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HC allows prayers at razed mosque site
2008 Delhi Blasts
Court accepts harassment plea
by Pragya’s aide |
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MCD to initiate internal audit report
Metro’s Phase III project to begin
in April
Illegal colonies
Banks to give old age pension
Sunny, but chilly morning in Delhi
Schools reopen
School in residential plot sealed
Law and order
2 held for killing friend for money
4 arrested in honour killing case
Girl gangraped in moving car
Man on train rooftop electrocuted
Wrestler held for sodomising his 15-yr-old student
750 power theft cases
detected
Delhi builder shoots self
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HC allows prayers at razed mosque site
New Delhi, January 17 Justice G.S. Sistani asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to build a boundary wall with an entrance of two and half feet width to enable ten people to offer prayers five times a day till a period of two months. The names of the devotees will be furnished to DDA and the concerned station house officer (SHO). The court also directed that the devotees must vacate the space soon after finishing their prayers. "In this period, DDA or the petitioner will not press for further application. There is to be no obstruction in the boundary wall construction, neither by any local politicians or local people over there," said the court. Justice Sistani further directed all the advocates appearing in this case, claiming that it is their land: "That area does not belong to any board of trust... it's a DDA land, therefore once the order is passed the court will not entertain any violation of the law, as law is law." "No one should raise communal issues or do communal division. This order was passed in public interest at large. Therefore, no political interference is also allowed," added the court. The court has directed the Noor Charitable Society not to make any modification near the boundary wall. A time of two months has been given to work out a solution of the situation and look for records to establish facts on the land, whichever side lays claim to it. However, the court posted the matter for March 21 for decision on the DDA's plea to drop contempt proceedings against it for the delay in carrying out its orders on demolition of the mosque built on public land. The court will also take on record the present status at that time. The court was hearing the application filed by residents of a south Delhi neighbourhood seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari for allegedly instigating people to offer prayers at the site of the razed illegal mosque. Prayers were offered on government land reclaimed by the DDA after razing the illegal mosque, said the application filed by the resident welfare association (RWA) of Jangpura through counsel R.K. Saini. The RWA also sought initiation of contempt proceedings against Shoaib Iqbal, legislator from Matia Mahal constituency, Asif Mohammad Khan, legislator from Okhla constituency and T.S. Marwah, a legislator from Jangpura constituency. The association wanted the court to suo moto initiate criminal contempt proceedings against them "for deliberately and wilfully violating the orders of the court". The RWA also accused the Chief Minister and others of allegedly "scandalising and lowering the authority of the court, interfering with the due course of judicial process, interfering and obstructing the administration of justice and bringing in disrepute to the honour, majesty and authority of the law and the courts." The court had in 2006 issued contempt notice to the DDA on a petition of Jangpura RWA alleging that its direction to demolish the illegal structure had not been complied with. Facing a contempt threat from the high court, the DDA, after several failed attempts, succeeded last week in demolishing the mosque built 35 years ago. The DDA also told the court that it had begun fencing the land and constructing a boundary wall and had put up a sign board saying that the land belongs to it. —IANS |
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Court defers framing of charges till Jan 31
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 17 The next date of hearing is January 31 when the charges are likely to be framed. The prosecution has finished its arguments and additional sessions judge Santosh Snehi asked the defence counsel to prepare his arguments when the matter on framing of charges against his clients was heard. Senhi also asked the counsel to see if all the facts, like the dates of arrest of the accused, mentioned in the court record were correct. The Delhi police has sought to try the accused on the charges of murder, attempt to murder and waging war against the nation. They have also been accused of crimes under the provisions of the Unlawful (Prevention) Activities Act and the Explosive Substances Act. Four blasts at Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh and Connaught Place had rocked the national capital, killing 14 persons and injuring many more. The Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the terror acts. The Delhi police had arrested the accused from different places, mostly in UP, and claimed that they were the executors of the deadly blasts.
