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SC relief for two IAS officers from Punjab
Indian Prisoners in Pak Jails
N-deal process on track: Kakodkar
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AP announces benefits for minorities
Ghising fails to enter Darjeeling
India miffed at US support to JeI
DefExpo
F-16 right choice for India: Lockheed
M.K. Narayanan holds security review meeting in Shillong
Sex Scandal
Arms looted by Maoists recovered
Manish Tiwari is AICC spokesperson
Disproportionate Assets
Newly-weds die in road mishap
4 suspected Naxalites held
ULFA triggers blast at oil depot
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SC relief for two IAS officers from Punjab
New Delhi, February 18 On February 1, the high court had quashed the September 20, 2004, notification of the Union government promoting Sharma and Grewal to the IAS cadre after their names for empanelling in the Central civil service were recommended by the state government. Since both have been functioning as IAS officers for the past over three years, a Bench comprising Justices SH Kapadia and B Sudershan Reddy ordered status quo when Sharma’s counsel Sudhir Walia took up his case. Though only Sharma’s special leave petition (SLP) against the high court order was listed today, the apex court order would virtually benefit Grewal also as the Central government’s notification about their promotion to the IAS cadre was the same. Walia told the apex court that the promotion was initially challenged in the Central Administrative Tribunal by Karam Singh but the application was dismissed by it. Karam Singh subsequently filed a petition before the high court, which found fault with the UPSC selection process and set aside the Union Government’s September 20, 2004, notification of the promotion of the two officers. Walia said the state government had forwarded their names for empanelling in the IAS cadre purely on merit by following a procedure laid down under the rules and there was nothing wrong in the UPSC selection process. He said quashing the promotion of his client after Sharma had put in over three years of service as an IAS officer would affect the latter’s career adversely and put him in a most disadvantageous position. Though the status quo order was passed by a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan on February 8 when Sharma’s lawyer made a special mention of the case for early hearing, it was formalised with the issuing of notices by the regular Bench of Justices Kapadia and Reddy to the Centre, UPSC, Punjab government and petitioner Karam Singh.
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Indian Prisoners in Pak Jails
New Delhi, February 18 Gopal Das, who is imprisoned in a Pakistan jail for 22 years after being convicted for life in an “espionage” case, claimed that he was neither involved in any spying activity, nor had any link with any Indian intelligence agency. In his petition moved through his brother Anand Vir, Gopal Das said he had not only been detained “illegally” by Pakistani agencies, but had also been convicted “unlawfully” for an offence that he never committed. His only fault was that he had strayed into the Pakistan territory in July 1984 and immediately arrested by the security forces of that country, he said, informing the court about the presence of at least 182 such prisoners in different Pakistan jails, about whom he had information based on some newspaper reports or personal knowledge. A Bench of Chief Justice K.G Balakrishnan and Justice R.V Raveendran, though was not inclined to issue notice to the Centre at this stage on Gopal Das’ petition, yet it sought a status report from Solicitor-General G.E Vahanvatti, asking him to personally find out whether any step was taken by the government to get the Indian prisoners released. Gopal Das stated that after his detention, he was tried by Field General Court Martial at Sialkot Cantonment and convicted for espionage charges with the award of life sentence. But in the entire process his human and fundamental rights were violated continuously and in spite of his writing two letters to the Government of India on May 30, 1988 and July 19, 1990 for taking up his case through diplomatic channel, nothing had been done in this regard. “The Ministry of External Affairs and Indian High Commissioner at Islamabad had though acknowledged the receipt of the letters,” the petitioner said, adding that he continued to be in jail even though he had completed his life sentence, which extends to a maximum of 20 years in 2005. Gopal Das further said the Pakistan Government had initiated steps to release him on the occasion of that country’s Independence Day on August 14, 2007 but the Indian Government had not taken any action to ensure his release. While stating that he had been lodged in Central Jail, Mianwali, since 1999, Gopal Das said “there are as many as 182 prisoners, who are languishing in Pakistani jails just for having crossed the border by mistake.” But most of them had been framed up under the Official Secrets Act by the Pakistan Rangers and the Army authorities. He has furnished a list of 182 Indian prisoners based on media reports and his personal knowledge, claiming that some of them were soldiers of Indian Army while most of the youths had “inadvertently” crossed over to the Pakistan territory from Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.
