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Black Money Case
Delhi Waterbugs Study |
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BJP banks on the social activist to revive corruption issue
violation of cyber security
Navy adds UAV, planes to eastern fleet
Maharashtra restricts
admission of ‘outside’ students
SC orders CBI probe into Prajapati case
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Petitioner alleges threat from senior ED official
SC asks Delhi police chief to give report in a week R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, April 8 IIT Kharakpur Director SK Dubey, in his complaint to the SC, said ED’s Deputy Director Prabhakant called him on his cellphone at around 2 pm on April 2, demanding an urgent meeting. The ED official reached Dubey’s residence after 45 minutes and took exception to a letter written by him (Dubey) to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In his letter to the PM, Dubey had mentioned about Prabhakant and ED Director Arun Mathur enjoying the hospitality of Peerless India Ltd during their visit to Kolkata on July 1, 2009, despite the fact that the agency was investigating a case against the company. Prabhakant allegedly threatened Dubey that the ED would implicate him in false cases with the help of the Intelligence Bureau unless he dissociated himself from the letter written to the PM. After this, Dubey lodged a complaint with the police commissioner. Mathur is in charge of the investigations against Pune-based businessman Hasan Ali Khan in a money laundering case involving an estimated $8 billion. This case is being pursued by the ED on Supreme Court’s orders issued after hearing the PILs on black money. Appearing for PIL petitioners, senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan and Anil Divan today wanted to know how Mathur could be in charge of the black money investigations in the light of these allegations. “We cannot accept anyone threatening a petitioner before us….This is happening when this court is hearing the matter relating to black money,” a Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar remarked before passing the order and sought a report from the Delhi Police Commissioner. Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, however, maintained that the allegations were an attempt at “hacking” the investigations in the black money case. Nevertheless, the Bench asked the Solicitor General to get an affidavit from the government on the issue as well as on the need for setting up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the black money case. The SC would pass an order on the SIT on April 15, the next date of hearing. According to PIL petitioners, including former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, Punjab’s ex-police chief Julio F Rebeiro and the People’s Political Front, about $ 1.7 trillion is illegally stashed in secret bank accounts in Switzerland and other countries.
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Delhi Waterbugs Study
New Delhi, April 8 Having rejected the work as “motivated” and “unscientific”, India now plans to lodge -- through appropriate diplomatic channels -- a protest against EU’s funding of the research by British authors, who said water in the pools and taps in urban Delhi was contaminated with bacteria containing NDM-1 gene which made them resistant to carbapenems, the most powerful antibiotics known. The Health Ministry will take up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs. Confirming the development to The Tribune today, Health Research Secretary VM Katoch said the question was how the EU funded a study of which the Government of India had no knowledge. “Why did the EU fund this study in which India was not a partner? This is discourtesy to a nation. Ideally, the EU should have given us an application for joint research to enable us to locate local partners. We also need to know the motive behind singular focus on NDM-1 and New Delhi when several resistant bacteria are present in environments worldwide,” Katoch said. Meanwhile, the government plans to issue rebuttals to both the Lancet studies - the August 2010 research on NDM-1 (a gene that allows bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics) superbug in New Delhi and the April 6 study on resistant waterbugs in Delhi, in either The Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) or Current Science. This, after The Lancet refused to publish rebuttals saying it had no such tradition. Eyebrows are being raised on the intentions behind a second anti-India study which suggests that for at least six years the world would not have any antibiotics to deal with NDM-1. The study authors suggest that only GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca still have strong antibiotic development programmes.
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BJP banks on the social activist to revive corruption issue
New Delhi, April 8 The BJP has been raising the corruption issue against the UPA government for over a year but it had failed to pick up momentum. Beginning last summer when its president Nitin Gadkari led an impressive procession against corruption, to stalling of Parliament in the Winter Session, nothing seemed to be giving the necessary fillip to the BJP’s attempt to whip up corruption mania in the nation till Anna Hazare began his fast on April 5 and whipped up a hysteria against the UPA government, reminding oldtimers of the JP movement of 1974-75 and VP Singh’s anti-Rajiv Gandhi in 1987-89. While the JP movement was being discreetly backed by the RSS, in VP Singh’s case the BJP was an ally. While BJP’s anti-corruption campaign was losing steam, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, together with Kiran Bedi and likeminded people started a India Against Corruption on Facebook, announcing a nationwide campaign against corruption. Shivendra Singh, the administrator of the site, a journalist by profession as Deputy News Editor of the Navbharat Times, who launched it on November 20, 2010. Freelance politician Swami Agnivesh abandoning his campaign in support of the Maoists, jumped in only when Hazare started his fast. But together with Bedi and Kejriwal he became the face of this movement. Shivendra Singh, along with Rahul Bharatiya a Chandigarh-based self-professed acolyte of Kiran Bedi, who runs the Kiran Bedi fan club then went about appointing their representatives all over the country.
