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2G Spectrum Scam
7 Rajasthan ministers sworn in
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Maoists more dangerous than terrorists: Mamata
Graft cases: Yeddyurappa gets bail
Winter Session of Parliament
Sohrabuddin Killing
Six accused in Malegaon blasts case walk free
Nigamanand was not poisoned, says CFSL report
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7 Rajasthan ministers sworn in
Jaipur, November 16 All 27 ministers - 16 of Cabinet
rank and 11 junior ministers - had given their resignation letters to
the Chief Minister yesterday. Regrouping his team, Gehlot showed the
door to six ministers, picked five new ones, promoted one to Cabinet
rank and reinducted another. While Manju Meghawal, Naseem Akhtar, Vinod
Chaudhary, Virendra Beniwal and Dayaram Parmar are the new faces, Amin
Khan has been reinducted and Ashok Bharwa elevated from MoS to cabinet
rank. Beinwal and Parmar have been made Ministers of State with
independent charge. — PTI
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Maoists more dangerous than terrorists: Mamata
Didi takes oath as an MLA
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday took
oath as member of the state Legislative Assembly to officially enter the
House nearly two months after winning a by-poll. Speaker Biman Banerjee
administered the oath of office and secrecy to Banerjee at the Nausher
Ali Hall where deputy Speaker Sonali Guha, besides some cabinet
ministers, Leader of Opposition Suryakanta Mishra, some Left Front
members and Union minister of state for urban development Saugata Roy
were present. — PTI
Kolkata, November 16 “You cannot talk peace and kill people.
We cannot sit back and watch. We have to maintain law and order. We
cannot suck our fingers when the killings go on,” she said, adding that
Maoists were more dangerous than terrorists. Mamata, however, said, “I
still feel good sense will prevail on them and they will come back to
the mainstream. If they come to the mainstream, the state government
will take responsibility. It is a duty of the government to give
protection to people.” The Chief Minister was speaking at a meeting to
mourn the killing of two Trinamool supporters by the Maoists at
Balarampur in Purulia district on Monday. The joint security forces
meanwhile stepped up anti- Maoist operations, carrying out searches and
raids in Purulia and West Midnapore districts of junglemahal and
recovered a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material.
Two Insas rifles, 100 rounds of AK47 and Insas rifle ammunition, 60 kg
of explosive materials, mines, gelatine sticks and fuse wire were seized
from Purnapani, an area between Salboni and Lalgarh police stations in
West Midnapore district, police sources said. Mamata claimed some people
were helping the Maoists with money and shelter. “The government is
keeping a watch on them,” she said — PTI
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Israel to focus on farm development in India: Envoy
Chandigarh, November 16 Speaking to The Tribune here
today, Ambassador of Israel to India Alon Ushpiz added that another such
centre in Haryana was expected to become functional at Sirsa in the
coming weeks. These centres, he said, would be financed by the Central
Government. The centre at Karnal provides live demonstration of Israeli
agricultural technology and know-how to local farmers and the process to
undertake protected cultivation of various vegetables in adverse weather
conditions. Stating that Israel had developed a unique technology-based
capability to produce high crop yield from low resources, he said modern
training was an important ingredient of agricultural development and
Israel could offer useful expertise in the field. With growing social
and cultural ties, the Ambassador said there was immense potential to
increase bilateral trade, both in terms of quality and quantity. From
trade primarily in diamonds in the early years, it now includes
agricultural items, IT, biotechnology, potash and medicinal items. Trade
grew from $180 million in 1992 to over $5 billion at present, which was
a “very big figure” for Israel.
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Katju seeks cooperation of media
New Delhi, November 16 At a function to commemorate the
National Press Day, he made all the positive noises, saying normally
harsh measures should not be used against media personnel because they
are intellectuals. There has been some misunderstanding. At the same
time, however, he reiterated that “more teeth should be given to me and
I can assure you that I will never bite.’’ He also termed as
‘incorrect’ orders of both the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court
in the Times Now channel case and urged for their reconsideration. "I
have a statement to make regarding the orders of the Bombay High Court
and the Supreme Court in the case of the Times Now channel. With great
respect to these orders, I am of the view that they are incorrect and
require to be reconsidered," he said. Calling the channel's mistake an
"inadvertent human error", he said it does not seem that there was any
malicious intent, and the unintentional mistake was due to a technical
mix-up. "We are all human beings and we all make mistakes. In my
opinion, the appropriate order would have been to give a severe warning
to the TV channel to be careful in future," he said. Justice Katju has
been in the eye of a storm ever since he became the PCI Chairman in
October for his frequent critical remarks against journalists with some
media bodies going to the extent of saying that he had been installed in
the post to curtail the freedom of the press. But both the ruling
dispensation at the Centre and the BJP today appeared to share Katju’s
stand that the media should also be accountable in the country like any
other institution. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev
Shukla said Katju’s comments must be appreciated since they have sparked
a debate in the country on the functioning of the fourth estate. “There
are many loose cannons in the media who can write anything in the name
of the freedom of the press,’’ he observed. Information and
Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said the people expected an important
entity like the media to be responsible for the information they
disseminate. People were also concerned about the ‘paid news syndrome’
in the media. BJP leader Prakash Javadekar, a member of the PCI, said
Katju’s appointment as the PCI Chairman might have not given teeth to
the body but it has certainly got a voice now.
