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No early changes likely in judges’ appointment system
Sukhoi pilot sacked over affair with woman officer
Rajnath Singh to attend Amravati conclave of RSS |
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Indians more prone to aortic rupture than Caucasians
Honour
killings
Evolve witness protection policy: HC to Delhi govt
Evolve rehab plan for acid attack victims, says HC
Heroin seizure: HC upholds conviction of 2 Pak
nationals
Modi set to be declared as BJP’s PM candidate
Broken ship still ablaze off Mumbai
Madhya Pradesh ex-minister arrested in sodomy
case
Mamata threatens WB Election Commissioner
Rs 1 a kg rice scheme in Karnataka from today
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No early changes likely in judges’ appointment system
New Delhi, July 9 “How can we change the system when the Opposition is not playing ball and the judiciary is against our proposal,” a top government functionary remarked today. Nevertheless, the government would persist with its efforts in the hope that it would “succeed some day, if not any time soon,” he said, pointing out the sentiments of Justice P
Sathasivam, who would take over as the Chief Justice of India later this month, against the proposal and the several conditions being put by the Opposition for extending support on the issue. The collegium system could be changed only through a review of two Supreme Court judgments under which it was introduced or through a Constitutional amendment. No way the collegium system could continue as such a practice was not prevalent in any part of the world, the high authority said on condition of anonymity. There was need to make the appointment process a collaborative one involving both judiciary and the government in the interest of the judicial system and democracy and to improve the quality of courts, he said. He said the SC should also have adequate representation from all regions of the country as the judiciary was expected to “reflect national reality”.
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Sukhoi pilot sacked over affair with woman officer
New Delhi, July 9 Flight Lieutenant Ishant Saran, a fighter pilot with Su-30MKI squadron at Jodhpur, was dismissed from service on July 5. “The CoI found him guilty, and the dismissal was recommended and carried out,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel SD Goswami told the TNS over the phone from Jodhpur. Sources said Flight Lieutenant Saran, who is already married, was allegedly having an affair with the wife of a fellow fighter pilot with the same squadron. The woman officer, Squadron Leader Anandita Das, had committed suicide in her IAF allotted house at the Jodhpur airbase in November 2012. A CoI was later constituted to probe Flight Lieutenant Saran’s role. To have an affair with a colleague’s wife is considered a serious punishable offence in the armed forces and is termed “stealing of brother officer’s wife’s affection”. After the CoI was completed, the South Western Air Command forwarded its recommendations to the Ministry of Defence giving its approval for the action recommended by the force, sources said. Squadron Leader Das from Kolkata was found hanging from the ceiling fan by her husband on November 28. IAF sources said the couple had some argument before they retired on the fateful night.
Anandita, who was on ground duties, was commissioned into the service in 2006 and got married in 2008.
Act of betrayal
Squadron Leader Anandita Das, wife of another IAF officer, committed suicide at her airbase residence in Jodhpur on November 28, 2012 A CoI was constituted to probe the role of Flight Lieutenant Ishant Saran, a fighter pilot with Su-30MKI squadron The CoI found him guilty of having an extramarital affair with the woman officer
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Rajnath Singh to attend Amravati conclave of RSS New Delhi, July 9 Sources said announcement of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s name as the party’s candidate for the prime ministerial post is one of the likely reasons behind Rajnath’s meeting with RSS top brass. Just about three days ago, he met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in
Nagpur, apparently to assure that differences in the top leadership regarding Modi’s candidature had been sorted out. Veteran leader LK Advani also met Bhagwat twice in the last fortnight to discuss recent developments in the party, including the acrimonious split with the JD(U) that followed the elevation of Modi as the election campaign committee head and the future prospects. The RSS is expected to discuss the outline of strategies drawn by the party for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections at the week-long deliberations.
Resentment over food Bill
The BJP may have assured that it will not oppose the passage of the food Bill in Parliament, but Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said 3 per cent of the GDP would be spent on the provision, which if spent on creating employment could benefit 1.25 crore youth. He termed the ordinance promulgated by the Cabinet to implement food Bill as a “cruel joke” on democracy.
