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‘Tainted’ Ministers Case
Ticklish defence diplomacy on with Russia
Cong to up the ante against Maya
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Goa MLA attacks police HQ to free prisoners
Talks not an alternative: ULFA
Pauri Byelection
Files on Security Withdrawal
Fake Warrant against Prez
Live bands take on discotheques
Absconding Jharkhand cop surrenders
Land
Dispute Case
Special teams to trace
‘gang-rape’ victim
Speaker to meet Oppn on Budget
PM, Prez greetings on Ravidas Jayanti
Kidney Racket
India looks at IBSA as strategic lever
Trinamool threatens Tata Motors
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SC gives final chance to six states for reply
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, February 20 Though the PIL had only raised the issue of inclusion of four ‘tainted’ ministers in the Manmohan government - railway minister Lalu Prasad, Mohd Taslimuddin, M.A.A. Fatmi and Jay Prakash, all from RJD - the apex court had widened the scope of the PIL by including the appointments of charge-sheeted persons in the state governments also. A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrsihnan and Justices R.V. Raveendran and J.M. Panchal, hearing the case to complete the pre-constitution Bench proceedings, gave the states four weeks’ time to submit the reply. While giving them final opportunity to file the affidavits, the court indicated that the hearing by the constitution Bench could be taken up only after receiving the affidavits. The PIL was filed by Manoj Narula soon after the inclusion of charge-sheeted ministers in the UPA government in 2004. The main constitutional question raised by him was whether under the oath of office procedure, the Prime Minister could be restrained from appointing a charge-sheeted person in his council of ministers and administering the oath of office to such person by the President did not violate the constitutional provision.
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Ticklish defence diplomacy on with Russia
New Delhi, February 20 Both New Delhi and Moscow are acutely aware that any further delay on the part of Moscow in delivering on the already signed defence deals between the two countries can adversely impact the bilateral relations. At the same time, the two sides are doing their best to avoid irritants the soonest possible. A high-level Indian defence delegation comprising defence secretary Vijay Singh and defence production secretary Pradip Kumar and senior officials from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force is in Moscow since yesterday. The Indian delegation is negotiating on the whole gamut of defence deals, including Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, frigates and the fifth generation fighter aircraft the two countries have agreed to co-produce. Both sides have been given clear instructions by their respective political leadership to handle these negotiations with kids’ gloves and hammer out a pragmatic, time-bound solution to the current impasse on the Indo-Russian defence deals. The trickiest issue relates to the Gorshkov deal that has been hanging fire for more than four years since India agreed to pay $ 1.5 billion for retro-fitting of the aircraft carrier that Russia had initially offered as a “gift”. The Russians have since been demanding for an additional payment of $ 1.2 billion for the delivery of the aircraft carrier that is going to take at least three more years for delivery. The Indian side has done some hard talk with the Russians and even dropped hints of adopting “enough is enough” approach. This would have meant the Russians left with no choice but to keep Gorshkov, rechristened INS Vikramaditya by India, in the Russian Navy. However, indications are that New Delhi may settle for paying $ 600 million, or half the additional price being demanded by Russia. At their recent New Delhi summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Vladimir Putin had instructed their respective departments concerned to salvage the sinking Gorshkov deal and arrive at a mutually acceptable formulation.
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Cong to up the ante against Maya
New Delhi, February 20 “We will continue with our “hisaab mango abhiyan”, which seeks accountability from the BSP government as also Mayawati”, AICC general secretary in charge of UP Digvijay Singh told reporters today. In fact, he went a step further and said the Congress would also seek an account of Mayawati’s personal wealth. The UP Congress “hisaab mango
abhiyan” is asking the Mayawati government to declare how it is utilising the Central funds. “Our workers will not stop going to villages and mohallas to monitor the functioning of the Centrally-funded schemes.... to see if the public distribution system is working, the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and so on..,” he
added. Digvijay Singh’s categorical declaration was meant to clear the air and send out a clear message to party cadres that the Mayawati-Sonia meeting does not indicate any change their approach vis-a-vis the BSP. Playing down the meeting, which has sparked furious speculation in political
cricles, Digvijay described it as a mere “courtesy call” by the UP Chief Minister to inquire about the Congress president’s health. As for the cases pending against Mayawati, Digvijay Singh maintained that the Congress would not interfere in the judicial process and would let the law take its course. Congress leaders pointed out that the party could hardly afford to be complacent as the BSP chief was an extremely unpredictable person, stating that she had sought a meeting with the Congress president with an eye on the ongoing Taj corridor and the disproportionate assets cases. Mayawati had even threatened to withdraw support to the UPA government at the Centre but promptly backtracked after she managed to extract a huge financial package for Uttar Pradesh from Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh. The BSP has already played a spoiler in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections and is set to repeat the feat in the coming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as Mayawati is seeking to expand her party base outside Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati’s forays into the Hindi heartland will hit the Congress hard as both parties are fighting for the crucial Dalit vote. Congress strategists believe that they can’t afford to let their guard down against the BSP in view of its potential to create problems for them.