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N-deal process on track: Kakodkar
Bangalore, February 18 Kakodkar said there was no pressure on India from the US to sign the deal quickly, but refused to comment on whether time was running out for signing the deal during the George W. Bush regime. “Bush has been more than sympathetic but many Democrats have also endorsed the deal,” he said, adding that the country would keep working on the deal even if it did not go through during the present Republican regime in the US. The Atomic Energy Commission chairman, who was talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a workshop held at the National Institute of Advances Studies (NIAS) here, said what needed to be understood was that the entire process of negotiations over the safeguards agreement was a long technical process. He said this process also needed to be conducted correctly in a step-by-step manner. He, however, claimed that the country was moving forward in the negotiations and that they were not stuck. “I am positive the deal will go through, provided our conditions are met,” he said, adding that “if it does not go through, it does not go through”. Speaking about the ongoing negotiations being conducted with the IAEA, Kakodkar said such a thing was happening for the first time. “Since there is no precedent for such discussions, thing are taking more time,” he added. He, however, stated that the discussions were moving forward. NIAS director and Rajya Sabha member K Kasturirangan, when questioned about the nuclear deal, said India needed the deal as it involved cooperation with 42 countries around the world. “We need to be part of this cooperation,” he said, adding that by and large all politicians were also of this viewpoint. He, however, said a few parties wanted to go through a different kind of process, particularly to safeguard the country’s independent foreign
policy.
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AP announces benefits for minorities
Hyderabad, February 18 In a bid to woo minorities with an eye on the next elections, the government included a string of minority welfare measures in the annual budget for 2008-09 presented by finance minister K Rosaiah in the Assembly on Saturday. Apart from allocating Rs 2 crore for Christian pilgrimage, the budget also provided for Rs 5 crore to undertake repairs of churches and mosques during the year. The minister also enhanced the overall allocation for minorities’ welfare from Rs120 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 177 crore in 2008-09. The subsidy for Christian pilgrims, on the lines of the Haj subsidy scheme, is the first of its kind being offered by any state government in the country. Incidentally, Chief Minister YS Rajsekhara Reddy comes from a Christian family. Minorities account for about 12 per cent of the state’s population of 7.7 crore. Of this, Christians account for nearly two per cent. In his address to the joint budget session of the Assembly and the council, Governor ND Tiwari had announced the subsidy scheme for Christian pilgrims. He had also announced that the government would perform mass marriage for poor Muslims and Christians from the next financial year on the lines of the Kalyanamasthu programme being implemented for Hindus. The state government will give salaries to teachers in Madarsas, the Islamic schools of learning, and provide computers to them.“With a view to ensuring that the students in Madarsas learn modern education, my government has advised these institutions to appoint teachers on their own for teaching mathematics, science, English and computer education. The government will provide their salaries,” Tiwari said. He stated that the government was also in the process of formulating a scheme for the development of Wakf properties in the state. The minority students were being provided pre-matric and post-matric scholarships on a par with backward class students from the current financial year, while the eligible candidates among them would also get fee reimbursement. Orders have also been issued for setting up 12 pre-matric and 16 post-matric and 12 residential schools for students from minority communities.
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EC Notice to Sonia
New Delhi, February 18 The Election Commission served a show cause notice to Sonia Gandhi for accepting the award as the accompanying citation says the recipient owes allegiance to the Belgian monarchy and constitution. Sonia Gandhi has three weeks to send the reply. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, who is also Gandhi’s counsel, today maintained they will give a “strong and comprehensive” reply to the notice, stating that the facts available suggest there was no case for even sending out this notice. “This is nothing but sensationalism,” he added. Brushing aside the Election Commission’s objections, Singhvi explained that this is a civilian award and carries no pecuniary benefit. Singhvi’s confidence might be misplaced as he had written to the Election Commission even before the Election Commission had served the notice and cited a series of reasons for quashing the case but to no avail. Maintaining that the petition, on the basis of which the notice was issued, was motivated, Singhvi’s letter had explained that Gandhi was awarded a civilian decoration and not a title. “It is no way violative of the Indian Constitution and more specifically, Article 18,” he said. In this connection, Singhvi recounted that Morarji Desai had been awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan, which is Pakistan’s highest civilian award. Similarly, Biju Patnaik was decorated with Indonesia’s highest civilian award, Bhumiputra. India, too, has given awards to foreigners, the most prominent being South Afirca’s human rights champion Nelson Mandela, who was given the Bharat Ratna. “Does this mean that South Africa should take action against Mandela because he was awarded the Bharat Ratna,” Singhvi remarked.
