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Act cautiously while dismissing employee: SC Pak warms up to Hurriyat moderates More arrests in Nobel prize theft case Nobel medal theft may sway voters Mulayam to contest from Mainpuri Congress mounts pressure
on Mulayam Singh
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Shiv Sena tries luck in Goa again CRPF setting up intelligence apparatus Raja Bhaiya case hearing adjourned The POTA court here today adjourned till April 23 the hearing of a case under the Prevention of Terrorism Act against Uttar Pradesh Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, his father Udai Pratap Singh and cousin Akshay Pratap Singh. Customs board ex-chairman, son chargesheeted The Central Bureau of Investigation today filed a chargesheet against the former Chairman of the Central Board of Excise and Customs B.P. Verma, his son Sidharth and a close associate Mohan Gupta for indulging in corrupt practices and amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
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Act cautiously while dismissing employee: SC New Delhi, March 27 The ruling came on an appeal by a Delhi police constable who was removed from the service for unauthorised absence from duty on medical grounds. “We are of the view that the punishment of dismissal from service can be awarded only for the acts of grave nature or as cumulative effect of continued misconduct proving incorrigibility of complete unfitness for service,” a Bench of Mr Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice A R Lakshman held. Constable Bhagwan Lal Arya, had appealed in the apex court against the Delhi High Court order upholding his removal from the service by the Delhi police for staying away from duty for two months and eight days. “Only one incident of absence and that too because of bad health and valid and justified ground cannot become basis for awarding such a punishment,” the court said, setting aside the order for his dismissal. The court also took a note of the fact that Arya did not have any other source of income and was the sole bread earner of the family. Besides, he did not have any bad service record. Criticising the disciplinary authority of the Delhi Police to recommend his removal, the court observed that “no reasonable disciplinary authority would term absence on medical grounds with proper medical certificates from government doctors as grave misconduct. Non-application of mind by quasi-judicial authorities can be seen in this case”. |
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Pak warms up to Hurriyat moderates New Delhi, March 27 The meaning and message of this diplomatic symbolism is: peace in Jammu and Kashmir does have a chance after all and the current thaw in Indo-Pak relations may well continue even in summers. Pro-Pakistan Syed Ali Shah Gilani, who heads the hardliners' faction of the Hurriyat, attended the Pakistan Day reception at Pakistan High Commission here on March 23, just as the moderates like Maulana Abbas Ansari, Mr Bilal Lone and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq did. While Mr Gilani was ushered out before 10 pm, the moderate trio remained in Pakistan High
Commission till well past midnight, sources told The Tribune today. The moderates were in conversation with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and other Pakistani diplomats and officials till they left around 2 am, sources said. This is despite the fact that Mr Gilani had gone to the Pak High Commission with a 25-member delegation, presumably to showcase his strength. Sources said the development showed that even Pakistan finds it impossible to openly encourage and promote a rabidly anti-Indian leader like Mr Gilani who has been saying "No" to the Centre's newest offer for talks. This is corroborated by another recent development. Mr Gilani's Jamaat-e-Islami had given him another shock when it had dismissed the primary membership of Mr Ashraf Shahrai, who was the Jamaat's head of the Political Affairs Committee and right hand man of Mr Gilani. Significantly, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik was conspicuous by his absence at the Pakistan Day reception. Diplomatic circles here attach a lot of importance to the unexpectedly warm reception to the Hurriyat moderates headed by Maulana Ansari and cool treatment given to Mr Gilani. They pointed out only four outfits in the APHC mattered: Mirwaiz's Awami Action Committee, Mr Lone's People's Conference, JKLF and the Jamaat-e-Islami. The Pakistan Day reception demonstrated the growing isolation of hardliners like Mr Gilani. |
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More arrests in Nobel prize theft case Kolkata, March 27 The police yesterday detained eight persons for interrogation. On the basis of their interrogation, one Chandan Das (52) was arrested from Baranagar near South Sinthee in north Kolkata. Another person was detained from south 24-Parganas. The IG of Police (Law and Order), Mr Chayan Mukherjee, told reporters at Writers Buildings that Chandan Das, who was arrested from Baranagar last night in connection with Tagore’s Nobel prize theft, had been released after interrogation. He said the belongings which the police found in his possession were not those of the valuables stolen from Santiniketan. Das himself is an artist and also a collector of curios and the articles which the police had seized from his possession belonged to him, Mukherjee added. The IG said the CID officials and the police were still conducting several searches in some other places on the basis of the interrogations of eight persons who were detained on Friday but later released. Governor Viren. J. Shah however, expressed hope that the police would soon unresolve the ‘mystery’ and recover the stolen Nobel prize and other valuables. The DG of police, Mr D. Bajpayee, also said the police and the forensic experts had been investigating in the right direction and soon it would be possible for them to arrest the culprits and recover the stolen prize and other valuables. CID officials probing the matter were convinced it was not a mere incident of theft. They also did not rule out the possibility of the involvement of any international gang into the theft of Tagore’s nobel prize and other valuables. Both Prime Minister Vajpayee and Mr L. K. Advani spoke to Chief Minister Bhattacharjee over phone last night and assured the state government of all help and assistance to recover the stolen nobel prize and other valuables and arrest the culprits. From Thursday immediately after the detection of the missing of Tagore’s Nobel prize and other valuables at Santiniketan, all the international border adjoining Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar had been sealed. |