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Goa MLA attacks police HQ to free prisoners
Mumbai, February 20 The ensuing melee resulted in injuries to several police personnel, including some 25 women constables. Three policemen are in hospital in a critical condition. But what was even more shocking was the police retaliation. After the initial attack was repulsed by tear gas and firing in the air, police personnel rushed to Monserrate’s fortified residence and trashed it. After administering a sound thrashing to Monserrate, his politician wife Jennifer and other relatives, the cops smashed several imported cars owned by the moneylender MLA, sources told this reporter from Goa. Later around midnight, the police filed a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) against Monserrate and Tony Rodrigues, mayor of
Panaji, who accompanied Monserrate during the attack on the police headquarters. Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said he would take a tough stand against Monserrate despite a threat to his government. “This government will not allow anyone to take law into their hands,” Kamat said. Home minister Ravi Naik, chief secretary J.P. Singh, DGP Brijendra Singh Brar and senior police officials were also present at the media briefing. Admitting that the police had to retaliate against Monserrate, who is known in the state for his strong arm tactics, Kamat said the police had to save their morale. However, DGP Brar denied that the cops went on a rampage at Monserrate’s house. “I don’t have the details as I was busy admitting the injured police personnel to hospital,” Brar said. Several injured women police personnel were presented at the press conference. Meanwhile, shockingly the BJP is backing Monserrate. Leader of the opposition Manohar Parrikar said the attack on an elected representative was uncalled for. The whole episode, Parrikar said, smacked of political vendetta.
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Talks not an alternative: ULFA
Guwahati, February 20 The militant group vowed to continue with its ‘armed struggle’ while continuing its parallel effort to facilitate talks with Government of India through the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) formed in the year 2005. In a statement e-mailed to the media here today, the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa warned off an intensified struggle in protest against ‘repressive designs of occupational Indian forces’ to crush the on-going efforts for finding a peaceful political solution to ‘Assam-India’ conflict. The ULFA leader said a solution couldn’t be achieved only through negotiation sans revolution. The ULFA leader made it clear that the outfit would continue with its struggle saying “Negotiation may be part of its continuing struggle but can’t be an alternative to the struggle.” He clarified that the ULFA hadn’t jettisoned its efforts to find a ‘peaceful political solution’ to the conflict and hence hadn’t dismantled the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) that was constituted by it to facilitate direct talks with Government of India. “It is the Government of India that has ignored the PCG and even arrested the PCG convener implicating him in false charges to crush efforts to find a peaceful political solution. In such a situation there is no alternative but to intensify the struggle and that doesn’t necessarily means withdrawing the on-going efforts for a peaceful political solution,” the ULFA chairman said.
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‘Khanduri’s popularity will ensure BJP win’
Raju William Tribune News Service
Dehra Dun, February 20 Addressing mediapersons before an election rally here, the BJP leader expressed confidence that the voters of the constituency would prefer the BJP to the Congress due to the impressive performance of the BJP-led state government in its 11 months rule so far. She also claimed that Khanduri had been voted the number one Chief Minister in the country in an opinion poll conducted by a leading magazine in the country. Citing another reason of her optimism, she said the BJP’s performance in the state had convinced the people that their expectations, for which they led the movement for a separate state, would be fulfilled. The previous Congress regime was ousted from power as it failed to live up to people’s expectations for which Uttarakhand was created during the NDA rule. The poll outcome would also serve as people’s disenchantment with the anti-people policies of the Congress-led UPA government, she claimed. She also said the outcome of the Pauri byelection would boost the BJP’s prospects in the Lok Sabha election to be held next year. Sawraj also claimed a string of victories for the BJP in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections indicated that the trends were in favour of the BJP at the national-level. She also predicted that her party would make a clean sweep in coming Vidhan Sabha elections to be held in J&K and Delhi.
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Files on Security Withdrawal
New Delhi, February 20 Bitta, who escaped an attack in May 1992 at Amritsar, claimed that the government had withdrawn his security but the Union Home Ministry rejected Bitta’s claim. However, it refused to give details on the grounds that intelligence and security organizations were exempted under RTI Act. “Your security arrangements were reviewed by this ministry subsequent to the attack on you and further strengthened, whereby a higher category security cover was provided and arrangements continue till date,” MHA Joint Secretary A K Srivastava had said in his reply. Chairman of All India Anti-Terrorist Front had moved an RTI application with the ministry seeking information on decision made by its review committee in September 1993, to assess his security in wake of serious threats to him. The matter, which was thereafter taken up with the CIC, saw Bitta challenge MHA’s contention by producing an official correspondence of September six, 1993 that said, “the guards deployed with, the President Youth Congress (I) will be withdrawn on September 8, 1993.” MHA, however, argued that the contents of the letter referred to a change of security force, a contention opposed by Bitta. “There can be no dispute that he (Bitta) will nurse deep apprehension in case of an order of withdrawal of security, which in turn would be a straight forward compromise of his right to life,” CIC said while asking MHA to allow him a personal inspection of the related file within 20 days.
