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Tuesday,
September 9, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Mamata’s induction political expediency,
says Congress Nitish happy at Mamata’s return SC sets aside high court order on
Trinamool Congress
leader murdered |
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Digvijay’s charges
false, says Naidu Woman accuses MP
Cong spokeman of sexual exploitation Verdict in
Staines killing on Sept 15 SC stays disbursement of relief to Uphaar victims Shekhawat leaves
for Seychelles CBI chargesheets 19 for Pandya’s murder BJP finalises
nominees for LS poll Railway staff held responsible for accident Plea to produce Jaya’s letter
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Mamata’s induction political expediency,
says Congress New Delhi, September 8 Party spokesman Anand Sharma said the reinduction "was an insult to the principles guiding the composition of the ministry." He recalled that Ms Banerjee had left the Union Cabinet on the Tehelka issue and had demanded the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the wake of the expose. Mr Sharma said the Prime Minister owed an explanation as to why Mr Ramachandran, who is an MDMK representative, was first shown the door and then taken back even before his innocence or otherwise was proved. Mr Ramachandran had quit the government following the arrest of his personal assistant in a cash-for-transfer scam. The spokesman said it was a true reflection of the composition, image and character of the government. |
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Nitish happy at Mamata’s return Kolkata, September 8 Talking to newspersons after laying the foundation stone of a container terminal in the Kidderpore dock area this afternoon, Mr Kumar said the NDA would benefit from her return to the Cabinet. She should have returned to the Cabinet much earlier, but unfortunately that did not happen, he added. The proposed terminal will handle 2 lakh tonnes of inward domestic cargo every year with its completion and will provide linkage for transshipment of cargo from Kolkata to Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Tibet. Incidentally, both Ms Banerjee and Mr Kumar have not been on talking terms for the past fours years after she was inducted in the Vajpayee ministry, replacing Mr Kumar as the railway minister. However, Mr Kumar again got the Railway Ministry when Ms Banerjee resigned over Tehelka controversy. Ms Banerjee subsequently was unhappy with Mr Kumar’s decision on the
bi-furcation of Eastern Railway and shifting of Dhanbad from Eastern Railway to the newlyformed Railway Zone, under his home state of Bihar. The Railway Minister said he would give adequate importance to Ms Banerjee’s Bengal package which she as the Minister had planned. He assured all the backward areas in the country would get priority in the railways future development work. Mr Kumar denied that the Railways was now ignoring the safety and security of the passengers. He said more funds would be allotted for security measures. He regretted the accidents in the Railways following sabotage as well as human failures. He declared that adequate steps would be taken to avoid accidents and provide safety and security to passengers. There would be no compromise on the safety issue with any other things, he stressed. Mr Kumar later participated in a panel discussion on the Railways safety plan, in which the senior Railways Board members, including the Chairman, and GMs of Eastern and South Eastern Railway took part. |
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Railways
to install 100 safety devices New Delhi, September 8 Field trials of the new device have been carried out recently, according to a press note issued by the Railway Ministry here on Monday. In the past five years, 490 unmanned level crossings have been manned and funds sanctioned for manning 2,145 level crossings. The policy of manning unmanned level crossings is being reviewed. The Indian Railways need about Rs 2,450 crore to man its 21,792 unmanned level crossings. The Anti-Collission Device (ACD), a satelite-based technology developed by the Konkan Railway Corporation, will provide additional safety shield at manned and unmanned level crossings through an audio visual indication to road users, according to the note. The cost of providing ACD on the entire railway network is estimated to be Rs 1,600 crore. |
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SC sets aside high court order on New Delhi, September 8 The Gujarat Government had challenged the high court order on the ground that the four accused — Salim Bhai Abdulgaffar Shaikh, Mohammed Hussain Abdullrahim Kalota, Siraj Abdullah Jasma and Mohammed Abdul Sattar — had been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and the single judge Bench of the high court had no original jurisdiction to hear their bail petition under the Act. Allowing the Gujarat Government’s appeal against the high court order, a Bench comprising Mr Justice S Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice G.P. Mathur said “there being a specific provision for grant of bial, the high court clearly erred in taking recourse to Section 482 (inherent power) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), while enlarging them on bail.” However, the four were not released from jail as per the high court’s July 4 order as the apex court had stayed it following filing of the appeal by the Gujarat Government. Stating that the high court certainly had inherent power to provide justice where it felt that dispension of the same was urgently required, the apex court said “but this power cannot be resorted to if there is a specific provision in the code for the redressal of the grievance of the aggrieved party.” Though the applications for bail were filed before the high court under Section 439 of the CrPC from January 18 and 30 this year, the accused were meanwhile charged under POTA after further investigation by the probe agencies, the court said. As the high court has no original
