of spot-fixing charges, the committee said he was involved in betting.

The committee also says that the then owner of Rajasthan Royals Raj Kundra was in contact with bookies.

Regarding Meiyappan, the Mukul Mudgal committee said: "Investigations have confirmed that this individual was a team official of a franchise. He was frequently meeting individual 2 in his hotel room. This strengthens the conclusion of the committee ... that individual 1 was in close touch with individual 2."

"The forensic report of the voice sample analysis further confirms the voice of this individual in the conversation with the person acting as a go between, between this individual and bookies. Consequently, the divergent in the two reports dated 8.2.2014 and 9.2.2014 about the voice sample belonging to this individual gets resolved and the report thus becomes unanimous about the betting activity of this individual." — IANS

Chandigarh: A day after BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu accused the Akali regime in Punjab of converting politics into a commercial venture, SAD today said the remark was against the spirit of 'coalition dharma' and asked the saffron party to "tame" the former Amritsar MP.

Punjab Education Minister and SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema rang up state BJP chief Kamal Sharma in the evening to apprise him about the "derogatory remarks" made by Sidhu at a religious function in Ludhiana yesterday, according to a SAD release here.

"This action of Sidhu is intolerable and is against the spirit of coalition dharma," Cheema said.

In an apparent swipe at SAD's slogan of 'Raj Nahi, Sewa (service, not rule)', Sidhu had yesterday said, "For them (Akalis) it is only 10 per cent sewa (service) and 90 per cent mewa (commercial gain)." Cheema expressed surprise that when the BJP high command in Delhi as well as in the state have openly clarified that there is no rift or any issue between SAD and BJP, there should be no reason for Sidhu to speak against the SAD leadership, the release said.

"Sidhu's utterances were itself the violation of the advice of senior BJP national leadership which has recently publicly endorsed the continuation of alliance in Punjab," Cheema said, urging Sharma to take up the matter with the party high command "so as to tame Sidhu", the release said.

He demanded that strict disciplinary actions be taken against Sidhu.

Asked to comment on the matter, Kamal Sharma said "We can understand that they (SAD) are quite upset. I told Cheema that we will convey the matter to our party high command." Sharma was of the opinion that Sidhu should not go public with his utterances against the Akalis in this manner.

Sidhu had also attacked the Akalis, who are an ally of BJP in Punjab, while campaigning for BJP candidates in Haryana during the recent Assembly polls. -PTI

Los Angeles: A 74-year-old Indian-origin Sikh, known as the "peach king of California", has been honoured by the state's governor who praised the community's contributions to the nation.

Didar Singh Bains, godfather to the region's more than 50,000 Sikhs, was yesterday honoured by governor Jerry Brown, who went to the Sikh Temple of Sacramento to honour his longtime political supporter.

Brown praised Bains and thousands of other immigrants from India who he said have enriched the nation with their culture and work ethics.

"It's an honour and a privilege to be here,' Brown told some 2,000 Sikhs from Los Angeles who filled the West Sacramento Gurdwara, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Brown's inaugural visit to the temple comes as more Sikhs engage in politics.

Bains, who arrived in California in 1958 from Punjab at the age of 18, is now a multimillionaire, who, with about a dozen other family members, owns about 40,000 acres in Sutter, Yuba, Butte, Sacramento, Glenn and Tehema counties, said his son Karm Bains.

"We are blessed. We farm peaches, prunes, walnuts and almonds and have processing plants." PTI

SYDNEY: Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured a visa-on-arrival facility for Australian tourists and announced a two-month deadline for the long-pending merger of OCI and PIO status to woo the Indian diaspora from whom he sought support for his ambitious Clean India campaign.

Addressing a frenzied crowd of around 20,000 in the packed Allphones Arena here, Modi took a dig at the previous governments, saying while they were happy to make laws he was "happier to remove" them.

"Let's open the windows; let fresh air come in," Modi said referring to his government's efforts to weed out obsolete laws.

Touched by the grand reception, Modi said he was honoured and humbled and will never forget this day. "I know that behind this affection lies expectations. Yes. We want to create the India you are dreaming of."

"This welcome, this respect, this enthusiasm I dedicate it to the people of India," said Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia in 28 years. 

Modi announced that his government was working on to facilitate visa-on-arrival for Australian tourists and said the PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status will be merged ahead of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held from January 7 in Ahmedabad.

Modi had announced merger of PIO and OCI during his visit to the US in September but had not given a timeline then.

The Prime Minister also referred to economic reforms unveiled by his government and said India has become an attractive destination for investment.

He also said FDI in railways has been hiked to 100% and hoped that Australian companies will invest in creating rail infrastructure in the country. — PTI

PM woos Aus investors; says India's policies transparent 

BRISBANE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wooed Australian investors to India, saying the environment that is prevailing in the country is "welcoming" and easy to do business, besides having transparent and predictable policies.

"You will begin to find a difference in India," Modi said, asserting that his government is focused on eliminating unnecessary laws and regulations, and making processes easier.

The prime minister was speaking at a breakfast meeting hosted by Queensland Prime Minister Campbell Newman where several Australian business leaders were present.

