The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Let no guilty go scot-free, says SC Censures cops, docs who concealed facts in murder case R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, August 12 In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has advised the judiciary to ensure that no culprit goes scot-free in criminal cases by influencing the doctor conducting the postmortem or the police officer investigating the crime. “The courts discharge the function not merely to ensure that no innocent man is punished, but also that a guilty man does not escape. Both are public duties of the judge,” a Bench comprising Justices Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla has held. A criminal trial was meant for doing “justice to all” - the victim, the accused and the society in general - by assuming that the accused was innocent till proven guilty, offering a fair chance to the prosecution to prove its case and ensure that the court proceedings were fair, the Bench ruled. “Then alone can law and order be maintained,” it was stated. The apex court also asked the judiciary below to order disciplinary action against the police officers and the doctors involved in deliberate suppression of facts in such cases, besides discarding their versions. The SC came out with the rulings while dismissing the appeal filed by Dayal Singh and his two sons, Budh Singh and Resham Singh, from Salwati village in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. They had been convicted for killing Pyara Singh with lathis on December 8, 1985. The provocation: Pyara Singh had put some soil removed from his field on the mend dividing their lands. “Where the eyewitness account is found credible and trustworthy, medical opinion pointing to alternative possibilities may not be accepted as conclusive,” the SC Bench ruled while upholding the findings of the trial court and the High Court that the postmortem report and the investigation officer’s statement were not reliable. The apex court directed the state government to take action within three months against Dr CN Tewari, who had said that no injury (both external and internal) mark was found on the body of the victim, and Sub-Inspector Kartar Singh, who had tried to help the accused, irrespective of the fact whether they were in service or had retired. “Police officers and doctors, by their profession, are required to maintain duty decorum of high standards. The standards of investigation and the prestige of the profession are dependent upon the action of such specialised persons,” the SC pointed out.
	Left to target UPA’s economic policies Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 12 The Left parties have decided to target the Manmohan Singh government by attacking its economic policies in general and Finance Minister in particular during the ongoing session of Parliament. Left MPs will start the week by staging a sit-in front of the main entrance of Parliament on Tuesday and take up issues during debates. A decision to this effect was arrived at a meeting of Left MPs last week. Even while supporting the UPA-I government from outside, the Left parties had been strident in criticising its economic policies and the opposition to it has become more pronounced in the second term of the ruling coalition. These parties are not convinced by the series of reports by international rating agencies, including Moody's, which made a gloomy prediction about the direction of the Indian economy and criticism by leading industrialists.
	Railways to run special trains for festive season Syed Ali Ahmed/TNS New Delhi, August 12 The Northern Railway has decided to run puja special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers during the festive season in October and November. Special trains from Delhi to Udhampur, Jammu, Varanasi, Lucknow will be thrice a week; Panipat, Patna, Darbhanga twice a week; Amritsar-Barauni Unreserved Express, Ferozepur-Saharsa-Ambala Unreserved Express and Ludhiana-Saharsa-Ambala Cantonment Unreserved will be weekly trains. The Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Udhampur Super Fast (04033) Puja Special will operate from the Delhi Sarai Rohilla railway station on October 1 to November 28 on every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10.15 pm to reach Udhampur at 8.50 am the next day. In the return direction, the Udhampur-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Super Fast (04034) Puja Special will ply from Udhampur between October 2 and November 29 on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 5.50 pm to reach Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 4.20 am the next day. The Anand Vihar-Jammu Tawi (04051) Puja Special will start from Anand Vihar on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from October 2 at 11.15 pm to reach Jammu Tawi at 11.50 am the next day. For its return journey, the train will start from Jammu Tawi on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from October 3 to November 30 at 5.20 pm to reach Anand Vihar Terminal at 5.55 am the next day.
