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May 11, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Fardeen gets bail, deposits passport Border farmers to get compensation for
land India signs 5 pacts with Tajikistan BJP rejects report on Delhi MC division |
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Blasts: J&K ultras’ hand suspected India, Malaysia may sign extradition pact Intruders, then guests, now owners! Human failures main cause of rail accidents Notice to Chief Secy in Yamuna pollution case Count undertrial’s jail period in sentence: SC IAS officers reshuffled ICHR Chairman Grover dead
Sudhakarrao Naik dead
Cong seeks repoll in Midnapore Cong gearing up for
anti-NDA offensive
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Fardeen gets bail, deposits passport Mumbai, May 10 Special Judge M.S. Keny asked Fardeen not to leave the city without the permission of the court. He was also ordered to furnish solvent surety of Rs 20,000 and deposit Rs 10,000 cash. In case Fardeen needs the passport to go abroad, he has to make a formal application to the court, which may consider his plea, the judge noted. The judge, however, warned Fardeen that if he violated the bail conditions, the NCB was free to approach the court for the cancellation of his bail. The judge observed that at the time of the arrest Fardeen was about to buy one gm of cocaine from a drug peddlar but the transaction had not materialised. The drug was recovered from Nasir Abdul Karim Shaikh, who was seated in Fardeen’s car and not from the actor’s possession, he noted. Investigation with regard to Fardeen was over and hence no purpose would be served by keeping him in custody, the judge noted. Fardeen, son of film-maker Feroz Khan, was arrested on May 5 under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) when he was about to buy 1 gm of cocaine from Nasir Shaikh. Nasir was also held for carrying 9 gm of cocaine. The NCB later arrested the main supplier Tony Gomes. The trio were remanded in NCB custody till May 18. Before releasing the actor on bail, the judge perused investigation papers and medical reports produced by the NCB. The actor pleaded the court to take a lenient view in his case because he intended to buy just 1 gm of cocaine for personal consumption. He prayed that he was 29 and had to establish his career. His counsel Ayaz Khan harped on the seizure “panchnama” and statements of Fardeen and drug peddler Nasir Abdul Karim Shaikh to show that the actor intended to buy 1 gm of cocaine. He also referred to the prosecution’s view on Fardeen’s bail, saying that investigations in his case were over. Special public prosecutor Usha Sisodia objected to Fardeen’s bail, saying that it would not be appropriate to grant him liberty at this stage. Although Fardeen had stated that he wanted to buy the drug for self consumption it was necessary to find out whether he was telling the truth. Ms Sisodia said Fardeen’s car had been seized because the banned drug was recovered from the vehicle. The charge of possession therefore did not vanish by saying that he was a consumer of the drug. Fardeen’s counsel said his client had possessed the drug for consumption and therefore came within the purview of Section 27 of the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) for which mild punishment was prescribed. He said the total circumstances of the case should be taken into account while considering the bail and referred to a high court judgement on this aspect. He said Fardeen was ready to abide by the conditions of the court if enlarged on bail. Meanwhile, the NCB was yet to obtain films from the hidden cameras put up at the ATM centre from where Fardeen was about to withdraw money for buying the drug when he was nabbed by the NCB, she added.
