New Delhi, April 28
US Ambassador Timothy Roemer today announced his resignation from the key diplomatic post citing personal commitments.

54-year-old Roemer, a political appointee, said he has accomplished all of the strategic objectives set two years ago and he wants to go back home to look after his family. Roemer, who was nominated by US President Barack Obama in May 2009, is expected to leave by June."Ambassador Roemer's departure is for personal, professional and family considerations," the US embassy said in a statement here.

"When I accepted the job two years ago, I told President Barack Obama that I will serve for two years, but that family considerations would be the front and centre after that," Roemer said. He said that the US-India relationship is on a "positive historic trajectory" towards a global partnership.

The US envoy said his two sons will be leaving for college in the next 14 months and he would like his parents and in-laws to spend more time with his children. Noting that he came as a diplomat and was leaving feeling part of a family, he said, "For me and for my entire family the two years have been a time of incredible experiences, warm friendship, meaningful partnership".

"The US-India relationship, what my friend President Obama calls the defining partnership of the 21st century, has progressed to the global stage. I am very proud to have led the team.”

"The US India relationship is on a positive historic trajectory towards a global partnership that is changing the way our two nations create economic opportunity for our citizens, educating the leaders of tomorrow, and ensuring safe and secure communities," he said.

Roemer said the Indo-US relationship has been further strengthened by the landmark 2009 visit and White House dinner honouring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the history making trip by President Obama to India in 2010. We have entered into a strategic dialogue on Afghanistan and a new joint economic partnership for capacity building," he said.

"As Ambassador, I had the chance to travel with my family to all corners of this incredible and beautiful country. Whether I was playing basketball with Muslim girls in Lucknow, seeing the majestic tiger in Ranthambore, or observing the "aarti" on the banks of the mighty Ganga in Varanasi, I personally viewed how common values and common interests bind our two great democracies together more strongly every day," he said. — PTI

New Delhi, April 28
India has given two weeks to two European companies shortlisted for the IAF $10.4-billion tender for fighter jets to extend their commercial bids. The Eurofighter and the Rafale have been asked to extend their bids to make them valid till December 31 this year. By then, New Delhi hopes to ink the deal.

The US, which anyway is a major beneficiary of the multi-billion dollar Indian defence budget spending, has reacted with “disappointment” after its companies - Boeing and Lockheed Martin - lost out in the race that is described in industry circles as the “mother-of all-deals”.

India has placed orders to the US for the purchase of transport planes C-130-J and C-17, besides reconnaissance planes for the Navy and VVIP business jets for use by the President, the Prime Minister and others.

US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer said: “We are reviewing the documents received from the Government of India. We are, however, deeply disappointed by this news.” The Boeing in an emailed communiqué said, “We are obviously disappointed. Once we have reviewed the details, we will make a decision concerning our possible options.”

Politically, this is not the first time that Defence Minister AK Antony has spurned the US. Last year, in the run-up to the visit of US President Barack Obama, Antony put his foot down and refused to sign the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and the Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) with the United States. Just weeks ago, he cancelled a meeting with visiting high-level US defence delegation hinting that he was avoiding them ahead of the decision on the fighter jet deal.

Sources said one of the reasons the US aircraft could have lost out was the lack of these two agreements. In case of the recent purchase of the transport plane C-130-J, five critical communication equipment has been held back by the US.

Sources in the ministry said the selection had been made on technical grounds, keeping in view the parameters laid down by the IAF. There was no political consideration or any strategic alliance. “After each round of trials (conducted across various terrains), all the companies were informed in writing about their performance on 643 parameters,” a senior official said.

After the shortlisting, the ministry will now work on “benchmarking” a reasonable price for the aircraft and then open the commercial bids of Dassault Rafael and Eurofighter Typhoon to select the lowest bidder for the tender.

As per the request for proposal (RFP), the winning bidder will have to invest 50 per cent of the worth of the deal back into the Indian defence sector as offsets.

“With this down-select, we have completed a major milestone in the MMRCA acquisition process,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said.

New Delhi, April 28
India’s artillery gun purchase has been hit yet again. Global defence equipment maker BAE Systems today pulled out of the Defence Ministry’s tender for purchase of 400 towed artillery guns for the Army.

These guns are supposed to be the replacement for the highly acclaimed and successful Bofors guns.

BAE spokesperson Guy Douglas said the decision was taken after the company realised that the technical and performance relaxations had been given in the tender that allow less capable weapon systems to enter the competition.

The Ministry of Defence has been informed about the move that Douglas said tonight. The 155mm 52 calibre towed howitzers intended to be offered by the BAE Systems is an upgraded version of the Bofors guns inducted into the Army in the late 80s and did a much appreciated job during the 1999 Kargil war.

The last date of submission of bids was today. After the Bofors gun scandal broke out, this is the fifth time the Army’s plan to induct artillery guns has run into rough weather.