	Mamata faces flak over arrest of questioner New Delhi, August 12 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came under intense attack today over the arrest of a man who asked her a question at a rally with Press Council of India chairman Markendey Katju calling her "totally dictatorial, intolerant, and whimsical" in her behaviour. The BJP said giving answers is the duty of political leaders and that they can't run away while the CPM, the arch rival of the Trinamool Congress supremo, dubbed the arrest as "unfortunate and horrific." In a hard-hitting statement, Katju said Banerjee's action amounted to "blatant misuse" of state machinery and "flagrant violation" of constitutional and human rights. Expressing "shock" at the incident, Katju said officials in West Bengal should take a lesson from the Nuremburg verdict. At the Nuremburg trials, the Nazi war criminals took the plea that orders were orders and they were only carrying out the orders of Adolf Hitler, their superior, but this plea was rejected and they were hanged. A man identified as Siladitya Chowdhury and who was dubbed as a Maoist by Banerjee at a public meeting at the former Maoist stronghold of Belpahari on August 8 was arrested when he asked her what steps she was taking to help farmers. Chowdhury had told the chief minister that the farmers were dying and that 'empty promises were not enough'. The Chief Minister expressed surprise and dubbed Chowdhury a Maoist while asking the police to arrest him. Katju said he has changed his opinion about Banerjee whom he had earlier praised. "Her action is most undemocratic to say the least," he said, holding that she is totally undeserving to be a political leader," he said. — PTI
	Disaster-hit states fail to use aid Offenders include J&K, Bihar, Bengal & Sikkim Vibha Sharma/TNS New Delhi, August 12 A Parliamentary Panel has pointed out serious lapses (some dating as far back as the Gujarat earthquake of 1991) in monetary help for undertaking rehabilitation work and providing relief to people affected by severe natural calamities, in this case the MPLADS funds, lying unutilised with some states despite several reminders. Other offenders include Jammu and Kashmir (Leh cloudburst), Bihar (Kosi floods), West Bengal (Aila cyclone) and Sikkim (September-2011 earthquake). Consider this: Two years since the Leh cloudburst - a natural disaster that resulted in massive human and properly loss - only three works are in progress while the status of other authorised rehabilitation works is not even known to the Centre, says the Parliamentary panel headed by AKS Vijayan in its report “Procedures on provision of MPLADS Funds for Natural Calamities”. It has now asked the department concerned - the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation - to ensure that all works in Leh are completed within a year. “The committee regrets to note that only three works are in progress in the case of the Leh cloudburst of August 6, 2010. Even though two years have already passed, status of other authorised rehabilitation works is not known to the Ministry. It is requested that the DC, Leh, should intimate the status. The committee recommends that the Ministry should pursue vigorously with the state authorities and ensure that all the works are completed within a year,” the panel says. As many as 17 Lok Sabha MPs contributed Rs 285 lakh and 50 Rajya Sabha MPs Rs 673 lakh for construction and purchase of equipment for SNM Hospital, Leh, restoration of micro-hydel scheme, Hunder Nubra, construction of 14-m motorable girder over Hunder Nallah and construction of abutment and approaches for bridge over Nimo Nallah and Nimo Drukpa Road. In response, the Ministry said work was in progress on restoration of micro-hydel scheme, Hunder Nubra, while a part of medical equipment for SNM had been procured. It is not just the states - the panel is equally critical of the Ministry concerned for not monitoring closely progress of work. Under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme, started in December, 1993, each member of both the Houses gets Rs 5 crore every year for taking up developmental work in their respective constituencies. They can also transfer the funds for undertaking rehabilitation work in the area affected by severe natural calamities. Gujarat has not yet submitted proposals of works to be undertaken out of the unspent balance of Rs 9.42 crore lying with it despite several reminders by the Ministry.