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Graft cases: Yeddyurappa gets bail
Bangalore,
November 16 Justice H Billappa granted bail to 68-year-old Yeddyurappa on
condition that he furnishes a bond for Rs 2 lakh, two sureties for the
same amount each and does not tamper with evidence. Yeddyurappa is
already out of jail on bail in two other corruption cases and has sought
anticipatory bail in a fifth case. The five cases of corruption and
illegal land deals were filed by two Bangalore advocates Sirajin Basha
and KN Balaraj in January this year. Yeddyurappa, BJP’s first CM in
Karnataka, was in Bangalore’s central jail for 21 days from Oct 19.
Though he was arrested on Oct 15 in two cases, he spent only a few hours
in jail on the day of his arrest and spent following three days in two
hospitals complaining of chest pain.
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I was fasting for Lokpal, Anna was brought in later: Shambhu Dutt
New Delhi, November 16 Shambhu Dutt, 94, and his four friends - three of them
freedom fighters - were the real regulars at Jantar Mantar, where they
had been routinely agitating for an effective Lokpal Bill. Even as late
as January 30 this year, they were fasting unto death for the cause
until the now-famous leaders of India against Corruption (IAC) - Kiran
Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan - talked them into giving up
the protest on grounds that the point had been made and IAC would now
take the movement forward. In three months, the movement was out of
Dutt’s hands. For the first time since then, the original and unsung
Lokpal crusader spoke up today out of frustration about what was hurting
him the most and why he disagreed with Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill. “I
remember January 30 when IAC’s rally reached Jantar Mantar. Kiran Bedi,
Kejriwal, Agnivesh, Bhushan came to me and said they would not leave
until we had ended our agitation. They assured me they would take the
campaign forward and we decided to advance the movement for three
months. Then they brought in Anna but I wonder why Anna’s commandos did
not fast themselves. They were collecting money in his name,” says Dutt,
associated with the Gandhian Seva and Satyagraha Brigade. The brigade
today launched a unique anti-corruption helpline in the Capital to help
commoners get justice. Asked if he felt betrayed by Anna, Dutt said
“no”, but he slammed Anna’s ways as “un-Gandhian”. His reference was to
anti-government remarks Anna made despite the assurances of Bill’s early
passage and the mismanagement of money received in donations at Ram Lila
where Anna held another fast recently. “No Gandhian would speak the way
Anna did. No Gandhian would deal with donations in such a dishonourable
way as Anna’s team did. They got Rs 3 crore. Why was the money put into
Kejriwal’s organisation? A new account could have been opened or money
transferred to Anna’s trusts. I am not ready to praise Anna’s friends,”
Shambhu Dutt told The Tribune today. He slammed Anna’s impatience over
the Bill, asking, “When Anna said he would abide by Parliament decision
and when the government assured him repeatedly, why was he creating
unnecessary tension?” The Gandhian, who had been given a word on the
Lokpal Bill by former PM IK Gujral, added that Team Anna never consulted
him on the subject. “They never consulted us though we had more
experience than them. We are against Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill which seeks
to cover even the Prime Minister’s peon. That’s not workable. And NGOs
must certainly be covered,” he said. Having deposed before the
parliamentary committee on Lokpal Bill once, Dutt has now sent a summary
of his demands to the panel. The summary says - constitutional status
for Lokpal can come after a law has been enacted; higher judiciary be
kept outside the Bill; PM be covered with safeguards; entire bureaucracy
should not be covered. As for Anna, the nonagenarian has a humble
message: “A Satyagrahi has no enemies and he knows no defeat. Have
patience. Let the Bill be passed.”
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Winter Session of Parliament Passage of Lokpal Bill on govt agenda Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, November 16 Ahead of the meeting of political party leaders which Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has called tomorrow, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal today said the session would mainly be devoted to legislative business. Out of 31 Bills listed for consideration and passing, Lokpal is top on priority, indicating the government’s resolve to pass it as promised. A while ago, activist Anna Hazare had renewed his threat to the Congress stating he would campaign against it in poll-bound states if the Bill was not passed this time. Accompanying the Lokpal Bill 2011 will be the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill 2010 which seeks to establish a mechanism to protect whistleblowers and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010 to lay down a mechanism to deal with complaints of misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge of the Supreme Court and High Court and to make provisions for declaration of assets and liabilities by judges. Among other Bills for consideration and passing are the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill 2011 and the long-pending Educational Tribunals Bill 2010, stuck in the Rajya Sabha. In the category of Bills to be introduced, National Food Security Bill 2011, the Prevention of Money Laundering Amendment Bill 2011 and the Electronic Delivery of Services Bill have been listed on top among 23 Bills. Bansal today said the government would be willing to discuss anything in Parliament and met chief whips of parties to seek support for the session. The Opposition led by the BJP has meanwhile said it would support the Lokpal Bill, with the CPM backing the Jan Lokpal version of the Hazare faction. However, the Opposition has also made it known that they would corner the government on price rise and bring adjournment motions to seek a debate on the issue.