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Nobel medal theft may sway voters Santiniketan (West Bengal), March 27 The blame game has begun as different political parties hold one another responsible for the heist that was discovered on Thursday in this university town. Analysts feel the theft was an issue big enough to sway Bengali voters for whom anything related to Tagore is an emotional matter. Leaders are making a beeline for Visva Bharati University — founded here by Tagore in 1921 — to make their own assessment of the security situation and the progress made in investigations. Around 10.15 a.m. on Thursday, security staff of Uttarayan, Tagore’s home inside the university campus, discovered that at least 43 of his memorabilia, including the Nobel gold medal he won in 1913. were missing. Robbers had also escaped with two gold bangles and a sari of the poet’s wife Mrinalini Devi, a ring belonging to his father Devendranath, some ornaments, silver utensils, several rare paintings and articles made of ivory. The stolen items had been kept in 12 cupboards. However, the Nobel citation, initially thought to have been stolen, has been spared. The news of the theft sent shock waves through West Bengal and has since captivated the state’s attention. Political parties — Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Congress — have brought out processions in the town demanding the immediate arrest of culprits and recovery of the stolen articles. This demand saw Nirmal Majhi — the opposition Trinamool’s candidate from the Bolpur constituency, under which Santiniketan falls — go on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the university gates. As policemen carried on their investigation and glum-faced university officials and students went about their business, Trinamool leaders continued delivering speeches, mostly on the “inefficiency” of the CPM government and the university authorities. Silent processions were brought out by political parties in Kolkata, about 200 km southeast of here, to protest the theft. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee arrived here on Friday night to assess the security arrangement. She said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the chancellor of the university, had asked her to submit a report on the theft. The Trinamool and the Congress have demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). State Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has so far refused it. The Congress has given the state government a week’s time to arrest the criminals and recover the stolen goods or prepare to face a protest. Bhattacharya will visit Santiniketan on Sunday. The CPM holds the federal government responsible for the theft because it is in charge of the university. The party says adequate security personnel could not be posted because the federal government did not sanction the posts.
— IANS |
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Mulayam to contest from Mainpuri Lucknow, January 27 In an impromptu press conference, General Secretary of the party Amar Singh declared that Mulayam Singh Yadav would contest from Mainpuri. The BJP has fielded Balram Singh Yadav, a former Samajwadi Party leader who had recently joined the BJP, from Yadav-dominated and crime-infested district of Mainpuri. Mulayam had earlier successfully contested election from Sambhal. This time, the seat has gone to his brother Ram Gopal Yadav. Mulayam’s son Akhilesh Yadav would contest from neighbouring Kannauj constituency. “It was a unanimous decision that Mulayam should contest from Mainpuri and Mulayam had agreed to abide by the wishes of the party workers,” Amar Singh told reporters at the party headquarters. He said Mulayam would have a greater role to play in the post-election scenario, therefore it was decided that he should contest Lok Sabha elections. “The indications available point towards a hung Parliament and Mulayam Singh will have a major say in government formation in the post-election scenario,” Amar Singh added. When asked whether Yadav will resign as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Amar Singh said: “Is it required? Mulayam Singh will decide after elections whether to continue in the state Assembly or to quit the Lok Sabha seat,” he said. He also announced that the Samajwadi Party would support Chandrashekhar in Ballia. “The party will not field any candidate against the former Prime Minister,” he said, adding: “We (Samajwadi Party) have never opposed Chandrashekharji and this time too we will support him in the elections.” |
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Congress mounts pressure