The last tender was cancelled after Singapore Technologies, one of the two participating companies in the deal, was blacklisted following corruption allegations in the Ordnance Factory scam.

Under its Rs 20,000 crore artillery modernisation plan, the Army is looking to induct several types of howitzers, including towed, self-propelled and mounted ones.

Lucknow, April 28
Following hospitalisation, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare he would not be able to address scheduled meetings in Varanasi on Friday and Sultanpur on Saturday.

However, he may be able to keep his date with Lucknow on May Day where he is expected to address a public meeting at Jhule Lal Park. He is expected to interact with students, trade union activists and social workers, said India Against Corruption (IAC) coordinator RK Aggarwal here today.

Hazare has been hospitalised in Pune for treatment of osteoarthritis and has been advised a week's rest. According to Aggarwal Hazare is expected to address the proposed rallies in Varanasi and Sultanpur through the mobile phone. “However, he may be able to make it personally to Lucknow as there is a direct flight,” he said.

Meanwhile, the IAC spokesperson did not make much of the newly introduced government order by Mayawati laying down strict guidelines for holding of public meetings. “Despite Anna’s absence due to ill health, IAC would go ahead with the meetings with or without government permission” said Aggarwal, who said that permission has been sought for holding the meetings. Under the new guidelines the district administration will have to be informed seven days in advance about the entire programme.

New Delhi, April 28
The Supreme Court today ruled that government doctors doing private practice cannot be booked for corruption or being engaged in unlawful trade.

A Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra passed the verdict, while setting aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment upholding a corruption case filed against two state government doctors posted in Koom Kalan in Ludhiana district.

An FIR had been lodged against Dr Rajinder Singh Chawla and Dr Kanwarjit Singh Kakkar on April 9, 2003 under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) following a complaint by a person who claimed that the two doctors, while functioning from home, had charged him Rs 100 as prescription. According to the complainant, government doctors are not supposed to charge any fee from the patients and doing so amounts to corruption.

The SC Bench noted that under the PCA “corruption is acceptance or demand of illegal gratification for doing an official act. We find no difficulty in accepting the submission and endorsing the view that the demand/receipt of fee while doing private practice by itself cannot be held to be an illegal gratification as the same obviously is the amount charged towards professional remuneration.”

Further, it would be “preposterous in our view to hold that if a doctor charges fee for extending medical help and is doing that by way of his professional duty, the same would amount to illegal gratification as that would be even against the plain common sense.”

Government doctors would come under the purview of the PCA or other criminal offence if, for instance, they took money for admitting patients in government hospital or prescribed unnecessary surgery for the purpose of extracting money by way of professional fee and a host of other circumstances, the apex court noted.

The Bench also ruled that the accused doctors could not be booked even under Section 168 IPC for engaging in unlawful trade. “In our view, offence under Section 168 of the IPC cannot be held to have been made out against the appellants as the treatment of patients by a doctor cannot by itself be held to be engagement in a trade as the doctors’ duty to treat patients is in the discharge of his professional duty which cannot be held to be a trade so as to make out or constitute an offence.”

The accused doctors could be subjected only to departmental proceedings for violating government instructions that allowed private practice only with permission, the SC ruled.

Lucknow, April 28
The Allahabad High Court today extended the status quo at the disputed site at Ayodhya till August 31.

The Lucknow bench also directed its office to finalise the decree of the judgment pronounced on September 30 last year while disposing of the objections filed by various parties in the case.

According to H S Jain, counsel of Hindu Mahasabha - one of the parties in the case, special full bench comprising Justices S U Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and Virendra Kumar Dixit clarified that since the three-Judge bench in September had pronounced separate judgments, the majority opinion shall be taken into account while finalising the decree.

The court also permitted Commissioner, Faizabad, who is also the receiver of the disputed site at Ayodhya, to change the tarpaulin, polythene sheets and ropes of the makeshift structure. The Commissioner had earlier moved an application in this regard, Jain said.

The next sitting of the bench would take place on May 20, he added. — PTI

New Delhi, April 28
Former chairman of National Minorities Commission Tarlochan Singh today shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to settle the controversy over the age of Army Chief General VK Singh. In his letter, Tarlochan Singh said if the Army Chief is given an extension, it will effect the promotion of the next senior person. Lt Gen Bikram Singh, who is Chief of the Eastern Command, is to take over from the present Army Chief as he is the senior most.

“I need not mention that Lt Gen Bikram Singh is one of the most distinguished and decorated Army Commander. Depriving him the chance of becoming Army Chief will be a human injustice,” Tarlochan Singh said.