— PTI
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SC tells scribe to tender written apology
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, February 20 Since a CBI inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court had found the magistrate innocent, the apex court had directed its ire against Zee TV reporter Vijay Shekhar, whose PIL it once had admitted with all seriousness after his claim that he had exposed the corruption in Megahninagar courts in Ahmedabad in the sting operation to show that summons and warrants could be issued on payment. Magistrate Braham Bhat, who was suspended following the sting operation in 2004, was restored back to his post after an inquiry by the CBI, which found that only some lawyers, who held positions in the city Bar association, were involved in receiving payment of Rs 40,000 from Shekhar to help him to get the warrants against the then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, CJI V.N. Khare, Supreme Court judge B.P. Singh and late senior advocate R.K. Jain. The apex court was informed that the magistrate though had not scrutinised the warrant papers properly before signing them after being presented before him by his staff, yet he was not a part of the racket and had signed them in good faith. The Court was further told that even the names of the four dignitaries were presented in the warrant papers in a manner that even a prudent man could have not easily identified them. But the Court had ordered strict action against the lawyers and their licences were cancelled. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan today insisted on an apology from the scribe even as his counsel Arun Jaitley justified the sting operation claiming that it was aimed at exposing the corruption in the lower judiciary. Jaitley said honesty of the reporter should not be doubted as he had submitted himself to the apex court jurisdiction and had sought prior permission from it for telecasting the sting operation. But the Court was not convinced with the argument and observed that “it was a criminal act (to conspire with lawyers to bribe them to obtain warrants). You must tender an apology.” The Court, however, softened its stand indicating that if the scribe explains his bona fide intention in the apology affidavit, he could be granted pardon. The Court had earlier given him opportunities twice on July 26 and November 22 last year to submit the apology affidavit.
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Live bands take on discotheques
Bangalore, February 20 The latest volley has been fired by the Live Band Association which has announced that it will hire 2,000 eunuchs to dance at discotheques which it claims get away with dancing behind closed doors even as they are unable to conduct their business since the last two years due to a ban on live band performances in the state. The issue at stake is a Karnataka Excise Act law condition which states that women cannot dance at a place that serves alcohol. Discotheques and even pubs in the city have been able to circumvent this easily due to the closed door nature of their operation. Loud music and dim lights create an atmosphere for patrons to dance on small floors created close to the bar even as the management supposedly adheres to the law by hiring only male bartenders and not providing any girl performers. On the other hand, live bands operate in much more basic premises which are usually frequented by hard drinking men only and cannot exist without girl performers. Association President Sanjay Kochhar says live bands wanted to protest against the government for imposing different rules for different people. He says though the state police was claiming that no dancing was taking place in discotheques in the city, this contention was blatantly false. “In order to teach them a lesson we will bring in eunuchs and ask them to dance with anyone who opts to dance in discos”, he added. Kochar says his Association will also approach the Supreme Court to contest the claim of the city police that no discotheques were running in the city. The police on its part is not amused by the idea of eunuchs entering discotheques and taking to the floor. DCP Gopal Hosur says the Live Band Association should understand limits placed by society and not over reach themselves. He said the police had not banned dancing in discotheques of even running live bands but only made police permission mandatory for establishments which served drinks and had dance floors. They have also been mandated to shut down their shutters by 11 p.m. if they want licenses to run such places. However, the order is as good as a ban as no discotheque owner has come forward to take police permission since the promulgation of the order two years back. Similarly, live bands have also stopped playing in the city since then. “No one wants to run a dancing joint under such conditions”, says a lounge bar owner.
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Absconding Jharkhand cop surrenders
Bhagalpur, February 20 A local court later remanded A. Natrajan, who belongs to the Jharkhand cadre, to 14 days judicial custody after rejecting his bail plea in the 11-year-old case of assault on a judge and advocates by policemen. Sub-divisional judicial magistrate Sunil Kumar Singh gave the order after the superintendent of police (CID) moved the bail petition through his counsel Brajkishore Prasad. Singh had on January 9 this year directed the superintendent of police, Bhagalpur J.S. Gangwar to constitute a task force to arrest and produce Natrajan before him on February 5. The Bhagalpur police had attached Natrajan’s properties at Ranchi in the first week of this month as he continued to abscond despite summons, property attachment notice and even an arrest warrant. The case relates to manhandling of the then additional district and sessions judge D.N. Barai, his staff and lawyers by policemen on November 18, 1997 when Natrajan was SP, Bhagalpur. The attack was sparked by a judge’s order to seize the service revolver of a sub-inspector of police Jokhu Singh when he appeared before the court for deposition in connection with a criminal case at Koili-Khutaha village carrying the weapon.
