tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, November 8, 1998
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Vigilance men quiz Karunakaran
KOCHI Nov 7 (PTI) — Senior Congress leader and MP K. Karunakaran was today interrogated by state vigilance officials here for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was the Chief Minister of Kerala. A vigilance team headed by Ms Srilekha, SP, Vigilance interrogated the former Chief Minister. The case was filed in 1996 by Nawab Rajendran who alleged that Mr Karunakaran as Chief Minister had misused his official position to favour certain individuals and their firms for monetary gains. Later, Mr Karunakaran said the inquiry against him was "politically motivated"
Insurance scheme for farm labourers
PONDICHERRY, Nov 7 (UNI) — For the first time in the country, two new insurance schemes for agricultural labourers were launched in this union territory today. Agriculture Minister R. Viswanathan told newspersons here that agricultural labourers would have to pay an annual premium of Rs 10 every year and the administration would contribute Rs 80 as its share to the LIC which was collaborating with the government to implement the scheme. In case of death, the LIC would pay Rs 10,000 and in case of accidents, Rs 20,000 would be paid.

Building collapse
MUMBAI, Nov 7 (PTI) — Five persons were killed, 11 injured and 40 others trapped after an unauthorised five-storeyed building collapsed near an industrial estate in Thane, about 35 km from here, today. Thane Fire Brigade sources, however, put the toll at 13. The "Sairaj building" in the Kisan Nagar locality housed about 60 tenements and was built over a storm water drain in violation of civic norms.
Murder accused held
HYDERABAD, Nov 7 (UNI) — Seshagiri Rao, the main accused in the case relating to the recent murder of Siticable Managing Director Ramakrishna at Vijayawada, has been taken into custody by the Crime Branch (CID) police. He would be interrogated during the next three days, Additional Director-General of Police (CID) Bharata Chandra told newspersons here today. He was at large for 45 days after the murder in September and had surrendered to the police at Guntur district last month.
Afghan militants
DHAKA, Nov 7 (PTI) — The Bangladesh police arrested five persons, including two Afghan Taliban-trained militants, following a nationwide alert sounded on the eve of the upcoming verdict in the trial of the country’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The police arrested two Taliban-trained militants from Bangladesh’s southeastern Cox Bazar after they returned to the country from Afghanistan yesterday.
New Pak FM
ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (ANI) — Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has appointed Commerce Minister Ishaq Dar as the country's new Finance Minister with the aim of securing a better deal with the IMF team arriving here on Monday for discussions on a $5 billion bail-out package. Mr Dar an accountant by profession, was named Finance Minister late last night. The other notable changes include the removal of Finance Secretary Moeen Afzal and Chairman of the Central Board of Revenue Moinuddin Khan. They were replaced by Khalid Javed and Mian Iqbal Farid, both senior civil servants.
'Sensitive' booths
AIZAWL, Nov 7 (PTI) — More than 2,000 police officials will be deployed all over Mizoram and security tightened in at least 38 "sensitive" police station areas for the November 25 assembly elections in the state. A state government spokesperson said the Centre had been sounded on despatching at least 20 companies of paramilitary forces for deployment during the elections. However, till now there had been no information from the Centre, the spokesman added.
UN inspectors
BAGHDAD, Nov 7 (Reuters) — A group of 15 United Nations weapons monitors and inspectors left Baghdad today after the Iraqi Government halted cooperation with them a week ago, Ms Caroline Cross, special assistant to the Director of Baghdad Monitoring and Verification Centre, said. "It is a purely administrative and logistical decision by UNSCOM Exective Chairman (Richard Butler) because their work has been stopped," she said.
Order on bandh
ALLAHABAD, Nov 7 (PTI) — The Allahabad High Court today held as unconstitutional the Uttar Pradesh bandh on November 9 called by Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and directed the state government to provide adequate security to its citizens. The ruling was given by a Bench, comprising Mr Justice M Katju and Mr Justice S L Saraf, on a petition by Jagmohan Singh and another resident of Allahabad.