New Delhi, February 8
The Supreme Court today warned the Governors that they could not “misuse” their constitutional powers of granting clemency to convicted prisoners under political pressure while refusing to lift its ban on the en mass release of life convicts by the Andhra Pradesh government.

“Clemency powers cannot be exercised contrary to law… all constitutional powers are to be exercised in accordance with the law,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran said.

The court refused to lift its interim ban on grant of such clemency, issued on August 16, 2007, but permitted a committee of state government to consider the cases of non-lifers on merits.

Annoyed with the stand of the Andhra Pradesh government, justifying its decision of granting general amnesty on the occasion of last year’s Independence Day to both life convicts and those serving sentence less than that, the court went a step further and said “let the (AP) Governor exercise the powers, we will see, how he can act contrary to the law.”

The strong observation was made by the court rejecting the stand of the AP government counsel T. R. Andhyarujina that the Governor was using his power under the Constitution not under a statute, which made a lot of difference.

“The criminals are in jails so that people live in peace. Those orders are virtual wholesale release,” the court said, while taking note of the contention of AP-based lawyer R. Chandrashekhar Reddy, who had filed a PIL against the state’s decision, alleging that the Rajshekher Reddy government had taken it purely due to “political consideration”.

“We know it will be supported by all political parties who are beneficiaries,” the Bench said, while taking strong exception to the state government taking a vindictive stand against petitioner advocate declaring him a member of “Maoist” cadre by issuing a special Office Order on October 25, 2007.

The court issued a notice to the AP government on Chandrashekhar Reddy’s application for quashing of the order declaring him “Maoist”. The government had asked the police to put him under constant “surveillance”.

As Reddy sought immediate quashing of the order, the court said let the state file a reply for which it fixed a deadline of two weeks.

The court also made the Centre a party to the PIL stating that since it had raised an important constitutional question, union government’s stand was required.

Following court’s stay, the state had appointed a committee to scrutinise the cases but the Bench said the committee could not function independently of the government.

It pointed out that earlier in the majority of heinous murder cases death sentence was awarded but since of late a strong view had emerged against the capital punishment, courts also preferred to give life sentence. In such a background how could hardened criminals be released in this manner, the court asked.

Bangalore, February 8
The terror plot involving educated youths in Karnataka, including SIMI activists and their sympathisers, is broadening. As the Hubli police today detained nine students from the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). The police had zeroed in on a meeting point of the suspected terrorists at Londa in Goa and also recovered explosives at their instance in Dharwad.

According to Corps of Detective sources, the Hubli police has arrested nine students from the Medical College here, including Allah Baksh, a room mate of Mohammad Asif, who is already in the police net. The police is suspecting the students of being a part of a larger terror cell as Mohammad Asif yesterday led the police to the forests of Kalghatty near Dharwad, where 100 gelatin sticks, a hand grenade and 100 wire cases were recovered. Asif claimed that the explosives were buried in the forest area by him, Riazuddin Nasir and Adnan, the self- style head of the State SIMI, who is presently absconding.

Asif today pinpointed a meeting place of SIMI activists at Londa in Goa. The exact meeting place is close to a village called Castle Rock. The meeting place is nestled in thick jungles of the Western Ghats. Asif told the police that he along with Nasir had visited Goa and were planning to strike at its northern beaches.

In Belgaum, the police has arrested one Firoz Sanadhi, a hotel owner, who is accused of arranging food for SIMI meetings. According to the police sources, Firoz, who is a son of former deputy mayor Isar Ahmed Sanadhi, was close to Adnan.

The accused in the case - Riazuddin Nasir and Asadullah Abubaker are going through a number of tests at Bangalore. Nasir was subjected to a narco-analysis test today at the Bowring hospital. He had earlier been subjected to a brain-mapping test yesterday. Sources said the tests were being conducted to ascertain the targets that the group had planned to strike and know more about the their organisational structure. The other accused Asadullah Abubaker was scheduled to undergo a narco-analysis test tomorrow.

The Bangalore police is also scheduled to take custody of the two suspected militants to question them on the attack at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in December, 2005. Joint commissioner (crime) Gopal Hosur said the attack on the IISc still remains unresolved and the police wanted to know whether it was the handiwork of the same group.

Reports reaching here said a few muslim organisations held a demonstration at Gajendergarh in Gadak district near Hubli demanding immediate action against those linked with terror. The ABVP also protested in Bellary for the same.

Lucknow, February 8
A stormy start to the budget session of the state legislature was expected. However, what took all by surprise, including the security, was the presence of a large number of black hydrogen gas-filled balloons inside the House.

As soon as Governor T.V. Rajeswar entered the House at 11 am to deliver his customary address to the joint House of the Vidhan Sabha, SP MLAs dramatically released a large number of balloons, which floated slowly upwards and clung to the dome-shaped roof.

