New Delhi, February 10
Hans Raj College remained closed today after the body of a visually challenged student was found hanging in his hostel room.

Mukesh Kumar (23), who was pursuing Hindi honours from the college, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in room number 143 last night. His hands were tied in front.

The police believes that the accused tried to pass it off as a suicide case.

A murder case has been registered at Maurice Nagar police station.

Kumar's family members reached the Capital today from Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

Kumar's postmortem examination will be carried out tomorrow by a medical board.

"A panel of doctors for the board was finalised today. The exact cause of death would be known only after we receive the medical report. We have questioned some people close to Kumar," said Sagar Preet Hooda, DCP (north).

When asked whether the police had got any clue in the matter, Hooda dismissed it saying that it was too early to speak about it.

However, a police official said that the police had questioned at least two persons, including a female friend of Kumar.

They were called to the police station.

"They are not suspects but they were questioned as they were close to the deceased," said the official.

The college comes under Delhi University. The college administration called a hostel committee meeting today to look into the tragedy.

New Delhi, February 10
The demand for students’ union election in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) suffered a setback yesterday after maximum students refused to go against the Supreme Court’s ban on it.

In last night’s Urgent General Body Meeting (UGBM), a resolution put up by All India Students’ Association (AISA) which rules JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), was passed by maximum students, giving way to the initiation of JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) election. However, a writ petition would also be filed in the Supreme Court challenging the ban, at the same time.

The apex court had put a ban on the JNUSU elections in October 2008 on the basis that the elections flouted Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines.

The matter was also addressed in the JNU court today which has more than 100 members, including six MPs who meet once a year to discuss issues related to the university. Some members of Parliament advised that court members should also ensure that the stay on JNUSU elections was lifted.

A campaign for holding the elections within the first academic semester, initiated by the main opposition Students’ Federation of India (SFI) on January 20 this year, could not win over a majority of students and was defeated by 83 votes.

According to the resolution passed with 749 votes, the present JNUSU led by AISA would constitute an election committee within the next two weeks to hold JNUSU elections. Though to avoid punishment under contempt of court, the students decided to consult legal experts and file a writ petition against the ban imposed on the elections in the Supreme Court at the same time.

“We would start holding GBM in the schools where reports of councillors would be placed, marking the first step to convening the elections,” said Shephalika, vice-president, JNUSU.

She said a meeting of the Joint Struggle Committee, an organisation of students formulated to fight the ban on legal level, would be called in the next two days to look into the legal complications of holding elections.

On the other hand, all other students’ organizations, including the ultra-left Democratic Students’ Union (DSU), have questioned AISA’s intention of holding the elections.

“Their stand is self-contradicting. If they want to look into the legality of the case, then it is clear that they would not hold elections till they get permission to do so,” said Banojyotsana, from DSU, adding that the beginning of the process does not make sense in that case.

The organisation also asked why the AISA office-bearers of JNUSU had not filed the writ petition so far.

The case was transferred to constitutional bench in November 2009 after which the JNUSU has not challenged it.

New Delhi, February 10
The south district police has arrested three Nigerian nationals for cheating a Delhi-based real estate businessman out of Rs 1 lakh.

The accused have been identified as Daniel (35), Goldstime Ozemoya (30) and Jude Ufuoma (33).

They were arrested from near Saket PVR yesterday evening where they had come to collect Rs 1 lakh more from the businessman.

The sum of Rs 1 lakh, which had earlier been taken by them from the complainant, was also recovered from their possession.

According to police, the Nigerians started visiting the real estate businessman Aman Garg’s office for the past one week and desired to invest Rs 1 crore in realty.

They said that they could pay in the American currency.

“The businessman insisted on getting money in the Indian currency, but the cheats told him that they had crores of American dollars which they had brought to India secretly, concealing from the authorities,” said HGS Dhaliwal, DCP (south).

“They further told him that they had to convert the dollars into black colour and those dollars could again be washed with the help of a chemical which they would have to procure from their Bombay-based agent and for this purpose they required Rs 2 lakh,” the deputy commissioner of police said.

After much persuasion, Garg agreed to pay Rs 1 lakh after the Nigerians gave him a suitcase full of ‘black dollars’ as guarantee. However, after a relative told Garg to check the dollars, he realized that they were actually black papers cut in dollar size.

The matter was reported to the Saket police station, and when the businessman called the trio to collect another Rs 1 lakh next day, they were arrested.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they had come to India in December 2009 and came in touch with one Davis, a Nigerian national who persuaded them to make money this way.

“Davis is presently based in Bombay and they do not have any idea of his whereabouts. They further disclosed that Davis had provided them with the seized black dollars and guided them how to dupe people,” said the officer.

Further investigation in the matter is on.

New Delhi, February 10
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today launched the sale of 10 kinds of pulses from a Mother Dairy booth near Patparganj in east Delhi. 

Speaking at the launch, she said that the weights and measure department of the government would start a massive campaign to check whether pulses and other food items were being sold at actual rates in retail shops. 

“The Delhi government would take strict action against hoarders and those shopkeepers found selling pulses and other food items in varying rates compared to the government rates,” she said. 

In the last six months, the Chief Minister said, Delhi has witnessed unexpected rise in prices of various commodities particularly basic food items like sugar, pulses, wheat, rice and vegetables. 

“It has been reported that the inflationary trend in food items has been to the extent of 20% over the last year and in spite of increased arrivals after the new crop has been harvested, the prices of pulses, sugar and vegetables have not lowered,” she said. 