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Indians more prone to aortic rupture than Caucasians
New Delhi, July 9 This is because the average size of aorta in Indians is 7 mm less than that in Caucasians - a finding of the first-ever study conducted to measure the diameter of abdominal aorta among Indians. Caucasian patients, with an aortic size of 22 mm against the Indian size of 14.94 mm, are advised treatment when aorta size crosses 5.5 cm. Researchers at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have now shown that Indians must get the same treatment when their aorta size enlarges to 4 cm. The problem, however, is that at present, Caucasian data is being used to treat enlarged aorta (a condition called aneurysm) among Indians because of dearth of studies on abdominal aorta in the Indian population. The current study fills this gap. The average size of aorta in the Caucasian population being much larger than that in Indians has led researchers to conclude that Caucasian norms can't apply to Indians simply because they risk dying of aortic rupture at a much earlier stage than their European counterparts. Among Caucasians, the diameter of aorta when exceeding 30 mm is considered abnormal and therefore patients having ballooning of aorta (aneurysm) are advised treatment when its diameter crosses 5.5cm. It is at this stage among Caucasians that a patient faces an increased risk of dying due to sudden aortic rupture. In an Indian facing a similar condition, the heightened possibility of death arises when the aortic size exceeds 4 cm because the actual size of Indian aorta itself is much less than that in a Caucasian. Dr VS
Bedi, Head, Vascular Surgery, Gangaram Hospital, says, "In our study, the average aortic diameter of patients arriving at Gangaram's CT scan centre has been found to be 14.94 mm. The corresponding size for a Caucasian artery is 22 mm. Therefore, the possibility of aneurysms rupturing in Indians is higher when aortic size crosses 4 cm. If we wait for the aneurysm to grow to 5.5 cm as per Caucasian studies, some Indian patients may die due to rupture before attaining the size of 5.5 cm. Our study has great clinical relevance." The study also challenges the current sizes of endovascular
devices-stents-being manufactured for patients of aortic enlargement. Presently all devices for endovascular management are mostly manufactured abroad with Caucasian patients in mind. "These stents are too large for our patients. Our study presents evidence that manufacturers need to make smaller devices for Indian patients to save more lives. We have shared our results with global manufacturers," said Dr Rohit Gupta,
Nagpur-based vascular surgeon and lead author of the study titled "Assessment of abdominal aortic diameter in Indian population".
THE FINDINGS
Caucasian patients are advised treatment when aorta size crosses 5.5 cm and the same norms are also followed in India Researchers at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have now shown that Indians must get the same treatment when their aorta size enlarges to 4 cm This is because the average size of aorta in Indians is 7 mm less than that in Caucasians and Indian patients run the risk of dying of aortic rupture at a much earlier stage than their European counterparts
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Apex court seeks status report on proposed law
R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, July 9 A Bench comprising Justices CK Prasad and Ranjana Desai passed the order after Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaisingh said the government was yet to decide as to whether there was a need for a separate law or the problem could be dealt with by amending the existing laws. The government was considering the issue at the level of secretaries and a group of ministers (GoM), the ASG said. At this, the Bench wanted to know the time the government would take to strengthen the legal provisions to effectively deal with the social malice. As the ASG wanted to take instructions, the Bench granted six weeks for the purpose. During today’s arguments, which lasted for more than an hour, counsel for various khap panchayats said they were only against same gotra marriages, and not against inter-caste or inter-religious marriages. The honour killings relating to same gotra marriages accounted only for 3 per cent, while the other killings related to couples involved in inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. Even the honour killings arising from same gotra marriages were committed by family members and not at the instance of khaps, they averred. It was the media that was demonising them without understanding the function of khaps, they said. However, Uttar Pradesh contended that khaps were also responsible for other crimes such as issuing diktats, prescribing dress code for women and restricting their movement after the sunset, besides preventing them from using mobile phones. The state government was taking action against such crimes, it said. The Bench indicated its inclination against issuing guidelines for dealing with the menace, pointing out that the government was anyway seized of the matter and it was the prerogative of Parliament to enact laws. Some of the khaps also maintained that there was no need for any special laws as the existing laws were sufficient to deal with honour killings. What was required to be done was a legal bar on same gotra marriages which were medically and scientifically not advisable.