New Delhi, April 28
A Delhi court today sent four Uttarakhand policemen, allegedly involved in the July 2009 killing of a 22-year-old MBA student in a staged shootout near Dehradun, to the judicial custody till May 9. Special Judge VK Maheshwari sent accused Inspector Santosh Kumar Jaiswal and sub-inspectors Gopal Dutt Bhatt, Niraj Yadav and Chandra Mohan Singh Rawat to the Tihar Jail. The court also issued fresh non-bailable warrants (NBW) against three other police officials - Rajesh Bisht, Nitin Chauhan and Ajit Singh, after they failed to appear before it despite issuance of NBWs against them on the last date of hearing.

Eleven others accused officials, against whom the court had issued notices on the last date of hearing, were also present in the court today. The court has now posted the matter for arguments on charge on May 9.

On the last date of hearing, the court had issued NBWs against seven Uttrakhand police officials and notices to 11 other accused in the case, in which MBA student Ranbir was allegedly gunned down by the Uttarakhand Police on July 3, 2009. — PTI

New Delhi, April 28
Years after their sons were lured away by militant groups to across the Line of Control (LoC) into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, some 725 Kashmiri families have approached the government to facilitate home coming of their boys along with their wives and children.

Official sources said a high-level committee comprising representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Army and intelligence agencies will scrutinise the applications and verify antecedents of these militants. It will be scrutinised if their desire to return is genuine.

Once cleared, they will be issued temporary travel documents and those who have got married while their stay in PoK will be allowed to bring in their wives and children.

The first batch of these boys was expected by June, sources said. The committee is expected to hold its meeting immediately after the ongoing panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

As many as 725 applications have come under the special surrender and rehabilitation policy announced last year. It covers all people who crossed over to PoK between 1989 and 2009 to embrace militancy and now want to return back and lead a peaceful life. Technically, the people who crossed over cannot apply under the scheme but their parents and families can apply seeking a sort of amnesty for them.

The committee will ask the local authorities to identify, before screening them.

Home Minister P Chidambaram had recently said that the "PoK is actually an Indian territory" and the government "should facilitate the return" of those who had gone across the LoC for some reasons. “The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PoK and wishes to return India is certainly welcome,” he had said.

The issue of return of Kashmiri youth from PoK cropped up in 2006 when a delegation of leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, visited Pakistan. Several Kashmiris in PoK met them and pleaded with them to facilitate their return, saying they were "homesick".

Hyderabad, April 28
Breaking their long silence, members of the all-powerful Sri Satya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) today made a rare media appearance at Puttaparthi to refute allegations of a succession battle in the spiritual empire and announced that a new chairman of the Trust would be elected within a week.

A day after the burial of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, the members of the Trust made it clear that Baba did not leave any will nor did he name any successor. Baba was chairman of the Trust till his death and he alone had the cheque-signing authority since its inception in 1972.

The trustees, including former chief justice of Supreme Court PN Bhagwati, retired IAS officer S Chakravarthi, Indulal Shah, SV Giri and Baba’s nephew RJ Ratnakar, ruled out the possibility of inclusion of more family members of Baba in the Trust. They also ruled out any scope for interference by the government.

“The Trust members were chosen by Baba himself. Let us respect the decision of the Bhagwan,” said Trust member Venu Srinivasan, a former CII chairman. At present, Ratnakar is the sole representative of the family in the Trust.

They asserted that there were no differences of opinion among them and vowed to continue the charity and service activities initiated by Baba. A meeting of the trustees and the Council of Management would be held soon to decide on who should be the next chairman.

“The chairman will be elected from among the trustees,” Srinivasan, who is also chairman and MD of TVS Motors, said. “Satyajit is only an employee of the Trust. A former student of Satya Sai University, he was chosen by Baba to take care of his personal needs. He had served the Bhagwan for nearly 20 years. However, there is no question of inducting him into the Trust,” Srinivasan said.

On who should have the cheque-signing authority, Ratnakar said that he would suggest at the board meeting that two members of the Trust should have such power. “There is no question of Baba leaving any will, since he had no properties or assets or money in his name. Everything is in the name of the Trust, of which Baba was the chairman,” Srinivasan said.

BRIEFLY

Raj Chatterjee passes away
NEW DELHI: Raj Chatterjee, a prolific middle writer for The Tribune and former ITC executive passed away in New Delhi on Wednesday at the age of 96, after a prolonged illness. In 2008, Penguin India published a collection of his middles 'The Boxwallah and the Middleman'. He is survived by his four daughters and three grandsons. — TNS

Four killed in police firing
RANCHI: Four persons were killed and more than 25, including a senior police officer, injured in clashes as protests against the demolition drive in Jharkhand turned violent in the coal city of Dhanbad. — IANS

BrahMos in IAF by 2012
NAGERCOIL: The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile will be inducted into the Air Force in 2012. The missile has already been inducted into the Army and the Navy, BrahMos Aerospace Managing Director and Chief Controller, DRDO, A Sivathanu Pillai, said on Thursday. — PTI