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Anna’s fast a boost to BJP campaign
Addressing a rally at this minority bastion in western Assam’s Dhubri district, senior BJP leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said Gandhian leader Anna Hazare’s fast had given credence to the BJP’s tirade against the “corrupt” Congress-led UPA regime and called upon the people of Assam to “get rid of Congress to get respite from rampant corruption, spiraling prices, under development and unabated infiltration from Bangladesh”. He raised alarm over Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s comment on Anna Hazare’s fast saying that it was in tune with what late Indira Gandhi had said about the movement led by late Jai Prakasah Narain against her “corrupt” government in the 1970s. “Indira Gandhi in reference to JP’s movement had said that those who were hungry for power were making baseless allegation against her government. Dr Manmohan Singh too has said that some people have instigated Anna Hazare to sit on fast,” Modi said, adding the government should not consider Anna Hazare an enemy but listen to the issues he is raising. Launching an attack on the ruling Congress government in Assam, Modi said, “Even after 60 years of Independence, it is still news in rural Assam if there is electricity for a few minutes in a fortnight, though Assam has all the resources like water and coal to generate power. In BJP-ruled Gujarat, it becomes news if electricity goes out for a couple of minutes in any of its 18,000 villages. So it is up to you whether you choose Congress and languish under corruption and lack of development or you choose BJP to enjoy the fruit of development,” Modi said. Meanwhile, hitting the campaign trail in Assam, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh while addressing two election rallies at Barpeta and Sipajhar once again called upon the voters to take note of the economic development, infrastructure development, vast improvement in health and education sectors and restoration of a peaceful atmosphere in the state during the last 10 years of Congress rule under Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi while choosing their new representatives to Assam Assembly. He reminded the people about the ‘dark days’ of underdevelopment, financial crisis and violence during the Asom Gana Parishad rule before the Congress came to power in 2001.
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Helicopter salute
Poetic justice
A pamphlet containing a message given by poet and film lyricist Thaamarai has become a handy weapon for AIADMK candidates, who are pitted against Congress nominees. The pamphlet contains allegations by the poet against the Congress party's actions on the Lankan Tamils’ issue. In a strong message in a poetic form, she appeals to the voters to teach a lesson to the "anti-Tamil party". Bottle
symbol
Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy was very critical of actor and DMDK leader Vijaykanth's conduct during election campaign. Taking exception to reports that Vijaykanth is coming to the campaign in an inebriated condition, Swamy said, "It was wrong to allot the 'drums' symbol to
Vijaykanth. I will write a letter to the Election Commission, requesting them to allot 'bottle' symbol to the actor." Special
assignment
AIADMK supremo has a special assignment to a few key functionaries in her party. Their job is to ensure the defeat of former AIADMK ministers who have crossed over to the ruling party. If the 'betrayers' were defeated, special rewards await the AIADMK functionaries who have been given the special assignment. — N
Ravikumar, Chennai |
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Army takes action against officers
Vijay Mohan/TNS
Chandigarh, April 8 Sources said that the new set of procedures and guidelines, which are being fine-tuned, is expected to be issued by Army headquarters in about a month’s time. Several conferences that were attended by information warfare experts and intelligence officers were held in this regard at New Delhi recently. Aforementioned errant officers against whom action have been initiated include those who have posted service-related information or photographs on the Internet. Action against those who have come to the notice of the authorities includes a reprimand or a censure or warning letter. “Officers who post any kind of service-related information or give out their rank or post their photographs in uniform come to the attention of hostile agencies,” a senior officer said. “Their computers can become targets of hacking and there have been instances in the past of such things happening,” he added. Officers said that though there is no ban on service personnel using the Internet or social networking sites, there are clear-cut guidelines that bar them from posting details about their service profile or other military-related information. The Army has its own intranet for internal data and information transfer which is isolated from the Internet, but instances of officers using personal computers, which may be linked with the Internet, for official work cannot be ruled out. According to reports, mobile devices and social networking sites have been listed among the top three areas of security risk and concern for Internet and computer users in 2011. The other two are cyber threat targeting physical systems and infrastructural services, and “botnets” that involve large-scale attacks using malicious software. Reports cautioned that social network sites like Twitter and Facebook could be used to lure users into handing over personal and sensitive information. “What is also of concern is that an unsuspecting family member of an officer or jawan could also be targeted,” an officer said. Estimates are that over 35,000 Army personnel across all ranks are active Internet users. The number of family members, including wives and children, could be much more.