Modi also said that Queensland can be an important partner in India's development – in energy, mineral resources, agriculture and food security, education and advanced technology in some areas.

"We have made our policies transparent and predictable.

We have made our procedures clearly defined and smooth," Modi said during a breakfast meeting with Australian business leaders this morning before leaving for Sydney.

He said good governance is the starting point of change and it is important to business as it is to ordinary citizens.

"You will not only be able to convert opportunities into partnerships, you will do it in an environment that is welcoming and easy to do business in," he said.

Modi also said that his government has launched 'Make in India' as a new mission to promote manufacturing in India.

He also told them about his plans to build 100 Smart cities, 50 metro projects and about the modern waste management system for another 500 cities in India.

He mentioned about the projects like the affordable healthcare within everyone's reach, sanitation for all by 2019, a roof over every head by 2022 and electricity in every household.

Modi also praised Queensland for sending a number of trade missions to India.

"Just this September, there was a Queensland-Gujarat Energy Roundtable in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. And, I am naturally pleased that Queensland will be participating in Vibrant Gujarat in January 2015 to showcase your infrastructure capabilities", he said.

"I know that you are not partial to Gujarat, but you are sending delegations to Kolkata, Delhi and elsewhere," he said.

"Clean Energy with special focus on solar energy for energy efficiency, he added.

He also lauded the Australian province for allowing a 16 billion dollar investment in coal mining in the state. Modi also stressed on the need for an integrated partnership joint research to improve yield and farm productivity to development of agriculture supply chain infrastructure and food processing.

The Prime Minister also emphasised on the need to develop strong synergies in the area of information and communication technology and its every growing application in all areas of life and business between Queensland and India.

He praised Queensland on its success in the tourism sector.

"Indian investors would be willing to partner with you, as more and more Indians are drawn to the incredible beauty and hospitality of your state", he said.

He invited Queensland to participate in India's ambitious plans for smart, sustainable, habitable cities to cater to its growing urban population.

While concluding his speech, Modi said India-Australia relationship is comprehensive, involving economic cooperation, a growing security and strategic partnership and increasing cooperation in international forums, which are vital for peace, stability and prosperity in our region. –PTI

CHANDIGARH: Controversial godman Rampal did not appear in the Punjab and Haryana High Court today, the deadline set for his appearance in a contempt case, with his counsel saying he was "unwell" and pleading for more time to present him before the court.

The Haryana government, meanwhile, told the two-judge bench that it is taking steps to comply with the court order but it has to take every step carefully as a number of women and children were present in the godman's Satlok Ashram in Barwala in Hisar district.

The court reserved its verdict till afternoon today.

The High Court had on Monday last pulled up the Haryana government for failing to produce the godman, against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued recently in a contempt case.

It had set a deadline of today for his production.

Rampal's counsel S K Garg told the bench, comprising Justices M Jeyapaul and Darshan Singh, that the godman was "unwell" and not in a position to travel from Barwala to here.

"He is unwell... We are not avoiding court appearance. He has been appearing on past occasions. Give us some time, once he feels better, he will appear," the counsel told the Bench.

On behalf of the state government, Home Secretary and the DGP appeared before the court. Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan told the court that the state was taking steps to comply with the court order.

Gupta said he also told the court that "it is apparent that the civil and police bureaucracy are not acting on their own and newspaper reports confirm that the entire security arrangement and entire situation is being handled by the police and civil bureaucracy in coordination, consultation with and under the direction of the Chief Minister of Haryana, who also hold the charge of Home Affairs." He said he also submitted before the bench that the notice of contempt under Section 12 must go to DGP, Haryana and Home Secretary today itself.

In case the state government, regardless of the consequences of the casualties or the cost, for any reason, fails to secure Rampal and produce him under arrest before the High Court in three days, by Friday notice of contempt under Section 12 of the Contempt of Court's Act must also be issued in that event to the Chief Minister of Haryana, who holds charge of Ministry of Home," Gupta said.

As far as cancellation of bail of Rampal in the 2006 case is concerned, Gupta said the court made it clear that the arguments will be heard tomorrow.

"If Rampal through his counsel wants to file his reply, he may do so by tomorrow, but it was made clear that even if he does not file any reply, the arguments will be heard and the question of cancellation of bail will be heard and decided tomorrow," Gupta said.

He pleaded that since a number of women and children were present at the Satlok Ashram in Barwala, where the godman is present, the police and administration had to take every step carefully.

With regard to the issue of cancellation of Rampal's bail in the 2006 murder case, the bench posted the matter for tomorrow asking the defence counsel to file their reply by then. Senior advocate Anupam Gupta, who is amicus Curiae in the case, told reporters outside the court complex that on behalf of the Haryana government, the AG filed an affidavit, submitting that any immediate attempt to arrest Rampal would result in casualties and therefore, the government and the police are trying to devise ways and means to implement the court's order without any casualty.

Gupta said that he, however, submitted that "not implementing the orders of the court would result in complete disorder, lawlessness and anarchy."

On the affidavit filed by the Haryana DGP S N Vashisht before the court, Gupta said he told the court that the affidavit "withholds a vital and seminal fact, which has been suppressed from the High Court..".