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Court accepts harassment plea
by Pragya’s aide
New Delhi, January 17 The court has asked the three parties to appear before it on April 6 with their
replies. Ananth Brahmachari, a close associate of Sadhvi Pragya Singh, attempted suicide earlier this month. He was found unconscious at a flat in Jangpura on January 5 by his family. He was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) where he was treated for poisoning. He approached the Delhi High Court last week through his lawyer Jitesh Vikram Srivastava and blamed the NIA for harassing him and violating his fundamental rights. Hearing the case, Justice
S.N. Dhingra also directed the NIA to give a travel allowance to Brahmachari for all his case related travelling expenses. "The NIA is not following the rules and regulations framed by the Supreme Court for the purpose of interrogation," Brahmachari alleged in his petition. According to
Srivastava, Brahamchari went to the NIA for interrogation along with his two lawyers, but the legal aides were not allowed to go inside where the questioning was going on. The petition is likely to be heard
soon. Pragya Singh is said to be the brain behind the September 29, 2008, blast at a Malegaon mosque in Maharashtra that killed eight people. The Anti-Terrorist Squad
(ATS) of the Mumbai police has accused her of forming a group to avenge the earlier Mumbai train bombings. -- IANS |
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MCD to initiate internal audit report
New Delhi, January 17 The municipal commissioner K.S. Mehra said that he has taken a policy decision to introduce the annual internal audit report. The decision was announced in the special budget meeting where he expressed confidence that that the innovative step will bring in changes in the financial management of the civic agency, which has a whopping annual budget of about Rs 6,000 crore. It will help in ensuring much-needed efficiency, effectiveness and economy in public expenditure, he said. He added that the decision to introduce the report was taken with a view to bringing more accountability, compliance with rules and regulations, improvement of systems and procedures. The commissioner in his budget speech in December had said that he had laid emphasis on proper financial management, debt and expenditure management to ensure proper utilization of limited resources of the corporation. "The accounts and financial records in MCD needed proper management. The audit report, in addition to using it for systems improvement and preventive vigilance, will also serve as an enabling tool for higher financial management. It will ensure proper maintenance of records," said Mehra. He added that the internal audit system is expected to provide proper interpretation and implementation of rules and regulations, accuracy in expenditure reporting, propriety in public expenditure, proper realization, accounting and reporting of revenue receipts and proper monitoring of receipts and expenditure.
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Metro’s Phase III project to begin
in April
New Delhi, January 17 DMRC officials are currently busy working on the detailed project report of the Phase III, hoping to get a go ahead for its proposed extension of Metro connectivity under Phase III from the Central government soon. According to the officials, there will be no longer delays in beginning of the work on Phase III once the approval from the Centre is achieved. This month itself, the DMRC is supposed to make a presentation on the detailed report of the project and handover to the Planning Commission, said one of the senior DMRC officials. The official further added that the DMRC was pretty confident of receiving a nod from the government very shortly, once the presentation was made. "The nod is expected from the government in March or April and the work on the line should begin shortly after that. We are already undertaking geographical surveys apart from other preparatory measures," said Mangu Singh, director (works) of Delhi Metro. In this project worth R 25,000
crore, the DMRC had earlier said that it proposed construction of six routes covering 69.57 km but the Delhi cabinet had given nod to three routes and asked the DMRC to add more areas to the other three proposed routes to extend the route length to 108.35 km. Now with the final details being added, the DMRC will make a presentation again. One of the important features of Phase-III will be that there will be 23 interchange stations to ensure seamless connectivity. One of the most problematic areas in the project, funding, still needs to be resolved. The DMRC is still very unsure about the financing patterns that will help execute the Phase III. Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan had sometime back told the media in an interaction that the state and the Central governments may share 40 per cent of the total project cost equally and the remaining 60 per cent may be taken as a loan possibly from Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA). |
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No decision on development charges
New Delhi, January 17 At a cabinet meeting, presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, several ministers opposed the "hefty" charges proposed by the urban development department on house owners of unauthorised colonies for providing basic amenities like water supply, sewerage and electricity. Dikshit said a four-member ministerial committee has been set up to examine the issue, after a decision on levying the development charge was deferred for the third time. A minister said the cabinet did not take a decision on the proposal prepared by urban development department which sought to levy "very hefty" charges on each household for land cost as well as providing basic facilities. The Delhi government had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,200 unauthorised colonies in 2008, just before the assembly elections. Sources said that as per the proposal put forth in the cabinet, Rs 319 has been sought to be levied per square metre of plot for providing water supply while Rs 359 per square metre has been proposed for providing sewer facility. According to the proposal, house owners will have to pay Rs 89.72 per square metre as construction fees, Rs 83 per square metre for drainage and another Rs 62.3 per square metre for community services. It also sought to levy Rs 3,000 for electricity connection having a load of one kilowatt. Combining all the charges, as per the proposal, a house owner in an unauthorised colony will have to pay about Rs 913 per square metre of plot plus the charges for electricity connection besides some security deposit. So, if somebody has a house on a 50 sq metre plot, he will have to pay Rs 45,000 to the government for various basic amenities in addition to electricity charges and security deposit. Sources said the cabinet decided to set up the committee to "delay" the announcement of levying the development charges as well as recovering land cost as it may draw sharp criticism from occupants of unauthorised colonies, especially when people are reeling under spiralling prices of essential commodities. The members of the committee are finance minister A K Walia, PW minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, social welfare minister Mangat Ram Singhal and transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely. The development charge has been proposed to recover the cost of providing amenities like water, power, roads and sewer lines in the unauthorised colonies which have applied for regularisation. The government, after scrutinising all the applications for regularisation, later forwarded 1,639 applications to MCD, DDA, ASI, Forest Department and Revenue department for scrutiny and verification. The government has already spent Rs 2,800 crore in providing basic services in these colonies. Dikshit had, while chairing a meeting to review developmental works in these colonies last week, said the process to regularise them should be completed as soon as possible. Officials said 733 colonies have got no objection certificates from all concerned agencies. —PTI
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Banks to give old age pension
New Delhi, January 17 Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the cabinet has decided to switch over the release of old age pension from post offices to banks. It has given six months to about 80,677 pension holders who have been receiving pension through post offices to open their accounts in banks. In all, three lakh pension holders have been getting the benefit of the old age assistance which provides a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to destitute who are above 60 years of age. The government has been providing the highest monthly pension in the country. Shifting of post office accounts to bank accounts will help in smooth transfer of pension money. More than 2,13,000 beneficiaries have already been receiving pension through banks. The cabinet has also recommended to the Lieutenant-Governor to prorogue the sixth session--winter session of the 4th Legislative Assembly of Delhi. The session commenced on November 23, 2010 and was adjourned sine die on December 1.