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Navy adds UAV, planes to eastern fleet
New Delhi, April 8 Also the Navy will base a team of UAVs at Parundu in Andhra Pradesh. This will be the first permanent UAV team on the east coast. Heron and searcher UAVs that can be controlled from a specially designed warship or land will be used. The Navy has already stationed its first indigenous stealth frigate, the 5,000-tonne INS Shivalik at Vizag. This was commissioned in Mumbai last year. The INS Jalaswa, a troop carrier designed to launch some 1000 land-based troops is also stationed in the east. The fleet tanker INS Shakti, that carries replenishment of oil and supplies for warships out sea-will also be stationed in the east. The ship is expected this year. INS Jyoti, the largest fleet tanker of the Navy is already dedicated to the east coast. The move to add to the eastern fleet comes just six months after the Defence Ministry okayed two additional naval bases on the eastern sea board - Paradip and Tuticorin in Orissa and Tamil Nadu, respectively. These are the first major naval bases other than Vizag on the eastern coast. The Navy has smaller stations but no big bases that typically provide all logistics support like supplies, replenishment, repair and maintenance. Tuticorin will be a forward operating base. The east coast is 2,600 km long and has six littoral countries- Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Most of the country’s missile tests are conducted off the east coast. India’s Look-East Policy aims at engaging smaller navies that are east of India. For them this will be a huge morale booster as all of them regularly conduct exercises with India, said sources. Beijing has ports and gas pipelines in Myanmar and is building a new deep-sea port at Sonadia near Cox Bazar Bangladesh. All these are in the Bay of Bengal and face India.
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Maharashtra restricts
admission of ‘outside’ students
Mumbai, April 8 The new rules will also make it mandatory for students seeking admission to higher educational institutes to produce domicile certificates from their home states as a condition for admission. The domicile rules which were formulated in the last academic year was put on hold as these were put in place after admissions were closed, according to sources.
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SC orders CBI probe into Prajapati case New Delhi, April 8 A Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan delivered the judgment on a petition pertaining to the killing of Prajapati in an “encounter” on December 28, 2006. The CBI had supported the petition filed by victim’s mother Narmada Bai, an illiterate widow, seeking investigation by an independent agency. It had argued that it had to be involved in the investigation as Prajapati was an eyewitness to the killing of his friend, Sohrabuddin Sheikh and wife Kausarbi, in a similar way by the Gujarat Police. On January 12, 2010, the apex court had handed over investigation in the Sohrabuddin case to the CBI, asking the agency to also find out whether there was a “larger conspiracy” involved in the killing. The CBI contended that the conspiracy could be unearthed only if it was allowed to probe the Prajapati case as well. “We are satisfied that the investigation conducted and concluded in the present case by the state police cannot be accepted,” Justices Sathasivam and Chauhan held. “In the light of the involvement of police officials of the State of Gujarat and police officers of two other states - Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan - it would not be desirable to allow the Gujarat state police to continue with the investigation. Accordingly, to meet the ends of justice and in the public interest, we feel that the CBI should be directed to take the investigation.” The CBI has already questioned Amit Shah, who is at present on bail, in connection with the Sohrabuddin encounter case. In her petition, Prajapati’s mother had named him as a respondent. The apex court has asked the CBI to complete the investigation and file the chargesheet in six months. The apex court also asked Narmada Bai to approach the trial court for compensation after the chargesheet was filed.
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CBI to probe Prajapati case No ban on Japan food items: Govt M’rashtra toughens admission norms 30% pension hike for retired BSNL staff
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New Delhi, April 8
Amit Dahiya, a drugs researcher, and Jetendra Bhadana, a fellow businessman, are coming every day to Jantar Mantar from Dwaraka since Anna Hazare sat on fast unto death for the Jan Lok Pal Bill but are either ignorant or unconcerned about the implications of appointing a Lokpal as a super prime minister, selected by non-political civil society activists. “If this old man can fast for so many days, we can also miss our meal for a few hours,” said Bhadana. Dahiya and Bhadana are former ABVP activists but have no idea about the contours of the Bill or its implications. “Would you put one man nominated by a select few ina super prime minister’s post, not accountable to anyone not even the Supreme Court of India?” “Why are you opposing such a nice people’s movement? We have come from distant places,” was the reply three girls Monica, Anandita and Shireen from Lakshya Academy in Dwarka said. They came with other students of the academy by their trainer Col. Yudhvir Singh who is training them to join the Defence services. 
Golokganj (Assam), April 8
As AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa's helicopter flew over a meeting venue, the candidates who stood on a stage paid their respects to
'Amma' with folded hands. DMDK candidate and notable industrialist Mafoi Pandiarajan did not react, since he was not accustomed to saluting at helicopters. When a few AIADMK men started shouting at him for not respecting
'Amma', he too paid respects to the helicopter with folded hands.