— PTI
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Media baron Ramoji,
son surrender
Ramesh Kandula Tribuen News Service
Hyderabad, February 20 Rao and Kiron, owners of the largest circulated Telugu daily Eenadu and Etv channels, drove to the police station and surrendered before the SHO who released them on bail after securing two sureties of Rs 10,000 each. The HC had, on February 11, granted them anticipatory bail on the condition that they surrender before the police within 10 days. A cheating case was filed against Ushodaya Publications, the publishers of Eenadu daily, by N.E.K.K. Verma of Visakhapatnam whose land was acquired by the media baron in 1974 on a 33-year lease. The case against Rao and his son is that they indulged in fraud and foul play. The landowner alleged that Ushodaya Publications had surrendered 517 sq yds of the land to the government for the purpose of road widening and obtained an alternative land. Instead of registering the alternative land given by the government in the landowner’s name, the media firm allegedly registered it in its name. Meanwhile, Rao and his son, who is the managing director of the Eenadu group, filed a petition in the high court seeking anticipatory bail.
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Special teams to trace
‘gang-rape’ victim
Vellore, February 20 The teams would be under the supervision of district superintendent of police (SP) N. Arulselvam, the police said today. The decision was taken yesterday at a meeting of top police officials presided over by Tamil Nadu additional director general of police K. Vijayakumar, who arrived here from Chennai for discussions about the case. DIG of Police (Vellore) Sundaramoorthy said each team would comprise 10 personnel, including a DSP, an inspector and two sub-inspectors. The court on Monday had pulled up ADGP, prisons, A. Subramanian for not taking seriously the complaint of the convict and directed the state home secretary to entrust the case to a competent officer not below the rank of SP. The convict, serving a 10-year sentence in the prison here in a habeas corpus petition, alleged his wife was raped by four officials, including the deputy jailor, of the prison when she was returning home after visiting him a few months ago. After that she had gone
missing. — PTI
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Speaker to meet Oppn on Budget
New Delhi, February 20 The Speaker will meet leaders of National Democratic Alliance over lunch on Friday. He would interact with leaders of UNPA and other non-Congress and non-BJP parties as also leaders of the Congress on Saturday. He would also hold eve-of-the-session meeting with leaders of political parties on Sunday. The session would start with President Pratibha Patil’s address to the joint sitting of both houses on February 25. While the Rail budget will be presented on February 26, the general budget will be presented on February 29. Meanwhile, the Congress today appealed to all Opposition parties to allow the smooth functioning of the budget session.
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PM, Prez greetings on Ravidas Jayanti
New Delhi, February 20 The Prime Minister said that Guru Ravidas embodied the spirit of humility and human dignity. “Revered by Hindus and Sikhs, the compositions of Guru Ravidas have been a source of knowledge and wisdom. His life and teachings would always inspire us to create a humane and just society, where every individual is given due dignity, regardless of his or her caste, creed, religion or gender,” he said.
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ASI sent to judicial custody
New Delhi, February 20 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A.K. Kuhar sent accused Ravinder Kumar Singh to judicial custody till February 23. The Delhi Police submitted before the court that Dr Amit Kumar’s aide Upender, from whom he had allegedly extorted money, had already identified the accused in his test identification parade at the Tihar Jail here. The seven policemen, including Ravinder, had allegedly extorted Rs 19 lakh last month from the driver of Upendra, one of the main accused in the Gurgaon kidney racket, for letting them go scot free after being picked up. — PTI
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India looks at IBSA as strategic lever
New Delhi, February 20 During his just-concluded Brazil visit (February 16-19), external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee referred to the exciting partnership in the trilateral framework of IBSA that brought together three large democracies from three continents with similar developmental aspirations. He added that India attached great importance to the unique group which was engaged in unprecedented transformational diplomacy.
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Trinamool threatens Tata Motors
Kolkata, February 20 The threat came after Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant visited Singur today to review the progress of the construction of the factory and reiterated the company’s resolve to meet its manufacturing deadline. Meanwhile, eleven persons were injured and five houses ransacked in a clash between activists of Trinamool Congress-backed Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee and CPI(M) at Takapura in Nandigram, police said today.
— PTI
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Hitler, Alexander in poll fray
Shillong, February 20
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Indian Ocean film fest from tomorrow
New Delhi, February 20 India had offered to host the event at the 7th Council of Ministers (CoM) of Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) held in Tehran in March last
year. — UNI
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