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Sunny, but chilly morning in Delhi
New Delhi, January 17 For tomorrow, the Meteorological Department has warned about the possibility of fog. Weatherman further predicted that icy winds will continue to blow over the city tomorrow as well the mercury is likely to be between 8° and 19° C. The winter chill gripped the capital once again yesterday after a brief spell of warm weather. The piercing winds last night made for a very chilly night and dragged the temperature during the early morning hours today 7.5° C from 9° C, the previous day. While today's minimum temperature is normal for this time of the year, the maximum temperature that dropped to 18.2° C from yesterday's maximum of 21.3° C was two degrees below normal. "The wind speed was today measured somewhere between 13 and 16 km per hour. For the past couple of days, the city is experiencing icy winds. The city experienced chilly weather despite the mercury remaining at above normal level," said a senior official from the Meteorological Department. The weatherman had earlier said that warm weather conditions would be short-lived, and mercury could dip over the weekend following snowfall in the Himalayan region and rains in the foothills. |
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Schools reopen
New Delhi, January 17 However, the cold continues and the minimum temperature on Monday was 7.5 degree Celsius. However, schoolteachers inform that students in senior classes will be hard pressed now as they will have to take extra classes on weekends to get their course completed by March when exams start in many classes. Reena Sharma, a schoolteacher with Bal Bharati School, said, "School reopened today and children came for classes. However, the teachers will have to work overtime to get the course completed on time." She added, "The school management has decided that extra classes will be taken for senior children on weekends to cover the syllabus fast." Shalini, a student at Bal Bharati in class VII, said, "I got back to school today. It was great getting a longer winter break this time due to cold. I just hope that teachers do not rush through their classes now to get the course completed. But it was good getting back to school today." |
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School in residential plot sealed
Ghaziabad, January 17 "The development authority yesterday sealed Delhi Convent Public School in Shalimar Garden, which is a residential colony," GDA vice-chairman Narender Chaudhary said. No school can be allowed to run in a residential colony on plot measuring 600 or more yards without an accepted map, Chaudhary said. Earlier, notices were issued to the school for violation of norms, but no attention was paid by the school management in this regard, he added. --PTI
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Law and order
New Delhi, January 17 Malhotra said after seeing the rate of crimes in the city, it seemed that the law and order was no longer under the control of either the state or the Union government. Irrespective of the figures put up by the Delhi police , claiming a dip in the crime rate, it is for anyone to see that the claims are nothing but lies, he said. TNS |
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2 held for killing friend for money
New Delhi, January 17 Tthe accused, Ram Badan Yadav, along with an accomplice, Irfan, killed Amit for money. Yadav and Amit knew each other and Amit had invited Yadav for drinks on the night he was killed. According to Chhaya Sharma, DCP (Outer), Amit had invited Yadav and Irfan for drinks and had bought liquor with his money. When Amit took out his wallet to pay for liquor, the two noticed that he had huge amount of cash and planned to rob him. While drinking, the two intentionally offered more drinks to Amit to intoxicate him. Later, they took him to a secluded place and after assaulting him, robbed him of his money," Sharma said, adding that when Amit threatened that he would lodge a complaint against them, they strangled him with their handkerchiefs and burnt the body to hide identification. Yadav was arrested on the basis of the details of the calls made from Amit's mobile. On questioning him, he initially tried to mislead the police, but later confessed to the crime. Irfan is on the run.