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Evolve witness protection policy: HC to Delhi govt
New Delhi, July 9 A division bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the Delhi government to expedite the process after its standing counsel Pawan Sharma submitted that “further time is needed to come out with the policy.” Sharma told the court that the process of implementing the policy was underway and a month was required to implement it. Accepting the counsel’s submission, the bench posted the matter for August 8. Earlier, on May 22, the high court had observed that witnesses are ‘bulwarks’ in a criminal case and had directed city government to frame within 10 weeks the witness protection policy. The bench had given the direction in its 103-page verdict directing prosecution of Bollywood actor Shyan Munshi and a ballistic expert for turning hostile in the sensational Jessica Lall murder case. Lall was shot dead on the intervening night of 29-30 April, 1999 by Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma after she refused to serve a drink to him at a late night party at socialite Bina Ramani's restaurant Tamarind Court here in South Delhi. Munshi, who was serving liquor alongside Lall on the fateful night, had lodged the FIR and later allegedly retracted from it during the trial saying he did not know Hindi. On Munshi's role, the high court had said that despite admitting that he had witnessed the entire incident, he later declined to identify the real offender which ‘prima facie’ indicates that he was attempting to ‘help the accused’. The bench had referred the case to the Chief Justice to convert the matter into a PIL and set up a special bench to monitor the witness protection programme of the city government. The court had said that witnesses should not be allowed to come under pressure of accused as has been seen “in case after case” and it is the duty of the government to provide adequate protection to them. — PTI
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Evolve rehab plan for acid attack victims, says HC
Chandigarh, July 9 As a petition filed in public interest by the Poor Patients Relief Society through secretary HC Arora came up for hearing, Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih directed the respondent governments to frame policy for free medical treatment and rehabilitation of the acid attack victims in the light of recommendations made by the National Commission for Women in its report of January 29, 2009. The NCW had recommended payment of interim compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the acid attack victim within 30 days of the attack; total payment of expenses of treatment up to Rs 25
lakh, including interim payment; and payment of Rs 5 lakh for compensation and rehabilitation. “As regards the suggestions given by the society’s secretary, advocate HC
Arora, in an application, for giving horizontal reservation to acid attack victims in government jobs, or including the acid attack victims in the definition of disabled persons, or giving them reservation as handicapped persons, or allotment of fair price shops to them, these suggestions shall be considered at the time of final consideration of the issue of rehabilitation,” the Bench observed. Speaking for the Bench, Chief Justice Kaul verbally expressed its displeasure over the inability of the Punjab Government to finalise a policy for free treatment and rehabilitation of acid attack victims, despite undertakings given to the High Court. The reprimand came after Punjab Additional Advocate-General produced notification dated June 17 issued by the state government. It revealed that the government has enhanced the amount of compensation to be paid to an acid attack victim to Rs 3 lakh in case of disfigurement of face, and Rs 50,000 in other cases of injury. “This notification does not take care of free medical treatment of acid attack victims, and their rehabilitation,” observed the Bench.