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Border farmers to get compensation for
land Sriganganagar, May 10 Hundreds of farmers, living along the border in Jaisalmer, Sriganganagar, Bikaner and Barmer districts, are expected to benefit from the decision of the Centre to finally pay adequate compensation to them. An exercise to identify the land acquired and the modalities of payment is being chalked by the respective district authorities and the money is likely to be released to the farmers by next month. Sriganganagar alone has a 205 km border with Pakistan from the northern town of Hindu Mal Kot to Srikaranpur in the south. A team of officials from the administration, led by Ms Kiran Soni Gupta, District Collector, along with officers of the BSF toured the border villages and talked to farmers regarding the matter. Initially, the farmers had been told to part with some of their land in the interest of the nation but their pleas to the authorities to pay some compensation fell on deaf ears. It was only during the ongoing public contact programme that some of the border villagers brought the matter to the notice of the District Collector, who, in turn, informed the Rajasthan Chief Secretary. The Chief Secretary took up the matter with the Home Ministry, which agreed to pay the compensation and issued the necessary directions on April 20. Ms Gupta told The Tribune that a circular from the Union Home Department had been received by the District Collectors of the three districts, wherein they have been directed to identify the farmers and the amount of compensation fixed for the purpose. “ While we were already on the job, now the exercise has been given a fillip and directions have been issued to officers concerned to expedite it. In all likelihood, the file will be dispatched to the Home Department by the end of this month,” she said. She added that in the district, the government would have to pay Rs 2 crore as compensation to the farmers. She said the fencing work was carried out by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on a track of eight feet of agricultural land along the border. Two tracks of 22 feet each run parallel to the fence, which are used for patrolling by the BSF. The fence is about 128 feet from the O line the international border. The land between the fence and the O line is still with the farmers who have been cultivating it ever since under the watchful eyes of BSF jawans on our side and the Pakistani rangers across the border. Now, the farmers are demanding that the land between the O line and the fence should also be acquired by the government since they are facing a lot of problems in cultivating it, she added. |
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India signs 5 pacts with Tajikistan New Delhi, May 10 The joint declaration on principles of mutual relations, signed by visiting Tajikistan President Emomali Sharifovich Rakhmonov and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, charts out the future course of intensified cooperation between the two countries in diversified fields. Mr Vajpayee and Mr Rakhmonov held talks which were followed by delegation-level parleys on the entire gamut of bilateral ties besides covering regional and international issues of mutual concern. Paving the way for jointly tackling the menace of terrorism, a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters was signed by Home Minister L.K. Advani and the Tajik Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov. An agreement for mutual cooperation for drug demand reduction and prevention of illicit trafficking of narcotics drugs, precursors and psychotropic substances and related matters was concluded by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Tajik Minister for Trade and Economy Hakim Soliev. The two sides also firmed up an agreement for long-term cooperation in trade and economy and in the field of industry, besides a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation and an air services agreement.
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BJP rejects report on Delhi MC division New Delhi, May 10 Addressing a press conference here today, Delhi BJP president Mange Ram Garg, in charge of Delhi affairs and MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Mayor Shanti Desai and leader of the opposition Jagdish Mukhi alleged that the committee, which consisted of neither representatives of the MCD nor the public, had made baseless allegations against the working of the MCD to show it in a bad light. The Delhi BJP boycotted the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit today to discuss the report. The BJP leaders said their party was not against the decentralisation of administrative machinery by setting up smaller units, but it should be done only after proper discussion. The BJP had set up a committee under the chairmanship of Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra to deliberate on this issue and it would submit its report to the Union Government within 15 days, they said. They also asserted that the problems of Delhi could be solved only by granting it full-fledged statehood and accused the Shiela Dikshit government of not making any effort in this regard. Meanwhile, Ms Dikshit told a press conference that those attending the meeting unanimously approved the Virendra Prakash Committee recommendations suggesting that the monolithic MCD be split into four municipal corporations and two metropolitan councils. The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, resolved that the recommendations should be discussed in the monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly and an appropriate resolution passed. The resolution would then be sent to the Central Government to initiate necessary action on the report. It was also decided to take up the Virendra Prakash Committee report, which was submitted in February this year, for a discussion in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) for broadbasing the debate. The committee report has already been sent to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the Union Home and Urban Development ministries, she said, and hoped that the issue would be “expeditiously discussed in the Lok Sabha”.