	No decorum in meetings, says MCI board member Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, August 12 Trouble is brewing in the Medical Council of India. A member of the Board of Governors (BoG) has raised serious concerns about lack of decorum in Council meetings, humiliation of employees by top MCI brass and an alleged recent remark where the MCI chairman said all Council employees were corrupt and must be removed. In a letter emailed to his colleagues on August 8, Council’s BoG member Ashok Gupta, referring to the August 7 council meeting, said he was openly humiliated when he asked some questions during the ongoing hearing of Saxena Group of Hospitals to ensure it was the same group against which the MCI Ethics Committee had passed severe strictures. “I was openly ridiculed and told my questions were not part of the official proceedings and may not be put on record,” Dr Gupta wrote. He listed instances of alleged humiliation of Council employees, saying a lady official was shouted at by a BoG member on August 7. “What happened with the Deputy Secretary in-Charge UG section… ridiculing and shouting at her in public of favouring some colleges… is another burning example of outraging the modesty of a female employee and is to be condemned. What happened with the Secretary (on deputation) by ridiculing and shouting at him in public for not labeling the title page of the agenda suitably is another burning example of autocracy…” The lady officer Dr Gupta referred to, Dr Reena Nayar, said she would not like to talk about the issue. Dr Gupta in his letter, meanwhile, questioned BoG chairman Dr KK Talwar’s alleged comments made in the August 7 MCI meeting. “It is regretted that during the interaction with the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and members of the BoG on August 7, the chairman repeatedly alleged all MCI employees were most corrupt and even went to the extent of advising removing all employees and making new appointments. It is an unwelcome statement…” Dr Gupta wrote. Health Ministry officials admitted the the alleged remarks (MCI employees are corrupt) attributed to Dr Talwar had indedd been made by him, but said the chairman meant well. “What the chairman said was during informal discussions. Though corruption has to be checked, generalised remarks cannot be made,” Ministry sources said. The Ministry added they were aware of lack of harmony in MCI. “The MCI Board of Governors must sort out their differences and focus on reform. We cannot interfere. They will talk this issue out tomorrow. We know one BOG member has written a letter,” officials said. Dr Talwar, when contacted, didn’t answer his phone, but replied over SMS, saying, “If the query is concerning the MCI, please talk to Secretary, MCI”. MCI Secretary Sanjay Srivastava said he had nothing to say on the issue.
	Going political Anna’s decision, says Kejriwal Ananya Panda/TNS New Delhi, August 12 With speculations rife about a rift among the erstwhile Team Anna members and in particular Anna Hazare’s displeasure over switching to politics, Arvind Kejriwal broke his silence and said a “malicious” campaign was at work to create trouble between them and the social activist. Clearing the air that Anna was not in favour of forming a political party which has resulted in a lot of scepticism both among the people and the members of India Against Corruption (IAC), the former IRS officer alleged that a “propaganda machinery” was working overtime to “drive a wedge” between Anna and other activists. “A malicious campaign is being run that Anna is against political party and that Team thrust it on Anna. Truth is it was Anna’s decision,” Kejriwal tweeted. It was for the first time that Kejriwal reacted on Twitter today morning after the team’s unprecedented announcement of going political came early this month at Jantar Mantar following a 10-day protest for a strong Lokpal Bill and a special probe into the allegations of graft against several incumbent Cabinet ministers. Senior members of the new political camp of the IAC said, “It was a conscious decision of Anna to turn the anti-corruption movement political and resort to the political alternative though he preferred to remain dissociated from it. “Anna clearly directed us to start forming a political party. If he says even once that he doesn’t want us to do that, we will withdraw immediately,” Kejriwal posted. “For the last one year, Anna was being projected as an infant who could be influenced by anyone. Anna has been fighting the corrupt for the last 30 years. He is extremely sharp politically and fiercely independent…,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter. IAC members, who, in a meeting today, were trying to strategise their pathway for Delhi Assembly polls slated next year, said that he was under no compulsion to take the political step forward.