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PM assures support to Maya for UP’s development
New Delhi, February 18 During the meeting, he assured Maya that the Centre will take all necessary steps to promote the development of the state. The Prime Minister referred to the special group he had constituted for preparing a road map for the rapid economic development of UP under the chairmanship of member planning commission B.K. Chaturvedi. He assured the Chief Minister that a special plan for the development of Bundelkhand region would be prepared with the help of the Planning Commission. He also drew attention to financial allocation made to the state under various Central government programmes, including Bharat Nirman, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission and Roads, Railways and Power Development projects. He hoped the state government would properly implement these programmes. The total resources available to the state under 11th Plan will be Rs 2, 80,000 crore amounting to 3.5 times the resources made available in the 10th Five Year Plan. Central assistance alone will be over Rs 80,000 crore during the Plan period. The Prime Minister also assured the Chief Minister that the State’s energy and connectivity needs will be met. He said a Group of Ministers was presently considering the proposal for setting up an International Airport in Gautambudh Nagar district.
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Kidney Scam: CBI secures custody of kingpin’s brother
New Delhi, February 18 Chief metropolitan magistrate Sanjeev Jain, before whom the 36-year-old Raut was produced, remanded the accused till February 29 to enable the CBI to conduct custodial interrogation to unravel the deep-rooted conspiracy in the case. Jeevan, who was on the run ever since the kidney racket came to light on January 24, was arrested by a team of the CBI yesterday. The CBI had also secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him on February 1. While remanding the accused in the CBI custody, the court observed that since his involvement in the case is required by the investigating agency to unearth the entire racket, he be remanded till February 29. Earlier, CBI counsel A.K. Singh sought 14-day custody to unearth the conspiracy between him and others. Dr Amit Kumar, who was arrested by the Nepalese authorities and handed over to India on February 9, is already in the CBI custody. Dr Amit under FEMA scanner PTI adds: The Enforcement Directorate has begun a probe to ascertain if Amit Kumar has violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). ED sources said some documents received from the CBI were being examined, which included papers about alleged stashing of money by Kumar in Canada and recovery of foreign currency from his possession in Nepal.
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Ghising fails to enter Darjeeling
Kolkata, February 18 Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also advised Ghising not to enter Darjeeling now. Ghising was kept in Pental village near Siliguri town under heavy security arrangement. Two years ago, there was an attempt on Ghising's life when gunmen attacked him and fired at him while he was returning to Darjeeling through Panckhabari. The GMM, led by Bimal Guring, Ghising's one-time close aide, had been agitating in the hills against the granting of the Sixth Schedule, which had paralysed normal life in Darjeeling. The GMM was demanding full autonomy in the hills and also Ghising's removal from the hill council, which he was heading as a care-taker chairman during the past few years. Ghising today returned to Siliguri in the afternoon flight from New Delhi with the assurance of getting legal sanctioning of the Sixth Schedule for the hill people during the budget session of the Lok Sabha. In the Capital, he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Home Minister Shivraj Patil and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and discussed with them the Sixth Schedule proposal and the hill people's various problems. But he could not enter Darjeeling, carrying with him the Centre's special development package for the hill people, and was forced to stay back at Siliguri. Later, Ghising told mediapersons that he would make an attempt to enter Darjeeling tomorrow and hoped that the police would make necessary arrangements for his safe return to the hills. But Ghiising's supporters today did not come out in the public in support of him. Gurung alleged that during his rule, Ghising did not serve the interests of the hill people. Instead he and some his close people were involved various corrupt practices. He further alleged that Ghising was now hobnobbing with the Congress leaders in Delhi and the Chief Minister for gaining personal interests. Disturbed at the situation in the hills, the Chief Minister today held detailed talks with hill development minister Ashok Bhattacharjee. Bhattachree stressed that the administrative steps as well as political initiatives be adopted forthwith for peace and normalcy in Darjeeling.
