New Delhi/Mumbai, June 4
The IPL controversy today returned to haunt Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and his MP daughter Supriya Sule, with a fresh uproar over a bid for the Pune team by a company in which they had direct shareholding. The BJP has demanded Pawar’s resignation.

According to a newspaper report, the duo hold over 16 per cent equity in City Corporation, a Pune-based construction company which made a failed bid of Rs 1,176 crore for a franchise in March.

They dismissed suggestions that they were lacking in transparency by not disclosing details of their interest in the company six weeks ago when the IPL controversy raged. Both of them maintained that there was no necessity felt for doing so at that time.

“I have stated earlier also that neither I nor any of my family members were involved in any IPL team or the bidding process and I reiterate that statement,” Pawar said reacting to reports that he, his wife and daughter held 16 per cent shares in the City Corporation.The former BCCI president insisted that the company’s Managing Director Aniruddha Deshpande made the bid in his individual capacity though the bid was made in the name of the company.

"The board took a unanimous decision not (to get) involved. (But) the managing director was eager to get associated with the bidding process, so he was allowed in his individual capacity.

“In (the Board’s) resolution, it was made absolutely clear that there is no direct or indirect involvement of any shareholder other then Mr Deshpande personally,” Pawar said.

Meanwhile, Deshpande, in a statement in Mumbai, said Pawar had nothing to do with a bid by Pune-based firm to win an IPL team. The correspondence between Deshpande and City Corporation’s director Arun Mehta --- stating that the company’s board had specifically decided not to bid for an IPL team --- was also released to the media. According to Deshpande, City Corporation’s Board ofDirectors decided that if any associates or directors wished to bid for an IPL team they would do so in their individual capacity. “Pursuant to the Board of Directors meeting of City Corporation Limited (CCL) that took place in Mumbai on March 17, it was decided that the CCL will not participate in the IPL tender. If any associates or directors wish to bid, they should do so in their personal capacity,” the letter by Mehta said. A copy of the letter was released to mediapersons by Surpriya Sule, who went on to say that if Pawar wanted he could have easily ensured that City Corporation won the bid for the Pune team. “Remember my father was the BCCI chief when IPL started and had he wanted, he could have easily bid for a team even then,” Sule said.Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi also sprang to Pawar’s defence and said there was no truth in reports that he had any role in the bid.

However, the BJP was not t prepared to buy any of these explanations. Party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Pawar of “misleading” the nation by “misrepresenting facts” on the issue and demanded his immediate resignation.

“If he does not do so we will demand that Prime Minister should take stern action against Pawar,” Prasad told reporters in New Delhi. He also demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the IPL affairs.

Pawar, leading an important party like the NCP, which is a Congress ally, the Congress had no choice today but to rally to Pawar’s support.A reluctant Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi sufficed to say, “Sharad Pawar is a valuable ally.” But naturally, the Congress was not keen to go the whole hog in Pawar’s defence, adding, “These questions (regarding his role in the IPL controversy) you have to put to him,” he said responding to questions over the BJP’s demand for Pawar’s resignation.

Chandigarh, June 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today refused to suspend for the time being the 18-month sentence handed down to Haryana’s disgraced top cop SPS Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case. But, Justice Ajay Tewari provided him with limited relief of fast-tracking his plea against the conviction and sentence.It is now scheduled to come up for hearing on June 29, the day the high court opens after the summer vacations.

In the 15-page order, Justice Tewari ruled: “Normally where the sentence is up to three years, bail should be granted liberally, since long pendency of the appeal/revision may result in the convict having completed his sentence.“In the case like the present, where the accused has been found guilty of a particularly odious offence, this rule can be departed from”.

The order handed down this morning, as such, makes it clear that Rathore will stay behind bars, at least till his main petition comes up for hearing after the summer break.Then also chances are Rathore will remain behind bars till the time his main plea is finally decided. Only in case of delay in the hearing of the main petition, he can again press for the suspension of sentence.

New Delhi, June 4
Fourteen-year-old Ishita Vishnoi — the Young Environmentalist of the Year 2010 — believes that the best way to protect environment is to spread awareness among students.

“Students constitute around 25 per cent of world population,” says the Class X student of St Thomas’ School. The wannabe engineer, with a big ‘green heart’, wants to focus on protection of endangered ecosystem and species, while combating destructive development projects. “Promoting sustainability and influencing environmental policies is what the youth should strive for,” says Ishita.To begin with, says Ishita, every student should write at least five letters to their friends and relatives on environment protection. “This award is the greatest achievement of life so far,” she says.

YEYA is a national- level award given by National Museum of Natural Museum (NMNH) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the best-performing teenager in the age group of 13 and 16. The purpose is to create awareness among teenagers to observe, understand and conserve nature and wildlife.

This year YEYA was selected through a written quiz contest for Class IX, X students on Earth Day — April 22 — at five venues in the country. The theme was “Our Biodiversity.” Ishita will receive her award tomorrow from former President APJ Abdul Kalam at a function to mark the World Environment Day at Vigyan Bhavan.

The girl wants to dedicate the award to her parents. “They have always supported and encouraged me for such activities along with studies,” she says.

And to show her commitment to environment issues, she plans to wear a green-coloured top to the function.

“Understanding environment, including the current dangers of global warming and ozone depletion, is essential to become a responsive citizen in modern times,” she opines. 

Kolkata, June 4
Differences between CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee came to the fore today as the latter announced his decision not to attend tomorrow’s Politburo meeting in New Delhi.