The Congress and SP MLAs were then on their felt, some on their benches, displaying banners and shouting angry anti-government slogans. The SP’s preparation for boycotting the Governor’s address was extra special. Besides displaying large vinyl banners, black flags, placards and black headbands there was a new tool of protest in the shape of these balloons.

Virtually each SP MLA present had something to display. Most of them carried placards that read, “Loktantra ki hatya par sarkar barkhast karo” (dismiss the government for murdering democracy).

Some of the balloons bursted with a loud bang on their upward journey towards the dome, sending a shaken Chief Minister Mayawati to rush out of the House.

A security-conscious Chief Minister left even before the Governor could complete his address, which no one could hear amidst the din. Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar adjourned the House. Later, SP MLAs proudly claimed they had smuggled the large number of gas-filled balloon under their shawl without raising any suspicion.

Kolkata, February 8
On the heels of police firing at Dinhata, Coochbehar, on the Forward Bloc agitation that killed six persons, the police today again opened fired at demonstrators at Mejia, Bankura, about 140 km from here, injuring nine persons, including two children. The injured have been admitted to the district government hospital and the condition of two injured, including a vegetable vendor, Nemai Das, is said to be critical.

The incident followed the death of a local school student, Biswajit Gorai, alias Babui, who was run over by a speeding truck and killed on the Durgapur highway while he was going to attend school in the morning.

However, the driver drove away the truck. The parents and relatives of the child and other local residents soon came out on road protesting against the non-deployment of traffic police near the school. The agitated people demonstrated and blocked the highway. When the police arrived, the protesters started pelting the police jeep and other moving vehicles with stones. A truck was also set on fire.

The police soon opened fire to control the situation. Altogether seven rounds were fired in the air, the DIG (law and order), Raj Kanoria, said at the Writers Buildings. However, he could not explain why them such a large number of people could be hurt in the firing. 

Mumbai, February 8
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today hit out at nephew Raj Thackeray for the latter’s campaign against north Indians in Mumbai.

In an editorial, party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray called the estranged nephew a “bird flu-affected chicken that is of no use to anyone”. Without naming Raj Thackeray, the comment said such stunts were undertaken by people who wanted to improve their political career.

According to Thackeray, those who ran riot in Mumbai over the past few days were doing so only to attract free publicity.

BRIEFLY

Remains of ancient city unearthed
Bhubaneswar: Remains of an ancient city believed to be around 2500 years old have been unearthed by archaeologists at Sishupalgarh near here. The remnants at the historical site, including 18 pillars, came to light during a fresh research work undertaken by a team of archaeologists, including Monica L. Smith of The University Of California and R.K. Mohanty of Deccan College, Pune. The remnants suggest that the city, with four gateways, had 20,000 to 25,000 settlers, while classical Athens housed about 10,000 persons, Mohanty said. — PTI

Santanu Bhattacharya from the Department of Organic Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, has been awarded the G.D Birla Award for Scientific Research for the year 2007. Bhattacharya, though a chemist has made pointed investigations on DNA trafficking and DNA transfer mechanism that have key implications in developing carriers for gene therapy.

Taslima hopeful of visa renewal
Kolkata: With just eight days left for the expiry of her visa, a worried Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen hoped that India will not “turn its back” on her and that it will grant extension on time to help her stay on. Taslima (45) said she was also pinning her hopes on external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in Parliament about India’s reputation for hospitality and that it welcomed guests as long as they respected the sentiments of the people. — PTI

Bear attacks zoo visitor
Guwahati: In a bizarre incident, a visitor at the Assam State Zoo here was injured by a Himalayan black bear after he jumped into the animal's enclosure as baffled visitors looked on. A zoo official said 23-year-old Azahar Ali was watching the bear from the designated viewing spot when he suddenly took a plunge by crossing the 15-foot barricade on Thursday evening. "The five-year-old bear was initially terrified and then started attacking the man. People were simply dumbstruck by the incident," zoo veterinarian Bijoy Gogoi said. — IANS

Up Cong MLA quits party
Lucknow: In a major embarrassment to the Congress,its sitting MLA Ajay Pratap Singh alias Lalla Bhaiya dramatically used the floor of the Vidhan Sabha to charge his party of deliberately stalling the state's development before announcing his resignation from both the Congress and the Vidhan Sabha. Representing Karnailgnaj in Gonda district, he raised a point of order to "bring the plight of the state" to the notice of the house.As the stunned Congress MLAs looked on, Lalla Bhaiyya sitting in the treasury benches announced that he was well within his rights to sit wherever he wishes as there was neither a whip nor was there a lobby division. — TNS