tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Tuesday, October 27, 1998
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Uphaar case
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 (PTI) — A Delhi High Court Division Bench today declined further hearing on a writ petition in the Uphaar Cinema fire case as acting Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, heading the Bench, had appeared as government counsel in another case relating to theatre owners in 1986. The Bench, comprising Justice Sabharwal and Justice K.S. Gupta, fixed October 30 to decide on the new Bench. The Bench adjourned hearing after Arun Jaitley, counsel for Uphaar cinema pointed out that an order passed by the high court on March 25, 1986 on a petition by the theatre owners had recorded detailed submissions of Justice Sabharwal, then as standing counsel.

Gandhi bust damaged
CHENNAI, Oct 26 (UNI) — Miscreants damaged a cement bust of Mahatma Gandhi, erected on the Gandhi Jayanthi Day at Pulianthope here, by breaking the plastic spectacles and shearing a portion of the left ear. The police said the incident came to light last night following a complaint lodged by Dhandapani, a local Congress functionary. A special team has been formed to nab the culprits.

PM rings up Mamata
CALCUTTA, Oct 26 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today rang up the Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee and enquired from her about yesterday’s alleged assault on her by the police here. Trinamool Congress spokesman Sudip Bandopadhyay said Ms Banerjee told the Prime Minister that she was "deliberately assaulted by the police’’. She told Mr Vajpayee that as an MP of the area, it was her duty to protect those who were being "forcefully and illegally evicted. The police did not show her any court order".

CBI plea admitted
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today admitted for regular hearing a petition filed by CBI challenging Chief Judicial Magistrate’s order directing the agency to probe into a complaint by Neena Pillai alleging conspiracy in the custodial death of her husband biscuit tycoon Rajan Pillai. A Division Bench, comprising Justice S.P. Bharucha and Justice V.N. Khare, also confirmed the stay on the Delhi High Court order which had upheld the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s (CMM) power to order CBI probe into a complaint.

Chief Secy held guilty
KOCHI, Oct 26 (PTI) — Kerala Chief Secretary M. Mohankumar and three others have been found prima facie guilty of contempt of court in the Payyavur case by the high court. A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice K.K. Usha and Mr Justice G. Sivarajan, found that the four had committed contempt of court by ‘wilfully disobeying’ its order of August 27 to provide police protection to six Congress councillors of Payyavur to attend the panchayat’s crucial meeting of September 1 when a no-confidence motion against panchayat president T.M. Joshi was to be taken up.

Rashtrapati Bhavan case suspect freed
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 (PTI) — A 52-year-old man carrying a live cartridge and a suicide note was arrested at the Rashtrapati Bhavan gate here recently while on his way to "meet the President", police sources said today. Kiran Singh, described by the sources as a "very religious person", was arrested during routine frisking at Gate Number II on October 9 evening. A resident of Meerut district, he revealed during interrogation that he had been carrying the cartridge ever since he found it near some religious scriptures lying at his home. Charged under the Arms Act, he was granted bail today by Additional District and Sessions Judge Sharda Aggarwal.

Pak power for India
ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (PTI) — Pakistan is willing to sell at least 2,000 mw of surplus electricity to India though high costs and poor infrastructure may be a major stumbling block in this deal. "In principle we have agreed to the Indian proposal and talks will start as soon as possible", Pakistan’s Minister of State for Power and Water Haleem Siddiqui was quoted as saying by Nation newspaper. Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee had first proposed to buy power from Pakistan when he had met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York last month on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly Session. Meanwhile, the Indian Power Minister P.R. Kumaramangalam said in New Delhi recently that India had set up a committee under the directive of Mr Vajpayee to negotiate the modalities of power trade with Pakistan.