Alleging that the entire police force and security deployed around Rampal's ashram was withdrawn suddenly last evening, he said the failure to present Rampal before the court was a "complete abdication of authority by the State." Gupta added that if the government does not produce the godman before the High Court in three days, contempt of court notices should be issued by Friday to Chief Minister M L Khattar, who holds the charge of Home Ministry.

"As per my information received after heavy deployment of police forces yesterday in and around the ashram in Barwala, in the evening yesterday, the entire police force and security bandobast was suddenly withdrawn.

"There was no police force in and around the ashram throughout last night and early morning today. I said this has been supressed by the state government and DGP, Haryana," he said.

He added that he also submitted that not being able to secure Rampal was "a complete abdication of authority by the State. Why did they not move on in late evening and at night and why they withdrew forces last night?" 

Gupta said he also told the court that "it is apparent that the civil and police bureaucracy are not acting on their own and newspaper reports confirm that the entire security arrangement and entire situation is being handled by the police and civil bureaucracy in coordination, consultation with and under the direction of the Chief Minister of Haryana, who also hold the charge of Home Affairs." He said he also submitted before the bench that the notice of contempt under Section 12 must go to DGP, Haryana and Home Secretary today itself.

In case the state government, regardless of the consequences of the casualties or the cost, for any reason, fails to secure Rampal and produce him under arrest before the High Court in three days, by Friday notice of contempt under Section 12 of the Contempt of Court's Act must also be issued in that event to the Chief Minister of Haryana, who holds charge of Ministry of Home," Gupta said.

As far as cancellation of bail of Rampal in the 2006 case is concerned, Gupta said the court made it clear that the arguments will be heard tomorrow.

"If Rampal through his counsel wants to file his reply, he may do so by tomorrow, but it was made clear that even if he does not file any reply, the arguments will be heard and the question of cancellation of bail will be heard and decided tomorrow," Gupta said. –PTI 

NEW DELHI: Seeking to reassert Jawaharlal Nehru's legacy, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday said secularism is a compelling necessity for a country as diverse as India.

She also said that there can be no India without secularism and it remains more than an ideal.

Addressing an international conference on the 125th birth anniversary of Nehru here, Gandhi said secularism was an "article of faith" for the first Prime Minister of the country.

"There can be no Indianness, no India without secularism....secularism was and remains more than an ideal.

It is a compelling necessity for a country as diverse as India," she said.

The Congress President recalled that Nehru had once warned that he would fight to his last breath of his life to protect secularism if it comes under attack.

In an opaque reference to BJP, she said knowledge about Nehru's life and work has weakened in recent years, drowned out by misrepresentation and distortion.

Referring to the country's first Prime Minister's efforts to build a modern India, she said he worked on developing a strong public sector, "a potent symbol of change and modernisation."

She said Nehru's achievements continue to bear fruits.

"He moulded a new intellectual outlook, a new social sensibility, a new sense of Indianess," she said.

Gandhi also recalled his role in the field of science and technology. -PTI 

SANGRUR (Punjab): Eight persons, including seven members of a family, were killed in a collision between a tempo and a Multi Utility Vehicle on the Sangrur-Delhi Highway today, the police said.

Among the victims included driver of the MUV, Kashmira Singh (40), they said.

The accident took place near village Sular Gharat on the Sangrur-Delhi Highway when the tempo collided head-on with the MUV.

The other deceased were identified as Nand Lal (55), his wife Krishna Rani (52), their relatives including Amar Chand (65), his wife Kanta Rani (60), besides Prem Chand (55), Manju Kinger (50) and Soni Kumar (40).

The family was on its way to Delhi, the police said, adding that the tempo driver managed to flee after the mishap.

SSP Mandip Singh Sidhu said the police have registered a case of 'causing death by rash and negligent act' against the tempo driver. — PTI

New Delhi: Yoga exponent Ramdev has been provided with a 'Z' category security by the central government taking into account his "vulnerability to attacks from his opponents".

The decision has been taken by the Home Ministry after receiving inputs from security agencies and increased perception of threat to Ramdev, official sources said.

So far, Ramdev was entitled to 'Z' category security only within the jurisdiction of Uttarakhand as per a decision of the state government.

Close to saffron forces, Ramdev, founder of Haridwar- based Patanjali Yogpeeth, had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month.

The sources said Ramdev will be given commandos of one of the paramilitary forces with immediate effect. As many as 40 security personnel will be guarding him round-the-clock.

Ramdev has been vocal for several years demanding action to bring back blackmoney stashed abroad and punishment to those found guilty.

As part of his anti-corruption movement, he had held a public rally for a few days at Ramlila Maidan here in 2011.

Following a police crack down, he fled the site donning woman's attire. PTI

SRINAGAR: A BSF jawan allegedly accidentally opened fired in the high security area near Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's residence at Gupkar road here on Monday.

No one was injured in the incident. Omar, who has been campaigning for the assembly polls, was not at his residence.

"There was some accidental firing on Gupkar road this morning. The matter is being investigated," a BSF spokesman said.

The jawan fired several rounds. -PTI