jurisdiction to entertain the bail petition under the POTA because it could only hear an appeal against the trial court order in such matters, the apex court directed all the four accused to first approach the special court holding trial in the case. Directing the special court to dispose of their bail petitions expeditiously “without being influenced by any observation made by the high court,” the Bench said “any party feeling aggrieved of the trial court order will have a right to prefer an appeal before the high court in accordance with Section 34 of POTA." |
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Trinamool
Congress leader murdered
Kalyani (WB), September 8 Mr Roy told PTI in Kolkata over telephone from New Delhi that the leader, Samir Naq, Chakdah Trinamool Congress block president and the local Anchal Pradhan, was attacked with bombs and later shot at near his office. The police confirmed the incident and said an investigation was on. According to the Trinamool Congress Nadia district president, Mr Naresh Chakki, the party will observe a 24-hour district bandh on September 10 to protest against the killing. Party sources said the victim was the winner of the President’s Youth Medal in 1980. Nag was elected in the last panchayat elections in May on a Trinamool Congress ticket along with his wife. Mr Roy said Nag has earlier sought police protection “in view of threats to his life”.
— PTI |
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Digvijay’s charges
false, says Naidu New Delhi, September 8 “We have reviewed the political situation and electoral prospects in the states which will go for the polls soon and we are confident that the party will sweep the poll in the four states. We are confident of opening our account in Mizoram,” Mr Naidu told newspersons here. Asserting that the BJP would focus its campaign on “development, good governance and national security and unity”, he said the nervousness of the Congress was getting reflected from the manner in which its Chief Ministers were making “wild and baseless” allegations against the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. Taking exception to the allegations levelled against the RSS by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh that the Sangh Parivar outfit, was training its cadre to handle explosives, the BJP president said: “Such horrendous and frivolous allegation shows that the Congress is nervous and lost confidence much ahead of the Assembly poll.” Accusing the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister of trying to divert the attention of the people from his government’s failures, Mr Naidu challenged him to provide evidence about any such training on explosives being imparted by the RSS. The BJP president also gave an indication over the possibility of the Centre awarding ownership rights to the tribesmen in possession of forest lands in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and some parts of Rajasthan. Mr Naidu ducked a question on why the party had not named the chief ministerial candidate in Chhattisgarh, while it had done so in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, saying that “for every state we have different strategies and in Chhattisgarh we have decided to bank on collective leadership.” |
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Woman accuses MP
Cong spokeman of sexual exploitation Bhopal, September 8 This does not augur well for the Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh, who had gone out of his way to promote Mr Dahima and was reportedly planning to field him in the November Assembly elections and project him as the standard bearer of his Dalit agenda. Mr Dahima had recently resigned from the IAS and Mr Digvijay Singh had immediately appointed him as the Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh State Scheduled Castes Commission. Later the Chief Minister was instrumental in getting Mr Dahima nominated as one of the spokesmen of the PCC. A married woman of Bhopal has alleged in an affidavit that Mr Dahima and several other IAS and Indian Forest Service officers had sexually exploited her for several years. The affidavit submitted to the National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson, Ms Poornima Advani, last week says a journalist had blackmailed her and sent her to these officers for sex. The woman had also lodged an FIR with the police last month. The NCW Chairperson had announced that she would send a fact-finding team to inquire into the allegations made by the woman and the team would be asked to submit its report within a month. |