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Blasts: J&K ultras’ hand suspected New Delhi, May 10 Initial investigation reports suggested that it could be the handiwork of the Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF) which had given instructions to its activists to hire local criminals to carry out such subversive acts in the Capital, Delhi police sources said. An activist of the JKIF, Azad Ahmed Qureshi was arrested last week in the Connaught Place bomb planting case. The bomb was recovered from a dustbin in Palika Bazar Park on May 2 by sniffer dogs and was disposed of by the bomb disposal squad of the Delhi police. The bombs planted in CP, North Block and those which exploded near Sena Bhavan were of the same nature. The same chemical and explosive material were used in these bombs, a senior police official said. The investigators brought Azad Qureshi to the spot of the incident to identify the ABCD timer recovered. The Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range), Mr Suresh Roy, refused to name the militant outfit involved in yesterday’s blast, assuring that the police would arrest the culprits soon. He said security had been tightened in the Capital, particularly at sensitive installations. All borders of the Capital had been sealed and vehicles were being checked, he said. Patrolling of PCR vans has been increased in sensitive areas and checking is being done in various areas of the Capital. Apart from this, several raids have been conducted on South Delhi, Central Delhi and trans-Yamuna areas. These areas are suspected to be militant hideouts. Several militants have been arrested from these areas in the past. The sources said the police and the military were passing the buck to each other regarding the responsibility of maintaining “security. The police said South Block, North Block and Sena Bhavan areas were under the supervision of the military police. However a military official said the
responsibility of the military police is to control the traffic only and not to maintain law and order in the area. Three hoax bomb calls had been received in Greater Kailash Market, Okhla industrial area and in cinema halls in Connaught Place before yesterday’s blasts. |
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India, Malaysia may sign extradition pact New Delhi, May 10 India is likely to sign an extradition treaty with Malaysia during the Prime Minister’s visit which will expedite the extradition of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, accused in the Rs 64 crore Bofors payoff case. “The extradition treaty is under discussion. We hope we can conclude it quickly”, Mr R.S. Kalha, Secretary (West), said while briefing reporters on the Prime Minister’s visit. Asked whether the treaty could be finalised before the visit, he said: “It is possible”. He, however, would not say whether the Quattrocchi issue would figure in the talks Mr Vajpayee would have with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammad. Mr Kalha said India and Malaysia would sign seven agreements in the fields of finance, IT and space during the visit. |
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Intruders, then guests, now owners! Patna, May 10 The Sangh Parivar’s known aversion to Bangladeshis seems to be a matter of the past. The “newfound love” of the Parivar with them speaks volumes of the political expediency that has come to stay in India. As the numerical strength of the Bangladeshi infiltrators in Bihar is on the up, they have now become a vote bank to be reckoned with and the end result is that even the Sangh Parivar, that once vowed to throw them back to their original land, is now hobnobbing with them. The sole BJP MP and minister in the Union Cabinet is there because of the “blessings” of the same infiltrator ‘vote bank’, political analysts believe. The Kishanganj district of Bihar, having proximity with Bangladesh through a lean corridor along the famous ‘chicken neck’ area has now earned the distinction of being a rare district that over the last few decades turned from a Hindu majority area to a Muslim majority area. The unchecked influx of Bangladeshi infiltrators in the post-1971 era has metamorphosed the demographic character of the district. The Bhatia Muslims, as the Bangladeshi infiltrators have come to be recognised as, have usurped not only land and assets of the locals forcing them to flee their homes but now hold the political destiny of parties on ransom. A visitor to the district can see with his eyes the clout the infiltrators enjoy on the local population and administration. The reality tells it all. No Hindu candidate has won parliamentary polls from Kishanganj after 1971. Shahnawaz Hussein, the Union Coal minister, represents the lone Parliamentary seat whereas among the Assembly seats, Md. Taslimuddin represents the Kishanganj seat, Mohammed Jahidur Rehman holds Bahadurpur seat and Mohammed Jawaid Azad has won from Thakurganj seat. It is now believed that the Bhatia Muslims have the patronage of all the parties and even the local administration feels proud in cajoling and appeasing them. The local BJP leaders admit that Shanawaz won this time only after he ‘earned’ the ‘blessings’ of the Bhatia Muslims. He had lost the last polls from the same seat. The infiltrators are now no more in the mercy of local administration and police. They are now an invincible vote bank and a “legitimised” political force. Most of them have acquired ration cards illegally and have acquired land to stake claim over their legal rights as the legitimate citizens of the land. The problem is not that they have settled illegally in the land but the real threat comes from the fact that their trade and allegiance may not be above board. |
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Human failures main cause of rail accidents New Delhi, May 10 Mr Garg said although the number of railway accidents had decreased over the years due to the introduction of modern technology in the system, the share of human failures had not reduced significantly. He said human resource development through intensive training and evolving means to motivate the railway personnel were key factors in improving the safety recruitment policy. Figures quoted during the seminar indicated that of the 66 accidents that took place in 2000-01, 35 were due to human failure as against 80 accidents in the previous year, of which 44 were due to human failure. While there had been a 40 per cent increase in the incidents of derailments, there had been a 40 per cent increase in the number of accidents on level crossings. Speakers pointed out that though safety performance had improved, over 60 per cent cases were still due to human negligence. The Chairman, Railway Board, Mr Ashok Kumar, released a booklet on safety which spells out the do’s and