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India miffed at US support to JeI
New Delhi, February 18 Sources said today that India is miffed at the Bush administration’s continued support to the JeI as a political party, particularly in Bangladesh. New Delhi’s annoyance with the US policy towards the JeI is growing by the day and threatens to become a major irritant in the Indo-US relations. New Delhi’s perception of the JeI is at 180-degree variance from Washington’s take on the political outfit. The Bush administration wants that the JeI should remain in the democratic mainstream, though both CIA and National Security Council (NSC) have strong reservations on this issue. Sources said the CIA’s take that removal of the Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League leader Nawaz Sharif created a vacuum in Pakistan enabling the JeI Pakistan and other fundamentalist forces to occupy the vacant political space. The CIA is understood to have cautioned the Bush administration against unfettered support to the JeI, as it would be difficult to deal with the party in future. The JeI has been playing an important role in raising funds for Hillary Clinton’s presidential election campaign through the Islamic Council of North America (ICNA) and the mosques located in the USA. India is concerned with the Bush administration’s JeI policy, particularly against the backdrop of the Indo-Bangladesh relations where the JeI is a major spoiler. JeI’s politics in Bangladesh is controlled and choreographed by Pakistan. The JeI Bangladesh has known linkages with such terror outfits as Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (HUJAI) and Jamiatul Mujahiddin Bangladesh (JMB). Commander of HUJAI, Bangladesh Mufti Abdul Hannan, who is in custody in Bangladesh, has given a graphic account of HUJAI’s anti-India activities. Moreover, the top leader of the JeI Bangladesh, like its Amir Matiur Rehman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mujabid and two assistant secretaries-general Mohammed Abdul Qadir and Mohammed Kamruzzman are facing war crimes for siding with the marauding Pakistani troops during the country’s liberation war in 1971.
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DefExpo
New Delhi, February 18 Talking on the sideline of the DefExpo 2008 organised jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the CII, chief controller of Defence Research and Developments Prahlada said, the missile, now just named K-15, with a range of 700 km, would be test fired from a pontoon immersed in the sea shortly. “We have completed all preparations for the first-ever test launch of the missile and awaiting the government's nod.” He said that the test would be conducted in the seas off the interim test range site at Balasore in Orissa. The confidence being exuded by the DRDO over the successful testing of the missile was visible in the statement that the DRDO would need just one test to ratify the missile systems and the parameters which would form the main armament of the country's indigenous nuclear submarine expected to enter sea trials late next year. The successful testing would make India join handful of countries like the US, Russia, France and China who possess such a capability. It would also considerably enhance India’s nuclear deterrence, as sea-launched missiles will form the crucial platform for the country's second strike nuclear capability. Prahlada said the DRDO had almost perfected the dry-run trials on the key missile and it would be integrated with the advanced technology vehicle. The DRDO official said the preparations have also been made to conduct the second test of the 3,000-km range Agni-III missile. We are waiting for the weather to improve to go ahead with the test, he said adding that it would be ready for induction in the strategic command forces after two more tests. He said proposals had been cleared by the government for a joint venture with Israel to produce long-range surface-to-air missile for the Navy. The government has cleared the deal worth Rs 2,500 crore and the advanced missile would be ready for induction in three years time.
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F-16 right choice for India: Lockheed
New Delhi, February 18 Speaking at the fifth DefExpo-2008 here, organised by the ministry of defence and the CII, Lockheed Martin’s aeronautics vice-president Orville Prins said F-16 was specifically designed to meet the requirements for India’s medium and multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) and provide even greater frontline capability with bottom-line reliability. The assertion from Lockheed Martin came a day after Boeing, the other US company in race for the huge 126 fighter aircraft order from the Indian Air Force, said that it was ready to transfer all technology to India. Prins also said its proposal would comply with all the requirements of the RFP. Prins said C-130J’s reputation for effectiveness, readiness and safety continued to grow as does its prospects for international sales. India and the US signed the deal earlier this year. “We are proud that India chose C-130J to meet its airlift needs. They (India) will soon join the ranks of seven countries that experience the outstanding capabilities of C-130J Super Hercules,” he added.
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M.K. Narayanan holds security review meeting in Shillong
Guwahati, February 18 According to a security source, the NSA held a meeting with senior officers of the Army, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Meghalaya police and Assam police in the Raj Bhawan in Shillong after his arrival there from Nagaland. Senior civil officials of Meghalaya and Assam also attended the security review meeting. Sources said that the security arrangement regarding the forthcoming Assembly elections in three states - Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura - was also on the agenda of the meeting. All these poll-bound states have borders with Assam. The inter-state movement of insurgents in the region has been a concern for security forces and state police forces fighting militancy in the region. The state of Meghalaya, which has a long porous border with Bangladesh in Garo hills areas, has been bearing the brunt of insurgency as militants based in other states, especially Assam, have been using Meghalaya as a transit corridor to Bangladesh bases. Several top militants leaders from Assam, including a few from the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were arrested in Meghalaya of late along with arms and ammunition.
