S P O T L I G H T

HC dismisses Editor's plea
New Delhi, April 18
The Delhi Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by ‘Kalachakra’ Editor Vineet Narain challenging the jurisdiction of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, directing him to appear before it in a contempt case. Mr Narain had moved the Delhi High Court against the order of the Srinagar Bench on the ground that the cause of action arose in Delhi as the magazine containing the alleged contemptuous material was published from there. PTI

MDMK spokesman joins DMK
Chennai, April 18
In a jolt to the MDMK, Mr K.S. Radhakrishnan, its spokesman and a close confident of party General Secretary Vaiko, joined the DMK on Tuesday. Radhakrishnan, joined the party in the presence of the DMK chief and the NDA head in Tamil Nadu, Mr M. Karunanidhi. He told reporters that he had left the MDMK since Mr Vaiko had decided that his party would contest the polls independently to defeat the NDA candidates. PTI

Loincloth-clad candidate held
Coimbatore, April 18
A farmer, who came to file his nomination for the Modakurichi Assembly constituency in Erode district of Tamil Nadu wearing only a loincloth, has landed in police custody. Thangavelu of Kolanalli Kuttapalayam village came to the Erode collectorate clad only in a loincloth and wearing a turmeric garland accompanied by his followers in a bullock cart on Monday, the police said. He was denied access by the police to the officials to file the papers. Thangavelu then settled for a dhoti, but refused to put on a shirt. The farmer was then arrested. He was later released, the police said. PTI