	Government puts word limit on RTI pleas, defines format New Delhi, August 12 The government has put a word limit of 500 words for filing an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Besides this, a new format has been devised for filing an appeal to the Central Information Commission under the transparency law. The government has also made it mandatory for an appellant or his authorised representative to appear before the CIC either in person or through video-conferencing, according to new rules notified on July 31. An application "shall be accompanied by a fee of rupees ten and shall ordinarily not contain more than five hundred words, excluding annexures, containing address of the Central Public Information Officer and that of the applicant," the new rules said. Earlier, there was no word limit in seeking information. However, the rules said that "no application shall be rejected on the ground that it contains more than five hundred words". According to a notification by the Department of Personnel and Training under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, an applicant will have to pay additional postal charges "involved in supply of information that exceeds fifty rupees". There will be no fee charged from a person below the poverty line for providing a copy of the certificate issued by the appropriate government in this regard, it said. The RTI Act, which was enacted in 2005, covers disclosure of information on almost all matters of governance. The appeal filed by an aggrieved person has to be accompanied with a copy of the application submitted to the Central Public Information Officer, a copy of reply received, if any, from the CPIO, a copy of the appeal made to the First Appellate Authority, a copy of the order received, if any, from the FAA, copies of other documents relied upon by the appellant and referred to in his appeal and an index of documents referred to in the appeal. "An appeal may be returned to the appellant, if it is not accompanied by the documents as specified," the rules said. The transparency watchdog can dismiss an appeal after hearing the appellant or recording its reason in case it is not satisfied that it is a fit case to proceed with. "The commission shall not consider an appeal unless it is satisfied that the appellant has availed of all the remedies available to him under the Act," the notification said. However, no appeal shall be dismissed only on the ground that it has not been made in the specified format, it said. As per the notified rules, fee can be paid in cash or by demand draft, bankers cheque, postal order or by electronic means in case such facility is available with the public authority. RTI activists, however, are not happy over the new rules. "It is a cruel joke on all the people," said RTI activist (retd) Commodore Lokesh Batra. — PTI
	MP reintroduces Bill to rename India Bharat Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 12 Congress MP Shantaram Naik introduced a private member’s Bill in the Rajya Sabha last week seeking to rename India as Bharat for the second time. Naik’s earlier attempt for a Constitutional amendment on the same subject had lapsed when his earlier term in the House ended. Naik said the grounds for changing the name of the country to Bharat are many, but more than those reasons, it was the sense of patriotism that the name generates which was more relevant. “When we praise our country we say Bharat Mata ki jai and not India ki jai,” he explained. Point taken, but whether his Bill will ever be able to see the light of day is doubtful given the large number of private member’s Bills introduced in each session. Naik said each member can introduce three Bills in a session but the selection for discussion is done through ballot. The last two-and-a-half hours of the sitting every Friday are generally allotted for transaction of private members’ business. Naik who claims to have moved the highest number of private member’s Bills - as many as 33 - admitted that the chances of a Bill coming up for a discussion are very less, but when and if it does, the intention would be to at least “generate a debate” on the issue. Going by statistics, no member expects his Bill to be passed. While Naik’s aim is to “generate a debate” on a subject close to his heart, the fact is that in its 60-year-plus history, Parliament has passed only 14 private member’s Bills. Six of these were passed in 1956, according to the PRS Legislative Research. The last such Bill to have been passed by Parliament was The Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968 that became an Act on August 9, 1970. According to the general practice, a Bill that eventually makes it to the floor of the House is ultimately withdrawn by the member. The subject is reintroduced by the government in its own Bill. This happened in the case of the Anand Marriage Amendment Bill that was initially moved in the Rajya Sabha as a private member’s Bill by MP Tarlochan Singh. Every Member of Parliament, who is not a minister, is called a private member and private member’s Bills are the Bills introduced by these MPs.
	Child rights: Media under scanner of multiple bodies R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, August 12 The guidelines approved by the Delhi High Court last week for media coverage of crimes involving children as victims or perpetrators have effectively brought the Fourth Estate under the scanner of multiple bodies - the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Press Council of India (PCI), the national and state commissions for protecting child rights, besides the judiciary and self-regulatory mechanisms. Media’s compliance of the guidelines would be monitored by the PCI, the self-regulatory bodies and the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) and the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) of the I&B Ministry. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the State CPCRs have been asked to submit annual reports to the HC on the level of compliance. The new dos and don’ts for the media are based on the existing legal framework within the country and abroad, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Child. In fact, Section 228A of the IPC provides for a jail term of up to two years with or without a fine for revealing the identity of rape victims, while Section 327(3) CrPC specifies bars on publication of court proceedings dealing with sexual exploitation of children. The Norms of Journalistic Conduct, 2010, issued under the PCI Act, 1978, also restrains the media from carrying names, photographs or other particulars leading to the identity of child victims of rape, abduction or sexual assault. The media also cannot identify children born as a result of sexual abuse, forcible marriage or illicit sexual union. Children affected by HIV also have similar protection.