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Sex Scandal
New Delhi, February 18 A Bench headed by Justices B.N. Agrawal and G.S. Singhvi declined to interfere with the Kerala High Court judgement upholding the trial court verdict in the case. The accused in the case included the former mayors of the Kozhikode Corporation T.P. Dasan and O. Rajagopal. Aravindakshan, driver of the IUML general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, was also an accused in the case. The scandal had rocked the state in 1996 with the prosecution alleging that one Sreedevi was running a brothel from an ice-cream parlour. It was alleged that the lady used to send girls to various influential people, including politicians.
— PTI
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Arms looted by Maoists recovered
Bhubaneswar, February 18 Director-general of police Gopal Chandra Nanda, who briefed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the anti-Naxal operation here, told reporters that a carbine, 115 rifles and five grenade launchers were among the weapons recovered near the encounter site in Gosmah forest on border area of Nayagarh, Ganjam and Kandhamal districts. In addition, the truck used by the Maoists to take away the arms from Nayagarh armouries on Friday night was also found. Half the truck was loaded with cartridges and other ammunition.
— PTI
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Manish Tiwari is AICC spokesperson
New Delhi, February 18 Tiwari (42), has long organisational experience having served the two youth frontal organisations of the party. He was president of NSUI from 1988 to 1993 and president of Indian Youth Congress from 1998 to 2000. The Congress leader from Punjab is at present serving his fourth stint as secretary of the AICC. He had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Ludhiana. He joins the team of spokespersons that includes Mohan Prakash, Abhishek Singhvi, Jayanti Natarajan, Satyavrat Chaturvedi, Shakeel Ahmed and Mukul Wasnik. The AICC media department is headed by Veerapa Moily.
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Disproportionate Assets
Patna, February 18 Appearing for the state government, Surendra Singh submitted that the order of the lower court acquitting Lalu and Rabri was not based on the basis of evidences presented by the CBI, but it was “influenced” by the order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. Earlier, senior advocate of the Supreme Court Ram Jethmalani had appeared for Lalu and Rabri before the court.
— UNI
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Newly-weds die in road mishap
Lucknow, February 18 The groom Pramod and his bride Sadhna, Pramod's brother-in-law Rajendra, his uncle Devi Lal and car driver Rajendra were killed on the spot when the car carrying the wedding party collided head-on with a speeding truck in the Deokali area of Ghazipur. The driver and cleaner of the truck, which bears a Varanasi registration number, are absconding. The marriage party was returning to Varanasi after the ‘bidai’ ceremony. The couple's marriage had been solemnised in the bride's village of Bhadsar on Saturday night. The bridegroom, a resident of Varanasi, was a college teacher in Azamgarh while his father Madan Lal Srivastava is a retired Irrigation Department employee.
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New Delhi, February 18 All the four men travelling in the car were arrested and were suspected to be Maoists, he said. The arrested people are being interrogated and their identity ascertained. This seizure comes in the backdrop of recovery of a huge quantity of arms and half-a-truck-load of ammunition looted from armouries in Orissa’s Nayagarh district, where the ultras killed 14 policemen and a civilian two days ago. 50 landmines defused Berhampur: More than 50 landmines laid by fleeing Naxalites around the Gosama hill were defused by a bomb disposal squad today. Security personnel encircled the Naxalites numbering about 300 holed up in the Gosama hill since Saturday and intensive combing operation was on. Security personnel also seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition, left by the Naxalites in the jungles. — UNI/PTI
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ULFA triggers blast at oil depot
Guwahati, February 18 Official sources here said the incident occurred at 6.45 pm and till the time of filing this report, the fire could not be brought under control although, fire tenders of the ONGC reached from Galeki and Nazira. Sources said at least five fire tenders were pressed into action and about 200 people were moved to safer places. Meanwhile, lower DIG of Assam Police G.P. Singh informed that a senior officer of the State Veterinary Department was arrested for paying Rs 1.5 lakh to the ULFA. Another ULFA linkmen Chandrasekhar Bora was also arrested from Moran area of Upper Assam. The ULFA called for a 12-hour “Assam Bandh” tomorrow, demanding release of their sympathiser and Human Right leader Lachit Bardoloi. — UNI
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Justice Sachar to be member of Citizens’ Tribunal
Chandigarh, February 18
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