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Verdict in
Staines killing on Sept 15 Bhubaneswar, September 8 Dara Singh and 12 other accused were produced in the court of Additional District Sessions Judge, Sachidananda Sahu, who announced that the judgement in the much-publicised case would be delivered on next Monday as the trial judge M.N. Patnaik was indisposed and could not attend the court. Of the 18 accused charge-sheeted by the CBI in the case, three are absconding and one is on bail while juvenile accused Chenchu Hansda had been convicted by a juvenile court. Sahu also remanded the 13 accused to judicial custody till September 15. The trial in the case had commenced on March 1, 2001. The accused were brought to the court in police vans from the circle jail at Choudwar, 45 km from here, under tight security. The missionary and his two minor sons were burnt to death at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district on the night of January 22, 1999, and the CBI was entrusted to investigate the case. —
PTI |
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SC stays disbursement of relief to Uphaar victims New Delhi, September 8 The high court had directed the Delhi police and the MCD to contribute 30 per cent of the Rs 18-crore compensation awared by it to the kin of 59 victims and to 104 persons injured in the the tragedy, that took place on June 13, 1997. The Delhi police and MCD have filed appeals in the Supreme Court against the high court order. Issuing notice to the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy, on whose writ petition the court had awarded the examplary damages on April 24, a Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice G. P. Mathur said till the appeals by Delhi police and MCD are disposed of a “status quo” be maintained in the matter. The MCD and Delhi police, which had deposited their share of the money with the high court Registrar as per the April 24 judgement, claimed that they could not be held liable for the act of negligence as their role was limited regarding the grant of licence and no-objection certificate to cinema hall owners. The rest of the compensation amount has to be shared by Ansals, the owner fo Uphaar Theatre — 55 per cent and Delhi Vidyut Board 15 per cent. The Ansals were also imposed punitive
damage of Rs 2.50 crore by the high court.
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Shekhawat leaves
for Seychelles New Delhi, September 8 Mr Shekhawat is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh and senior officials of the ministries of External Affairs, Health and Defence. During his stay, the Vice-President will hold delegation-level talks with his counterpart James Alix Michel on measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation. He will also address the National Assembly of Seychelles. He will interact with India and Seychelles business communities to discuss measures to strengthen economic cooperation. Seychelles has over the years been extending valuable support to India at international forums, especially in favour of India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. |
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CBI chargesheets 19 for Pandya’s murder New Delhi, September 8 The charge sheet was filed in the court of a Special Judge hearing cases under POTA. The accused included Asghar Ali, who allegedly had fired gun shots at Pandya about six months ago, it said. The accused persons had been charged under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act and
POTA.
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BJP finalises
nominees for LS poll New Delhi, September 8 While the party has decided to field former Minister and MLC Pratap Sinh Mohite Patil in the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, it will support Independent candidate Vishwanath Menon, former Kerala Finance Minister in the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat. In the Assembly byelections, the party has decided to give ticket to former MLA B. Bali Reddy for the Karwan seat in Andhra Pradesh, Mr M. S. Patil for Hungud, Karnataka, and Ms Jopsimon Phanbuh, wife of the late Rangad, former MLA, for the Laban constituency in Meghalaya. In the Birmaharajpur Assembly constituency in Orissa and the Uttarpara constituency in West Bengal, the BJP has decided to support the BJD candidate and AITC candidate, respectively. |
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Railway staff held responsible for
accident New Delhi, September 8 Three passengers died and 22 others were injured in the accident. A press note issued by the Ministry of Railways here on Monday said the preliminary report of the CRS, Northern Circle, Mr G.P. Garg, had been fowarded to the government for action. |
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Plea to produce Jaya’s letter Chennai, September 8 When all but one of the accused — P.S. Maniam, who was indisposed and admitted to a hospital — was produced before the court for trial, the defence counsel filed the petition to this effect on behalf of all accused. —
UNI
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