New Delhi, July 15
The Supreme Court today took the Delhi Police to task for conducting shoddy investigations into the alleged payment of bribe to MPs in connection with the trust vote taken in the Lok Sabha on July 22, 2008.

“This is no investigation. You are telling the court stories which are demonstrably and verifiably incorrect,” a Bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam and RM Lodha told Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal after going through a status report filed by the Delhi Police as directed by the court.

Observing that the status report merely contained the statements of some persons recorded by the police under section 161 CrPC, the Bench said the even the dates on which these persons were questioned had not been disclosed. Further, there was no mention of the inferences drawn by the police on the basis of these statements or the future course of action planned. The apex court also pointed out that no one had been taken into custody so far.

“We asked for a status report. But this is what we get,” the Bench remarked, making it clear that it was not at all satisfied with the investigations. The ASG said the Delhi police was awaiting some sanction from the government. At this, the Bench said the officials concerned should sit in the office till the permission was granted.

The ASG sought a week’s time for filing a fresh status report, incorporating the details sought by the Bench. The court would hear the case again after two weeks.

New Delhi, July 15
Members of Parliament (MPs) will not have their say all the time after all. In a major setback to their aspirations for increased control over admissions to the coveted Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) across the country, the Law Ministry has turned down a proposal to allow each MP to recommend five children for admission to nominally priced KVs in place of the present limit of two.

The MPs, who, under the Special Dispensation Admission Scheme of the HRD Ministry, are currently allowed to recommend two admissions per academic session to a KV located in their constituency, wanted the quota enhanced to five, with permission to recommend three students to KVs of their constituency and the remaining two to KVs in Delhi. They argued that the demand for admissions had risen with the number of KVs increasing from 871 in 2000 to 1085 today.

But the Law Ministry rejected the proposal made by the Human Resource Development Ministry, which was flooded with requests from MPs, who argued that since they spend a considerable time in Delhi after election and get a residence cum office here, they come across deserving students who they want to help but can’t because the present scheme doesn’t allow them to recommend admissions to KVs in Delhi.

The Law Ministry dismissed the request saying it was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution and was not in conformity with the observations of the Delhi High Court which had quashed the Special Dispensation Scheme on November 17, 1998. The scheme allowed HRD Minister to recommend 1000 (raised to 1200 during former minister Arjun Singh’s time) admissions per year to KVs across India, and each MP to recommend two in schools of his constituency.

At that time, the HC said, "We can understand each MP being allowed the privilege of recommending two admissions in a year. Being representatives of the people, they can come across such cases where a child deserves an admission to a KV but can’t get unless through a Special Dispensation. But this can be true only for a constituency an MP represents. Allowing the privilege of two admissions anywhere in the country without regard to the factor of the constituency represented y the MP becomes a largesse."

Despite the HC striking down the scheme, the Ministry reintroduced it using the above-mentioned explanation the Court gave. It was only on March 15, 2010 that Minister Kapil Sibal surrendered his quota of 1200 admissions under the Scheme. He also abolished the quota for MPs but was forced to restore it under pressure and even push for enhancing the MO quota to five admissions a year. About 145 MPs argued that they don’t have any KVs in their constituencies and should be allowed exemptions. Accordingly, Sibal asked the Law Ministry if it would be tenable to allow such MPs to recommend three admissions to the contiguous constituency and the rest to KVs in Delhi. The Law Ministry said no.

Shillong, July 15
Lt-Gen Prashant Kumar Rath was today acquitted of the ‘intent to defraud’ in the Sukna land scam case by an Army court hearing a revision petition challenging his being absolved of the charge.

Rath broke down in court as Presiding Officer IJ Singh gave the “not guilty” verdict here. “After considering the evidence on record and the observations made by the confirming authority, the court adhered to its original findings and found the accused not guilty of intent to defraud,” prosecution counsel Raghavendra Jha said.

The Presiding Officer said there were no new issue to be deliberated and there was no need to interfere in the earlier findings. The Eastern Army Commander had earlier directed the General Court Martial to reconsider the first charge of "intent to defraud" against Rath when he had been acquitted.

Eastern Command GOC-in-C Lt-Gen Bikram Singh had contended earlier that the court, while appreciating the evidence on record, did not accord due weightage and consideration to certain aspects. "Finding of ‘not guilty’ with reference to the first charge (intent to defraud) appears to be perverse," he had said. — PTI

Mumbai, July 15
With Mumbai being targeted repeatedly by terror elements, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan has been forced to take a re-look at the political equations in the state.

Speaking to the media, Chavan said it was a big mistake for the ruling Congress to give the crucial Home portfolio to its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party. “I think it was a mistake. We should have re-looked at it. I don’t know of any other coalition government where the portfolios of Home, Finance and Planning are not with the Chief Minister,” Chavan said.

The CM went on to say that the Congress was forced to concede these important ministries to the NCP due to the compulsions of running a coalition government. RR Patil of the NCP is Maharashtra's Home Minister. Patil who held this post in the past had to quit following the 26/11 terror attack.

After the July 13 serial blasts, the demand for Patil's head is growing with a number of his own colleagues in the NCP calling for his removal. Patil is accused of turning a blind eye to the infighting among the senior echelons of the Mumbai police. For instance, say NCP leaders, Rakesh Maria, head of the Anti-Terror Squad of the Mumbai police, and Himanshu Roy, who heads the Crime Branch, were barely on speaking terms and their rivalry was well covered in the media.