on Mulayam Singh New Delhi, March 27 For the first time, the Congress publicly invited the Samajwadi Party to enter into seat adjustments with it to ensure that secular votes are not split. The Congress also announced that it would extend support to former minister Ram Jethmalani as a common candidate of opposition parties against Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Lucknow. The sub-text here was that the Samajwadi Party ought to do the same if it is serious about taking on the BJP. These twin announcements, made by senior leader Pranab Mukherjee, come two days after the Congress held out a veiled threat that it could withdraw support to the SP-led Uttar Pradesh government for deviating from the secular path. These announcements were essentially meant to position the Congress as a party which had worked till the very end to bring together all secular forces on a common platform for the coming Lok Sabha polls. It has, therefore, deliberately not released its list of Lok Sabha candidates for Uttar Pradesh. In case the Samajwadi Party does not respond positively to this offer, it would provide a legitimate reason for the Congress to withdraw support to the UP government. The Congress would then be able put all the blame on Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav for fragmenting the secular vote and, thus, helping the BJP. “If Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav does not support a common candidate against Mr Vajpayee and if he does not support secular forces...what does it indicate. It means he has an understanding with the BJP,” explained a senior Congress leader. For the record, however, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee held out hope of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party even though it has released its list of Lok Sabha candidates. “In the realm of politics, there is always the possibility of an alliance,” he replied, adding that it is the Congress party’s sincere effort to have seat adjustments with the Samajwadi Party. He also maintained that the Congress had extended support to the Mulayam Singh Yadav government on a principle, adding that the support would continue as long as the principle stands. Congress sources said both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are presently engaged in a cat-and-mouse game. Mr Yadav would not like to be seen to be repulsing the Congress efforts at forging a secular alliance. This would give his opponents an opportunity to brand him pro-BJP and send out a negative signal to the Muslims, who constitute the mainstay of his support base. The Congress is also eyeing the minority vote, which, it believes, could swing in its
favour, if the Muslims are sufficiently disillusioned with the Samajwadi Party. And for that, it needs to discredit Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav by “exposing” his “secret understanding with the BJP.” |
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Shiv Sena tries luck in Goa again Mumbai, March 27 The elections to the 14th Lok Sabha will see the Shiv Sena contest both the Lok Sabha seats in Goa even though it has an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra and is part of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. On Saturday, the Shiv Sena announced that it would field its candidates against the two sitting MPs from Goa who belong to the BJP. The Sena’s candidate advocate Samir Bandodkar would contest the North Goa Lok Sabha seat against Union Minister of State for Finance Shripad Naik of the BJP. The Shiv Sena is fielding Vishnu Prabhu, a former MLA, from the South Goa seat against sitting BJP MP Ramakant Angle. Prabhu is a former leader of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party as is Angle. The Congress-NCP alliance has fielded former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao for the South Goa seat. Observers say, Prabhu may cut into Angle’s votes in case of neck to neck contest in South Goa. However, Shripad Naik is expected to romp home comfortably in North Goa since he doesn’t have a strong opponent. The Congress-NCP alliance is yet to decide on a candidate. The MGP, which was once a strong party in Goa, is now party of the secular alliance and is not contesting the elections. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray is said to have finalised the candidature of the two candidates in Goa. With no base in the country’s main tourist state, the Shiv Sena often trucks in men and material from the Konkan region in neighbouring Maharashtra during every election. Even the vehicles used by the party for campaigning are brought in from outside. |
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CRPF setting up intelligence apparatus Mount Abu, March 27 During the vigorous 25-week training, the officers were taught variety of subjects, including human rights, stress management and crowd control. Speaking on the occasion, Additional Director General of Police (Crime), Rajasthan,
A.S. Gill, urged the officers to find innovative ways and means to meet the growing menace of extremists and anti-national elements. Lauding role of officers and jawans of the CRPF in poll duties, Gill exhorted them to be particularly cautions while on election duty in disturbed and highly sensitive areas of Jammu and Kashmir,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. — PTI |
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Raja Bhaiya case hearing adjourned Kanpur, March 27 In the absence of designated POTA Judge Shailendra Saxena, Additional District Judge C.N. Singh took over the case and fixed March 31 for argument in hearing the bail application of Raja Bhaiya, which was submitted on March 5 last. The POTA court has already granted bail to Akshay Pratap Singh. None of the POTA detainees was present in the court today when the case was taken up.
— PTI |
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Customs board ex-chairman, son chargesheeted New Delhi, March 27 The chargesheet was filed before the court of Special Judge, Patiala House in connection with a case registered by CBI on April 4, 2001 against the three under different sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court has fixed the next date of hearing for the case on April 26 this year. CBI had searched the residential and official premises of the three accused and found that B.P. Verma had made investments in several companies to the tune of Rs 26.5 lakh and another Rs 25 lakh were in FDRs, NSCs and LIC policies. Besides, Rs 2.85 lakh cash, jewellery worth Rs 24 lakh and foreign currency of $ 1,500 were also recovered during the search. About Rs 16 lakh worth of household items were also found.
— UNI |
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