	A day of festivities for Vrindavan widows Ananya Panda/TNS Vrindavan/Delhi, August 12 It was celebration time for scores of destitute women of Vrindavan, majority of them widows, as they enjoyed a good meal and sweets at Swadhar Mahila Ashraya Sadan II, Chaitanya Vihar, today. When the sadan authorities told them that they would also receive money, they hurried towards the venue in queues after their morning bhajans. Official of Sulabh International, an NGO, had come there to announce welfare measures for the inmates of such shelter homes. Most of these women have been waiting for a meagre pension of Rs 500 for years. They make both ends meet by singing bhajans at Phogla Ashram, Bhajana Ashram and Balaji Ashram. Many of them have also taken to begging. “Occasionally, some rich men come and distribute food, but no one gives money. We go for bhajans in the morning to Phogla Ashram and get Rs 4 and some food during the day. We also earn some amount by begging,” said Brajbala and Rama Bai, inmates of the ashram. The Supreme Court recently expressed shock over the plight of Virndavan widows and the inhuman disposal of their bodies. There are cases when the bodies of these widows were disposed off by chopping them into pieces and shoving into gunny bags. The plea: Lack of money for proper cremation. Sulabh International is one of the two organisations chosen by the apex court for ameliorating the plight of these widows. “From today onwards, no widow of Virandavan will sleep without food. Each and every widow will get food every night,” Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak said here today. He also announced that Rs 500 would be given to every destitute woman. The NGO would also approach the local authorities for setting up an electric crematorium where these women could be cremated in a dignified way after their death. “While providing money (Rs 25) for the evening food is the first step, we are thinking of other ways to help the inmates of the four government-run shelter homes, which house 1,780 destitute women,” Pathak said.
	arrest at rally Katju: Mamata dictatorial, intolerant & whimsical ' New Delhi, August 12 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came under intense attack today over the arrest of a man who asked her a question at a rally with Press Council of India chairman Markendey Katju calling her "totally dictatorial, intolerant, and whimsical" in her behaviour. The BJP said giving answers is the duty of political leaders and that they can't run away while the CPM, the arch rival of the Trinamool Congress supremo, dubbed the arrest as "unfortunate and horrific." In a hard-hitting statement, Katju said Banerjee's action amounted to "blatant misuse" of state machinery and "flagrant violation" of constitutional and human rights. Expressing "shock" at the incident, Katju said officials in West Bengal should take a lesson from the Nuremburg verdict. At the Nuremburg trials, the Nazi war criminals took the plea that orders were orders and they were only carrying out the orders of Adolf Hitler, their superior, but this plea was rejected and they were hanged. Chowdhury had told the chief minister that the farmers were dying and that 'empty promises were not enough'. The Chief Minister expressed surprise and dubbed Chowdhury a Maoist while asking the police to arrest him. Katju said he has changed his opinion about Banerjee whom he had earlier praised. "Her action is most undemocratic to say the least," he said, holding that she is totally undeserving to be a political leader," he said. — PTI
	admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas MPs’ quota raised Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 12 Admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas is no longer going to be a problem if you have links to the MP concerned. All it requires is a recommendation from the people’s representative even if the seats are already full. Under a new scheme of “Special Dispensation Admission for Members of Parliament”, each parliamentarian can recommend up to six students for admission in an academic year. These admissions would be over and above the class strength. A circular received in this regard by Kendriya Vidyalayas a few days ago states that the new policy comes into vogue with immediate effect. Earlier known as Central Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) came into existence in 1965 and at present, there are 1,084 such institutes spread across the country catering to 10.58 lakh students. In addition, there is a KV each in Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran. Affiliated to the CBSE, these are meant to cater to the educational needs of children of transferable central government employees including defence and paramilitary personnel by providing a common programme of education. The new policy stipulates that the recommendations by MPs would be confined to children whose parents belong to his or her constituency either by domicile or on account of being posted there, or owing to exigencies of service, migrate to his constituency. Such recommendations would be for admissions in KVs located only in the constituency of the MP concerned. In case there is no KV in the constituency, recommendation can be made for admission in KVs located in a neighbouring constituency. For Rajya Sabha members, the state from which the member has been elected would be deemed to be his constituency for this purpose. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend six cases for admission in any KV across the country. KV bonanza Under a new scheme, each parliamentarian can recommend up to six students for admission in an academic year Such recommendations would be for admissions in KVs located only in the constituency of the MP concerned In case there is no KV in the constituency, recommendation can be made for admission in KVs located in a neighbouring constituency For Rajya Sabha members, the state from which the member has been elected would be deemed to be his constituency for this purpose Nominated MPs can recommend six cases for admission in any KV across the country