Meanwhile, Chavan’s remarks created a controversy with the AICC distancing itself from the Chief Minister’s statement.

“It is time for all to unitedly fight the scourge of terrorism in the wake of the 13/7 Mumbai blasts. It should be the first priority,” senior party leader Mohan Prakash, who is in charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, told reporters, denying any knowledge of Chavan's controversial statement.

(With inputs from PTI)

New Delhi, July 15
India is likely to seek America’s assistance in conducting investigations into the Mumbai serial blasts, sources said here today. The request is expected to be made during the second India-US strategic dialogue to be co-chaired here on July 19 by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

According to sources, the two countries had been regularly exchanging information on counter-terrorism and security issues, particularly after the 26/11 terror attacks. They, however, declined to elaborate on the kind of cooperation India wanted from the US on the recent explosions in Mumbai, saying it would not be prudent to go into the specifics at this stage.

Asked about the issues likely to come up at the high-level dialogue, the sources said the two sides would discuss a wide range of issues, including strategic cooperation, energy and climate change, education, science and technology, health and defence.

The Indian delegation would include Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Sam Pitroda, adviser to the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary designate Ranjan Mathai, Secretaries of Home, Commerce and Environment ministries and the Intelligence Bureau Director.

Clinton would be assisted by the director of national intelligence, science and technology assistant to the President, deputy energy secretary and deputy secretary Homeland Security, among others.

The sources said India would also draw the attention of the US side towards the problems being faced by the Indian IT industry in its movement to the US to conduct business.

Kolkata, July 15
The NIA has been looking for Abdullah, alias Nata, in the city in connection with Wednesday’s incident of blasts in Mumbai and accordingly the Kolkata Police was also approached, police sources said.

The sources said Abdullah was closely associated in the activities of the Mujahideen, a terrorist outfit based in the Park Circus areas, along with Asif Raja Khan and Amir Raja Khan, the two terrorists who were now absconding. Abdullah was in Mumbai during the blast. But soon after the incident he escaped.

Both Asif and Amir, who had their earlier operation base in Kolkata and were involved in several killing and kidnapping cases and other terrorist activities in West Bengal and some other states, are also the suspects in the Mumbai blasts.

Both Asif and Amir are now reportedly living in Karachi from where they have been operating.

Kolkata, July 15
A tripartite agreement will be signed at Sukna in Darjeeling on July 18 in the presence of Union Minister Home Minister P Chidambaram and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for resolving the ongoing agitation in the hills. The representatives of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), state government and the Centre will be the signatories in the agreement.

The Chief Minister claimed at a press conference at Writers’ Building here today that they had finally reached a solution to the long-standing demands of the hill people for better life and opportunities.

Accordingly, a tripartite agreement will be signed at Sukha, near Siliguri, to which the both state and the Centre as well as the GJM agreed. The GJM wanted that the agreement be signed in Darjeeling town but on logistical grounds the venue was shifted to Sukha since there might have been communication problems in reaching Darjeeling during the monsoon.

Meanwhile, eight different anti-separatists organisations, including Bangla Bachao Committee, Amra Bangali and Siliguri Citizen Forum, began a five-day bandh at Siliguri and Jalpaiguri protesting against the agreement. They feared that under the accord the interests of the people in the plains would suffer.

Today, a bandh was observed in several areas at Siliguri where markets and other commercial and educational institutions were closed. Buses, mini-buses, autorickshaws and other public transports also did not operate.

The Chief Minister declined to disclose anything about the agreement.

This will be the second such accord for resolving the Darjeeling agitation for a separate Gorkhaland which was started in the 1970s under the leadership of Subhas Ghising, the chairman of the Gorkha Liberation Front. The first accord was signed on August 22, 1988, at Raj Bhawan in Kolkata in the presence of late Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and the then Union Home Minister Buta Singh on which the Gorkhaland Hill Council was formed.

BRIEFLY

Student dies in Orissa school; headmaster beaten up
Keonjhar (Orissa): A class IX student died allegedly due to corporal punishment by a teacher on Friday, sparking violent protests from local people who beat up the headmaster in Keonjhar district of Orissa, police said. Manas Sahu of Dhanurjaynarayan High School at Keonjhar was shifted to the hospital in a serious condition with blood flowing down his ear and was later declared dead by the doctors. — PTI

Goa churches may follow dress code
PANAJI: After Goa’s oldest church, other churches in the state could soon follow suit and impose a rigid dress code for tourists visiting their premises. Last week, the Basilica officials said indecently dressed tourists, who came to the church premises, would be asked to wear shawls provided by the church authorities in order to cover themselves up. Goa has more than 100 churches. — IANS

Rehabilitation of Tamils
New Delhi: India on Friday said rehabilitation of Tamils should be of the “highest and most immediate priority” for Sri Lankan government but maintained there were “questions” on the UN report alleging ‘war crimes’against the government in the island nation. “A fair and reasonable settlement of the political issues concerning the minorities in Sri Lanka is of utmost importance and the historic opportunity offered by the end of the conflict should be availed of at the earliest,” an official spokesman said while replying to a query on the issue. — PTI

Couple kills infant daughter
Karimnagar (AP): A couple here has been arrested for killing their three-month-old daughter, police said. The couple, identified as K Ravinder (30) and his wife Swati (26) in Karimnagar, have been booked for murder and sent to judicial custody. Karimnagar ASP (Operations) Devulapalli Venkata Srinivasa Rao told reporters that the crime was committed three days ago as the couple believed that a female child would bring misfortune to them. — PTI