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4 arrested in honour killing case
New Delhi, January 17 The investigation in the matter has revealed that victim Upender was killed by his three roommates on the behest of a contractor, Ayub Khan, who was against the 'developing friendship' between the victim and his daughter. According to DCP (south-west) Sharad Aggarwal, the accused has been identified as Ayub Khan (45), Vinod Kumar (25), Sonu (23) and Mahesh (22). Kumar, who works as a helper in a local shop and Sonu, a driver, are brothers while Mahesh is also a driver. Upender, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was found dead with his throat slashed at his rented accommodation in Shivani Enclave of Kakraula village in Dwarka Sector 16 B on January 13. "The victim and his four friends were living in one of the rooms of Khan. Upender started making friendship with his daughter. Khan was against it and planned to eliminate Upender," said Aggarwal. As part of his plan, Khan arranged a party and offered drinks and food to Upender and his friends on the intervening night of January 12 and 13. "After everyone had gone to sleep, under the influence of alcohol, Khan, along with other three accused, slit Upender's throat and left," said Aggarwal. According to information, the three accused -Kumar, Sonu and Mahesh - agreed to kill Upender in return of monetary benefits. |
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Girl gangraped in moving car
Ghaziabad, January 17 The assault occurred on Wednesday in the Raj Nagar area, when the girl, a Class X student of an inter college, was on the way to her tuition classes, a police officer said today. She was offered a lift by her classmate Monu, who was in the car with two other youths. The girl initially refused, but later went along with the trio, who drove the car to a desolate area and allegedly took turns in raping her in the moving vehicle. The three fled after dumping her on the Meerut Road. The girl then reached home and told her parents about her ordeal. "But they could not muster courage to lodge an FIR (first information report) against the students, fearing loss of face," the police officer said. However, the girl's mother lodged a complaint at the Kavi Nagar police station on Sunday. "Prime facie, the medical examination confirms the rape but the slide has been sent for further advanced tests. Tomorrow (Tuesday), the girl would be produced before the court for her statement under Section 164 of CrPC (criminal procedure code). In certain cases, rape is established even without supporting medical report... let's see what she speaks before the court," Circle Officer Dr. Rajiv Kumar Singh told IANS. He added that the three youths -- Nitin, Amit (both class 11 students of the same inter college) and Monu -- were in custody. - IANS
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Man on train rooftop electrocuted
New Delhi, January 17 According to the police, the man has been identified as Monu, and was travelling on the train coming from Himachal Pradesh. According to the railway police, Monu died when he came in contact with the overhead high tension wires and was killed on the spot. The incident was reported around 9.30 am. "Monu was in the habit of sitting on the rooftop and had done so in the past as well. He was rushed to hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Woman crushed to death
A 55-year-old woman was crushed to death when a speeding car hit her in the Gokulpuri area of east Delhi this morning. According to the police, the incident was reported around 10.30 am. The victim has been identified as Raj Dulari. "The victim, along with her grandson, was walking to the medical store in the Gokulpuri area when a speeding Chevrolet Tavera with an Uttar Pradesh registration number hit and ran her over. Her grandson also sustained injuries in the incident," a police official said. |
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Wrestler held for sodomising his 15-yr-old student
New Delhi, January 17 According to the police, the accused, Amrit Lal, was arrested yesterday after medical examination of the victim. According to the police, the matter came to light yesterday after the boy confided in his mother, who had noticed that he had been 'depressed' for the past few days. According to the police, the incident took place last week. "The victim, a school student, was learning wrestling at Lal's wrestling centre (akharda) in Sultanpuri. About eight days ago, after a practice session, Lal asked the boy to stay back. He then took him to his room and forcibly sodomised him," said a police official from the Amrit Lal, who hails from Sonepat in Haryana, has been running the wrestling centre for the past three years. |
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750 power theft cases
detected
New Delhi, January 17 The enforcement drive which will continue till March 31, has been organized by the power
discom, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL). It has around 200 mass raids over the next two and a half months to check power thefts in the city. To undertake these enforcement raids with microscopic accuracy, the discom is relying heavily on modern analytics and technology. For the purpose, energy input data from the over 6,000 Distribution Transformers is being collected and analysed by a centralized team. "It is seen that with the unusually cold weather, there is a sharp and sudden increase in energy-theft. This leads to severe overloading of the distribution system, resulting in trippings and is also a potential safety hazard. This dangerous overloading of the distribution system can also damage the distribution equipment," said a BRPL official. |
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Delhi builder shoots self
New Delhi, January 17 "Rajendra was alone at his residence in B block, Janakpuri, when the incident happened around 6 pm. He was admitted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital,” a police official said. The police has recovered the pistol he used. The reason behind the incident is still being probed. — IANS |
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