don'ts for safe running of trains. |
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Notice to Chief Secy in Yamuna pollution case New Delhi, May 10 The Bench comprising Mr Justice B.N. Kirpal, Mrs Justice Ruma Pal and Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar issued the notices, returnable within eight weeks, during the resumed hearing of the Yamuna pollution case arising out of suo motu proceedings initiated by the court on the basis of a newspaper report. Mr Harish Salve, Solicitor-General, submitted that the Urban Development Ministry had sent letters in
August, last year, to the Delhi Government, Delhi Municipal Corporation, New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Development Authority. |
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Count undertrial’s jail period in sentence: SC New Delhi, May 10 The facts of the case before the court were that an accused was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment in two criminal cases. He was arrested the same day in connection with both the cases. The question before the court was: Is it permissible for him to claim the benefit of set off envisaged in Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in both the cases? |
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IAS officers reshuffled Dehra Dun, May 10 According to official sources, Mr Amarendra Sinha, IAS, has been appointed Secretary, Planning, Information Technology and member, State Planning Commission. Mr Anand Vardhan, IAS, has been given the charge of District Magistrate, Pauri while Mr R.K. Sudhanshu, IAS will be the new ADM of Pithoragarh. Mr Dayal Nath Singh, PCS, will be the new Additional Secretary, Health, Family Welfare, Drinking Water and Child Development. Mr Chanar Ram, also a PCS, has assumed charge as Additional Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Human Rights, Visa and Civil Defence, the sources said. Mr M.K. Joshi, PCS, will be the new Additional Secretary, Home, Jails, Revenue, and Disaster and Land Management.
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ICHR Chairman Grover dead New Delhi, May 10 He was 78. He is survived by two sisters and a brother. Professor Grover had just finished attending a meeting of the expert committee of the National Museum, of which he was a member, when he suddenly collapsed. He was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where he was pronounced brought dead. Professor Grover had a distinguished academic stint in many institutions, including Jamia Milia Islamia and Panjab University. He had retired from the ICHR in 1985 as Director. The cremation will take place tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Satnagar.
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Sudhakarrao Naik dead Mumbai, May 10 He was 67. He is survived by his wife Sumantai, son Jai and daughters Archana Chavan and Aradhana Naik. The hospital Director, Dr
K.R. Shetty, said the end came at 7.40 p.m. due to “shortness of breath and heart failure”. Mr Naik, a former Governor of Himachal Pradesh, was admitted to the hospital last week after he complained of breathlessness.
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Cong seeks repoll in Midnapore New Delhi, May 10 Senior party leader Kamal Nath today met the Chief Election
Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill, here to complain about “terror-tactics and booth-capturing” by CPM goons in certain areas of West Bengal, including Howrah, Purulia and Bankora. The party demanded a repoll in all 37 constituencies in Midnapore district. Mr Kamal Nath alleged that the state government had failed to utilise the services of central forces which were not given any instructions and were kept stationary. Mr Kamal Nath, who remained in touch with the Trinamool leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee, throughout the day today, said the list of sensitive booths given by the Congress had not been paid attention to. |
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Cong gearing up for
anti-NDA offensive New Delhi, May 10 An idea about the party thinking was given by a senior leader who has extensively campaigned in West Bengal and Assam during the Assembly elections. Senior Congress leaders, including party’s Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Mr Madhav Rao Scindia, have already started articulating party’s position that it would not be found wanting in case the BJP-led government falls. They feel that the NDA government would be “emasculated by defeats” in the Assembly elections and situation could come to a pass where the allies drift away. However, analysing the present situation where the government commands a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, the Congress is not making exaggerated claims about its ability to herald downfall of the government. Instead, the party has been saying that “the NDA government would fall because of its own inherent contradictions.” Wiser by its experience of May 1999 when it could not cobble together a majority despite confident declarations, the Congress is treading cautiously this time. Eager to see the ouster of the BJP government, the Congress, however, does not want to make a false move which could boomerang. It does not even want to be seen making machinations to see the government out. Congress leaders feel that its a win-win situation for the party even if it fails to form a government in West Bengal and the its alliance falls behind in Tamil Nadu. The party, they say, has been able to bring back two key parties — the Trinamool Congress and the Tamil Manila Congress — and expand the secular base. |
STUNG BY BEES, EX-SARPANCH DIES CHHABILDAS FLOATS NEW PARTY VILLAGERS KILL LEOPARD DEENDAR ANJUMAN’S OFFICES SEALED SOUTH INDIAN FILM DIRECTOR DEAD 2 BROTHERS MAULED TO DEATH BY BEARS JMM LEADER HELD FOR FLESH TRADE |
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Mumbai, May 10