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Sohrabuddin Killing Shah says he was victim of plot to destabilise Modi govt R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, November 16 Justice Tarun Chatterjee, who was part of the SC Bench which ordered a CBI probe into the fake encounter on January 12, 2010 by taking the case away from the Gujarat Police, should not have heard the case as he himself was under the CBI scanner that time in the PF scam in the Ghaziabad judiciary, the senior counsel said. The CBI subsequently gave a clean chit to Justice Chatterjee, who has since retired. Jethmalani said the CBI had filed the chargesheet against Shah without even questioning him. On being asked by the Bench whether it was true, he replied, “Yes, he was not questioned even once.” Further, while granting bail to Shah the Gujarat High Court had ruled that no prima facie case was made out against his client but the CBI held back this vital information while approaching the SC for seeking cancellation of the relief, Jethmalani contended. Shah’s counsel also took exception to the CBI challenging the HC verdict in the SC on a holiday, necessitating a hearing at the residence of one of the apex court judges. This was against SC’s Constitution Bench verdict under which the HC was the final court in matters of bail. The SC Bench was also at fault in holding the hearing at the Judge’s bungalow as it was against established judicial norms, Jethmalani argued. “Heavens would not have fallen if Shah had remained outside jail for a few days,” pending the SC hearing on the CBI appeal, he contended. Nevertheless, the SC endorsed the bail after the hearing, but directed Shah to stay away from Gujarat. Slamming CBI officers for describing Shah as the kingpin of a “crime syndicate” without providing evidence, Jethmalani said these officers should be “prosecuted and jailed.” After the investigations, the CBI virtually adopted the chargesheet filed by the state police in the case by retaining all the 13 accused and adding a few more accused, including Shah, he said. In fact, Sohrabuddin had been tracked down in Andhra Pradesh by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and he was sitting in a vehicle of the AP police while being taken to Maharashtra jointly by a team of police personnel from Gujarat, Rajasthan and AP, the counsel said. But the CBI was now trying to give a clean chit to the AP police as the state was ruled by the Congress, Jethmalani argued. At the outset, he clarified that Sohrabuddin was a gangster involved in extorting money from businessmen in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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Six accused in Malegaon blasts case walk free
Mumbai, November 16 Salman Farsi, Shabir Ahmed, Noorulhuda Doha, Rais Ahmed, Mohammed
Zahid and Faroogue Ansari were released from the Arthur Road jail here.
Another accused Abrar Ahmed is also expected to be set free from the
Byculla jail after completion of formalities, the police said. Two
others - Asif Khan and Mohammed Ali - were also granted bail in the
case, but not released as they were accused in the 2006 Mumbai train
serial blasts case too. On November 5, the nine accused got bail on a
surety of Rs 50,000 each by the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime
Act court as the National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the case,
chose not to oppose their plea for liberty. The court also asked the
accused to report to local police station once in a week. The NIA
contended that after the confession of Swami Aseemanand (arrested in
connection with the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case) about the alleged
involvement of a right-wing group in the Malegaon blast, it reviewed the
evidence collected by previous investigating agencies the ATS,
Maharashtra, and the CBI besides gathering some fresh evidence. "After
due deliberations, a decision was taken on the basis of facts and
circumstances not to oppose the bail plea of all the nine accused," the
NIA had told the court. On September 8, 2006, powerful blasts near the
Hamidia mosque in the Bada Kabaristan area in Malegaon after
Shab-e-Barat prayers killed 37 people and injured over 100. — PTI
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Nigamanand was not poisoned, says CFSL report
New Delhi, November 16 The decision
to constitute a medical board comes as the Central Forensic Science
Laboratory (CFSL) is understood to have told the agency in its viscera
examination report that Nigamanand, who died in Dehradun on June 13
after a four-month long fast against illegal mining along the Ganga bed
in Haridwar, was not poisoned, CBI sources said here. CBI spokesperson
refused to comment on the development saying the matter is under
probe. The agency had started its probe suspecting that 36-year-old
Nigamanand, who was leading a movement against stone crushers operating
along the bed of Ganga, was poisoned in an alleged conspiracy involving
the then CMS of the Haridwar District Hospital, Dr PK Bhatnagar, and
owner of the Himalaya Stone Crusher Gyanesh Kumar. The CBI sources had
alleged that as a part of a conspiracy, Bhatnagar administered an
injection to Nigamanand who slipped into coma. He was transferred to the
Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences in Dehradun where he died on
June 13. The post-mortem report said Nigamanand died due to coma,
septicaemia and degenerative brain disorder. His viscera was protected
and sent for further examination to the CFSL, which has ruled out
poisoning aspect. — PTI
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