	23 held for Mumbai violence Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, August 12 The Mumbai police has arrested 23 persons in connection with Saturday afternoon’s violence at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai. The police said the arrests were made by the Crime Branch of the city police based on photographs taken by mediapersons and police personnel. More arrests are likely as the authorities are looking for young men who appear in photographs to be indulging in violence, police sources said. Following Saturday’s violence, the authorities pressed in contingents of the State Reserve Police, the Rapid Action Force and the CRPF in Muslim-dominated localities. “With the holy month of Ramzan on and keeping in mind the blasts in Pune, the police has issued a red alert,” Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik told reporters here today. Another police official added that the Crime Branch was studying video recordings of speeches made at Azad Maidan by leaders of Muslim organisations which had organised the protests. Two persons were killed and some 100 others were injured in the violence. While most of the injured persons have been let go after being given first aid, at least 15 persons were still undergoing treatment in hospitals this morning. The police said today that several women constables who were on duty yesterday were molested by miscreants who had come to attend the rally held to protest the killings of Muslims in Assam. Some of those arrested today have been charged with molesting the women constables. Weapons of three police officials were also stolen yesterday. While two carbines have since been recovered, a pistol belonging to a police official is still missing, sources said. Meanwhile, the authorities have asked police personnel deployed yesterday to provide an account of the ammunition provided to them. This was to keep track of the number of bullets fired by policemen yesterday, police officials said. Earlier today, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan went around hospitals to meet those injured in the violence. He told reporters that the city was peaceful. Murder charge All arrested in connection with violence at a rally at Azad Maidan here, and organisers of the protest have been slapped with murder charge. Section 302 (murder) of the IPC has been invoked against them. The rally, to protest the riots in Assam and the alleged victimisation of Muslims in Myanmar, had been organised by city-based Raza Academy and some other groups. — PTI
	Jundal makes confessional statement before magistrat Mumbai, August 12 Key 26/11 attack handler Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal today made a confessional statement before a magistrate here in which he is understood to have given a deep insight into Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Taiba terror group's role in the 2008 Mumbai strikes. 30-year-old Jundal, who has been confronted with Ajmal Kasab -- the lone surviving Lashkar terrorist in the Mumbai terror attacks, was produced before a metropolitan magistrate in his chamber, official sources said. Besides the two, a court clerk was also present during the proceedings. Jundal, who is a prized catch in the case, had made a verbal plea before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate PS Rathod that he wanted to make a voluntary confession about his role in the attacks. The magistrate had explained to Jundal the procedure with regard to recording a confession under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code and also informed him that his confessional statement could be used against him, the sources said. After being produced in court today, the magistrate asked Jundal again if he had thought over his decision to confess and if he was taking the step voluntarily, to which Jundal replied in the affirmative. Jundal, who was hitherto in the custody of the Crime Branch of Mumbai police, was on August 10 sent to Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai to ensure that he is not influenced by anyone. A native of Beed district of Maharashtra, he was taken into custody by Mumbai police after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been arrested following his deportation from Saudi Arabia in June. — PTI Jundal’s aide picked up for questioning Beed, August 12 The Mumbai crime branch has picked up for questioning Abdul Rafe, a close aide of suspected LeT operative Abu Jundal, in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rafe was held three days ago and taken to Mumbai for questioning after Jundal told his interrogators that he had told the Beed resident of the plan to attack Mumbai when he was in Saudi-Arabia. Police sources said Rafe was in the Gulf between 2005 and 2008, the period during which he allegedly came into contact with Ansari, one of the handlers of Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November 2008. During interrogation, Mumbai police got to know that Rafe, from Georai taluka in Beed district who had shifted to Beed, was in touch with Abu Jundal. — PTI
	Feud in Andhra Cong touches a new low Suresh Dharur/TNS Hyderabad, August 12 The internal squabbles in the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Congress have touched a new low with the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and senior Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy being at the loggerheads with each other over the issue of gas supply to the state. Jaipal Reddy, who holds Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio, drew flak from the Chief Minister and his close followers for failing to protect the state’s interests. At the root of the controversy was the Centre’s move to divert natural gas from the Krishna-Godavari basin to Maharashtra. The row erupted soon after the Empowered Group of Union Ministers (EGoM) recommended diversion of two million metric standard cubic meters per day of gas from the Reliance oil well in K-G Basin to the Ratnagiri power plant in Maharashtra. In a bitter blame game that followed, the Chief Minister targeted Jaipal, the only representative from the Telangana region in the Union Cabinet, and said he should do his bit to get the gas allocated for two power projects in Telangana. On his part, Jaipal made it clear that the decisions on the gas allocation were made by the EGoM and not the Union Minister alone. Interestingly, the Central government reversed the decision and restored the promised gas allocation for AP projects after the Chief Minister airdashed to Delhi and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the matter. The issue led to widening of the rift between the two factions in the ruling party. The Chief Minister dashed off a letter to the Petroleum Ministry, demanding allocation of the Reliance gas to the state projects and took pot shots at Jaipal for not doing enough for the state.