Karat, it is learnt, himself phoned Bhattacharjee in the morning, requesting him to attend the two-day crucial meeting being held to review party’s poor performance in the West Bengal civic polls.

The Chief Minister said he would skip the meeting, but refused to divulge anything when asked about the reason behind his decision.

Also, Bhattacharjee does not have any prior official meetings in Kolkata, which might have forced him to skip the Delhi meeting, it is learnt.

Apparently Bhattacharjee does not want any embarrassing situation to be created again at the party’s meeting over his disagreement with Karat, and thus the decision to skip the meeting, a senior CPM leader who is close to the Chief Minister revealed.

Our differences with Karat and a few other Politburo members over the nuclear deal and the decision of withdrawal of support to the UPA-I was no more a secret now, he remarked.

New Delhi, June 4
On his maiden visit to an Asian country as the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma was given a rousing reception by the Indian leadership today as the two countries signed three key pacts, including one on air services and agreed to support each other’s candidature for the non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2011-2012 term.

“The links between India and South Africa are rooted in history. We can never forget that South Africa was the land of awakening of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, for which we owe a deep debt of gratitude to its people,” said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a statement to the media, following talks with President Zuma at the Hyderabad House. Official sources said a wide range of bilateral issues as well as global developments, including reforms of the UN Security Council, closer cooperation between the two countries at various international fora, particularly on climate change, and increasing the volume of bilateral trade, came for discussions during the talks.

Apart from the pact on enhancing air connectivity, the two countries signed an MoU on agriculture cooperation and another for linkages between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Diplomatic Academy of South Africa. Both India and South Africa are keen to increase the two-way trade, which currently stands at $7.5 billion annually. Zuma said he wanted that to grow to $10 billion by 2012. Yesterday, the two countries launched a CEOs forum to give a fresh dynamism to economic and trade ties between them.

Describing his three-day State visit to India as a “success”, Zuma highlighted the historic and unique relations between the two countries dating back to the struggle against apartheid. “We have been together through difficult times as well as happy times,” Zuma said after the two countries signed the three agreements. “India has given leadership in the developing world on a number of issues. This leadership continues,” Zuma said while describing his three-day visit to India a “success”. 

Mumbai, June 4
Kasab appeals against death sentence Mumbai, June 4 Pakistani Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted for the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, has challenged the death sentence awarded to him by a Mumbai special court, an official said today.

He did so even before the special court could send its judgement to the high court for confirmation of the sentence. Kasab, awarded the death penalty by special judge ML Tahaliyani on May 6 on various counts, approached the Bombay High Court through authorities at the Arthur Road Central Jail last week, it is learnt.

He forwarded an appeal along with the copy of the 1,588-page judgment to the high court through the jail authorities. Kasab has also requested that a lawyer be appointed to represent him in the high court. Confirming the development, special public prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam said “every accused has a right to appeal the judgement in the higher court.”

“Kasab did the same. It is perfectly fine and there is nothing illegal about it,” Nikam said. “Kasab has an option of choosing a lawyer to represent himself. He also has the right to free legal aid, which was provided to him during his trial. The same will be repeated in the trial at high court, if the need arises.” “As for presenting the judgment before the high court, it will be done soon. Then the high court will fix a date for the hearing,” Nikam added. Nikam declined to give a specific date when the trial court judgment would be submitted to the high court. — IANS 

New Delhi, June 4
The Indian Mujahideen (IM), an outfit accused of carrying out a series of blasts in 2008 and for having deep links with Pakistan-based terrorist organisations was today banned by the Government of India and put under the category of terrorist organisations.

The Union Home Ministry today issued a notification saying the IM has been added to the list of banned organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. All formations and front organisations of the IM will be treated as banned. This is the 35th such organisation to be put on the list. The list forms the schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The IM first came into the limelight when it claimed responsibility for multiple blasts in Uttar Pradesh in 2006. During 2008, the IM used to send detailed emails after each blast telling why the act was committed and who all were future targets.

It is suspected that the cadres of the banned outfits like the Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami and the Students Islamic Movement of India formed the IM. The leadership of the IM is mainly traced to a man from Mumbai named Abdul Subhan Usman Qureshi, code name “Kasim” or “al-arbi”. He was one who used to sign the email manifestos sent by the IM before and after the multiple blasts in 2008.

The cadres are well educated and well versed in use of computers. Among those on their cadres were Ashgar Peerbhoy, a computer professional working with a leading MNC. Two of the IM cadres were gunned down in a controversial shootout in Batla House in south Delhi's Jamia Nagar in September 2008. 

Mumbai, June 4
Last minute intervention by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Mumbai airport prevented a major tragedy over the city’s airspace last night.

This was the third incident in less than 10 days, following the crash of the Air India Express flight from Dubai in Mangalore on May 22.

The Spicejet flight SG 206 had 109 passengers, including three infants on board, according to the airline. The Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 318 had 147 passengers and eight crew members.

According to sources, the incident happened shortly after 9 pm when a Spicejet flight to Chennai had to abort take-off after taxiing when it developed a technical snag. This happened even as ATCs had allowed a Kingfisher Airlines flight from New Delhi to begin the landing process on the same runway.

However, the ATCs immediately realised that the Spicejet flight hadn’t taken off and ordered the Kingfisher flight to do a go around. Meanwhile, the Spicejet flight was taken off the runway after which the Kingfisher flight landed safely. An incident like this is classified as a near miss when two aircrafts come closer than norms specified . The DGCA said the Kingfisher flight was asked to do a go around after the SpiceJet aircraft, scheduled for take-off, developed a technical snag.