Arora pointed out that on a previous date of hearing, the state counsel had claimed that Punjab Chief Minister had given his nod to a policy for free treatment of acid attack victims, and was simply to be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
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Heroin seizure: HC upholds conviction of 2 Pak
nationals
Chandigarh, July 9 The prosecution had claimed that Pakistani nationals Mohammad Rashad and Nasreen Akhtar entered India through Samjhauta Express at about 2.30 pm on May 8, 2006. After immigration clearance, they reported for Customs clearance at Counter No 1 of the Attari Railway Station. But the Inspector, Customs, Rajesh
Sarswat, noticed "false cavities" in two leather bags carried by the accused. During checking, the "cavities" were found in the inner side of the bags. These were cut open with a knife and polybags containing a brownish white powder were recovered. From
Rashad, 35 capsules were recovered and from Nasreen Akhtar 40. These were concealed in the inner clothing. The total quantity of heroin recovered from the accused was 4.185 kg. The prosecution further claimed that the Customs officials searched co-accused Jamir's house at Delhi, after the statements of two Pakistani nationals were recorded. Taking up the case, Amritsar Additional Sessions Judge, on October 16, 2010, directed Rashad and Nasreen Akhtar to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 15 years and to "pay a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on each count". Jamir was sentenced to 15 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs1.5
lakh. As the appeal against the orders came up for hearing, the Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Ritu Bahri asserted that Mohammad Rashad and Nasreen Akhtar "had brought heroin to India for sale in India. Such sale necessarily required to be carried out with the assistance of an Indian national and such support system was provided by
Jamir…" The Bench asserted: "While maintaining the conviction of the appellants, we modify the sentence imposed upon the appellants to that of 10-and-a-half years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each count."
Case File
Pak nationals Mohammad Rashad and Nasreen Akhtar entered India via Samjhauta Express on May 8, 2006 A Customs Inspector noticed 'false cavities' in two leather bags carried by them These were cut open with a knife, polybags with a brownish white powder were recovered In all, 4.185 kg of heroin was recovered from the two accused
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Modi set to be declared as BJP’s PM candidate Ahmedabad, July 9 Sources said the party veteran LK Advani, who had publicly demonstrated his objections against Modi being appointed to the post of chairman of the election campaign committee, considered to be precursor to his being elevated as the prime ministerial candidate, by resigning from all party posts, had finally given his consent to Modi's name for the top post. The recent round of meetings Advani had with the leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Nagpur was believed to had been organised to facilitate the RSS top leadership to convince the veteran leader to agree to Modi's candidature as he with his "development image" currently enjoyed more support among the people in different parts of the country compared to any other leader in the BJP. While it was still not clear the stand Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj might take about Modi, the consent given by Advani, though reluctantly, has cleared all the impediments on the path of the Gujarat CM being named for the top job. The party sources are also confident that most of the present alliance partners of the NDA would also have no objections against his name while Modi has already taken the initiative to bring in new partners under the NDA umbrella. His meeting with the Odisha CM Navin Patnaik later this month was believed to be aimed at bringing the Biju Janata Dal under the NDA fold. Meanwhile, the sources in the chief minister's office also sought to negate the alleged involvement of Modi in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case claiming that the "white bearded" person allegedly referred to in a taped conversation between the principal accused DG Vanzara and the then Intelligence Bureau chief in the state Rajinder Kumar could not be the chief minister as in 2004, the time of the incident, Modi wore "black beard."
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Broken ship still ablaze off Mumbai
Mumbai, July 9 A Coast Guard vessel Samudra Pahari along with a Dornier aircraft was involved in fighting the fire which was raging till this afternoon when the last reports came in. Container vessel MOL Comfort flying the Bahamas flag had broken into two on June 17 and its aft portion sank with some of the cargo 365 nautical miles from Mumbai. The part of the vessel which is still afloat was being tugged by a tug boat to Port Sohar in Oman when the fire broke out. According to a statement by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), which owns the stricken vessel, the Comfort broke into two after it was buffeted by heavy monsoon winds. A statement issued by the company this morning said fire fighting was hampered by adverse weather conditions and the blaze was not under control. Many containers on board were burnt out, the company said. The Indian Coast Guard had earlier rescued the crew of the vessel following an SOS. There were 26 crew members - 12 Russians and 14 Filipinos.