	Lankan Navymen threaten TN fishermen Rameswaram (TN), August 12 Windowpanes of a boat, part of 78 others which had put out to sea from this coastal town, were damaged in an attack allegedly by Sri Lankan naval personnel, fisheries department sources said. They also took away the fish catch from 10 boats. Sri Lankan naval personnel allegedly threw beer bottles and stones at the boat last night, damaging the windowpanes. Later, they surrounded the boats and threatened the fishermen to leave the area, sources said. Meanwhile, about 11 organisations of fishers did not put out to sea for the fifth consecutive day, demanding release of five fishermen arrested by the Lankan Navy in November 2011. Fishermen's Association president Arulanandam said a Sri Lankan court had on August 7 released four fishermen, arrested by the Lankan Navy three months ago on charges of smuggling snuff, after ordering them to pay Rs 1.05 lakh as fine and impounded their boats. — PTI
	Jantar Mantra Anita Katyal When Shukla got lucky Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla’s popularity ratings suddenly shot up last week when he escorted Bollywood diva Rekha and cricketing superstar Sachin Tendulkar to Parliament House for the vice-presidential election and on the opening day of the monsoon session. As the minister took the two new nominated Rajya Sabha members around the building, his colleagues found some excuse or the other to speak to him. CPI’s D Raja, however, did not need Shukla to chat with Rekha as he immediately struck up a conversation with her in Tamil. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury invited Rekha for a cup of coffee to the Central Hall. Parliamentarians, who could not stop remarking on Shukla’s luck, would have gone green with envy had they heard Rekha admiring the minister’s bungalow and his lush lawns. “I would not mind living in a cottage in one corner of the garden, she told Shukla. Jaitley’s chana-kulcha treat It is a known fact that BJP leader Arun Jaitley’s favourite dish is Amritsari kulcha-channa. He was, therefore, delighted when special cooks from Amritsar, who were visiting Delhi last week, sent across boxes of kulcha-chana to his residence. While Jaitley and his family had a good tuck-in, there was still plenty to go around given the vast quantities they had received. The BJP leader brought the rest to Parliament House the next day and invited all his friends from the Rajya Sabha to his office to sample the special fare from Punjab. Needless to say, the party was a rocking success. The food was a real hit as Jaitley’s guests went back raving about the finger-licking kulcha-channa. ‘Mukulisation’ of English Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s confidant Railway Minister Mukul Roy is becoming a bit of an embarrassment for his party and the UPA government in Parliament. Each time he gets up to take questions on his ministry, Roy appears clueless about the facts, drawing howls of protest from the Opposition benches. As a result, the minister gets tense and starts fumbling for words, leading to some classic howlers. On one such occasion last week when he was at the receiving end of an aggressive Opposition, a nervous Railway Minister pleaded, “Please let me allow to speak.” A senior UPA minister, who has been keeping notes on Roy’s gaffes, has described it as “mukulisation of the English language.” Thackeray is a fish fan While on the subject of food, NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar recently revealed that Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray loves fish, which is a staple whenever he has guests for a meal. Not only is Thackeray very finicky about the fish quality but he is also particular about the way it is cooked. He is known to make frequent trips to the kitchen to supervise the cooking whenever fish is on the menu. Each time he has run-in with his political opponents, including Pawar, he follows it up with an invitation for a special fish-meal and beer at his residence.