The wholesale price of sugar continues to hover around Rs 4,200 per quintal and the retail rate has touched Rs 47-50 per kg.  Similarly, the wholesale price of Arhar dal touched Rs 6,875 per quintal in January and retail price remained Rs 80-88 per kg. The retail price of Moong dal, Urad and Masoor dal has remained at a high of Rs 80-90 per kg. 

However, she said that after the government’s initiative to sell pulses and fortified atta, the price of these items became 15-20% less in the open market.

The Chief Minister added that NAFED would soon start selling sugar at lower rate.

New Delhi, February 10
An exhibition on women entrepreneurs, an attempt to bring traditional and ethnic works of nondescript women, will be held for the first time in the Capital after being an annual feature in Mumbai for 17 years.

The two-day exhibition starts on February 23. It will showcase exquisite collection of traditional Indian wear, including Patan, Pathani, Banarasi, Kanchipuram, Chanderi, Maheshwari and Phulkari.

Some other designers and artistes would unveil their range in home, lifestyle and fashion categories. The proceeds of this exhibition will be used for a charitable cause to help women and children.

“Women Entrepreneurs 2010 focuses on the revival of heritage textiles, saris and embroideries, which provides employment to women. We are promoting heritage textiles. In particular, we have included weavers from Nagaland and Assam to showcase their rich culture. We hope it will provide them a platform in local and foreign markets,” said Swati Piramal, president, ASSOCHAM and director, Piramal Group.

Former Indian cricket team captain and MP Mohammad Azharuddin’s wife Sangeeta Bijlani, who will also lend a hand to the event, said there was a lot of talent in rural India which was not tapped.

New Delhi, February 10
Terming the Delhi government's licensing policy as arbitrary, the Delhi High Court today ruled that cycle rickshaws can ply in the national capital without any restriction on their number.

A full Bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah quashed MCD's policy of not allowing more than 99,000 ricksaws to ply on the roads.

"The right of an individual or citizen to ply cycle rickshaw or other forms of transport falls within the legitimate exercise of his freedom guaranteed under the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution," said the Bench which included Justices S Ravindra Bhatt and S Muralidhar.

"It is held that the limit of 99,000 placed on the number of licenses which can be issued by MCD is arbitrary and hereby set aside," the court said adding there was no objective material which could "remotely justify" the cap.

The court said there should be provision for parking of cycle rickshaws and the authorities should ensure that the rickshaw pliers and licensees "are not harassed."

It directed the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation (MCD), the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Police to constitute within a six weeks a special task force to explore all questions pertaining to road traffic in Delhi, including provision of separate tracks for rickshaws on roads.

The task force would also go into the issues of minimising congestion, reducing pollution levels of motor vehicles and ensuring "equitable access to all classes of vehicles," including non-motorised transport such as bicycles and cycle rickshaws.

The court's order has come on petitions filed by NGOs, Manushi Sangthan, Delhi, and the Initiative for Transportation and Development Programmes.

New Delhi, February 10
Around 15 years back in 1994, five men got involved in a criminal conspiracy by installing two MTNL telephone numbers at Batla house of Jamia Nagar with ISD and STD facilities under fake names and papers.

One of them being an MTNL employee himself helped the others to get the connection.

In this case, a Delhi court today convicted all five accused under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Telegraph Act.

Special Judge V K Maheshwari convicted Fahim Ahmed Abbassi, Ashok Kumar, Mehmood and Jharkandi Rai (MTNL employee) to two years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped on them a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

The magistrate, however, sentenced Shabban, a co-accused to one year of imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

“Corruption is a scourge that not only severely affects the progress and development in the society but also poses a grave challenge to governance itself. Anti-corruption measures in India are perceived by the people to be weak and ineffective. More, than corruption itself it is the widespread public perception that corruption is not or would not be punished,” the court said while pronouncing the judgment.

During the course of surprise check in 1994, two telephone numbers were found installed at Batla house with ISD and STD facility in the name of Ayub Ali and Mohommad Irfan. At that time, two men Ashok and Mehmood were found providing STD and ISD facilities to various parties at cheap rates causing subsequent loss to MTNL at the direction of Fahim Ahmed.

As per the office records of MTNL, these two numbers were opened in 1994 by Okhla telephone exchange on the deposition of Rs 30,000 for each in ‘Tatkal category’.

Later, Shabban obtained ISD and STD facility on September 27, 1994.

Thereby, with an intention to cheat MTNL by way of evading payments, they started misusing the same. The non-payment of bills in respect to the two numbers from the year 1991 to 1995 was around Rs 40,00,000.

Brajesh Shukla, Senior PP for CBI argued “these types of offences are very rampant in society, therefore, keeping in view the deterrent theory of punishment, stringent view should be taken against the accused so that the society may take a lesson.”

Noida, February 10
Six bike-borne unidentified men allegedly robbed two employees of a security agency of Rs 4.5 lakh at gunpoint last evening in Sector-68 here.

The victims work with Om Security Agency in Sector-63. Om Security Agency in the only agency from Noida that has been chosen for security duty during the Commonwealth Games.

Six armed men on three bikes allegedly looted the amount from the agency’s accountant, Gaurav, and field officer, Sachan, when they were going for disbursement of salary to security guards. When they reached Sector-65, six men on three bikes started following them. The men then allegdely pushed their bikes and the two fell.

They allegedly snatched the bags containing cash from Gaurav and Sachan at gunpoint and sped past.

Gaurav and Sachan informed the police about the incident immediately.

Police personnel from Sector-58 Kotwali reached the spot and started a search for the robbers. The police officers ordered vehicle checks, but they failed to trace the criminals.

According to the police, the robbers had knowledge about the movement of Gaurav and Sachan as the company pays salary to its staff on the 10th of every month.

The police suspects a connivance between a company employee and the bandits.