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Madhya Pradesh ex-minister arrested in sodomy
case
Bhopal, July 9 “Raghavji has been arrested from a flat in Koh-e-Fiza locality in old city area of Bhopal where he was hiding,” Inspector General (IG) Bhopal Range Upendra Jain told PTI. The door of the flat was locked from outside and Raghavji was inside, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police reached the flat some time back and knocked the door. “When nobody responded, police broke open the door and found Raghvaji,” the IG said. After his formal arrest, he is being brought to the Habibganj Police Station, where an FIR against him had been registered two days back. Soon after the registration of an FIR, Raghavji, who celebrated his 79th birthday on Sunday, went missing from Vidisha. The FIR was filed by his servant, who alleged that Raghavji abused him for the last three-and-a-half years on the promise of getting him a government job. Dangi later confided in the suspended BJP leader, Shiv Shankar Pateria about his ordeal, who asked him to record the act. The victim prepared 22 purported CDs, which showed Raghavji in the act, including one in Rewanchal Express Train. After the exposure of the CDs, Raghavji resigned from the Cabinet. He was expelled from the BJP on Sunday. The CDs has left the BJP government red-faced which is aiming to score an hat-trick in the assembly elections due later this year. According to police, Raghavji's wife and son were also found with him in the flat in Koh-e-Fiza area. Raghavji's whereabouts were traced on the basis of his mobile phone location, which had been put on surveillance by the authorities, police said. He was brought to the Habibganj Police station and was being questioned in the case. He would later be produced in a local court. Sources said that efforts were on to nab his two assistants, Sher Singh Chouhan and Suresh Chouhan, as the duo has also been accused in the sodomy case. — PTI
Was expelled on Sunday
Soon after the registration of an FIR, former Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji went missing The FIR was filed by his servant, who alleged that Raghavji abused him on the promise of a government job He confided about his ordeal in suspended BJP leader Shiv Shankar
Pateria, who asked him to record the act The victim prepared 22 CDs, which showed Raghavji in the act After the exposure of the CDs, Raghavji resigned from the Cabinet. He was expelled from the BJP on Sunday
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Mamata threatens WB Election Commissioner
Kolkata, July 9 Mamata alleged the Supreme Court, the EC and the Centre were jointly responsible for fixing the five-phase elections without consulting the state government. The EC was silent on the Chief Minister’s threat. But the Opposition parties, including the Congress, the CPM, the BJP and others, have advised the EC to approach the Supreme Court seeking criminal proceedings against her. Addressing mediapersons at the Calcutta Press Club today, CPM Politburo member Biman Bose alleged the CM herself had been responsible for the delay and fixing of elections during the Ramzan month. The government could have agreed to the Calcutta High Court’s order and completed the elections in May. It, however, went to the apex court against the HC order. “The EC is an autonomous and independent quasi-judicial constitutional body, but the CM has been treating it as a subordinate department,” he charged. Several other political leaders and the intellectuals, who had supported Mamata during the Singhur and Nandigram movements, have also criticised her.
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Rs 1 a kg rice scheme in Karnataka from today
Bangalore, July 9 “There will be a function at Freedom Park in Bangalore at 11 am tomorrow where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will announce the launching of the scheme. The district in charge ministers will launch the scheme in their respective districts in similar functions. People can start availing the scheme from tomorrow itself”, Aswathanarayana Gowda, secretary, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, told this reporter. The families holding BPL (below poverty line) cards will get between 10-30 kg rice per month at Re 1 a kg. One-member families can buy up to 10 kg, two-member families 20 kg and families with three and more members will get 30 kg. Previously, a family could get rice up to a maximum of 20 kg under the PDS. Since this limit has been increased to 30 kg, it has become necessary to arrange additional rice. The government is buying rice from Chhattisgarh, national commodities exchange and central agencies to meet the additional requirement. Gowda said that a total of 2.84 lakh MTs of rice would be required for implementation of the scheme. The largesse will cost the state Rs 4,300 crore annually in the form of subsidy. However, the Food Security Ordinance issued by the union government recently will reduce the financial burden on the state government. “We have not yet worked out the exact amount of relief. But the Food Security Ordinance will substantially bring down the subsidy burden on the state government”, Gowda said.
The scheme
The families holding BPL cards will get between 10-30 kg rice per month at Re 1 a kg One-member families can buy up to 10 kg, two member families 20 kg and families with three and more members will get 30 kg Gowda said that a total of 2.84 lakh MTs of rice would be required for implementation of the scheme The largesse will cost the state Rs 4,300 crore annually in the form of subsidy
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Fire fighters from the Coast Guard were still trying to put out a blaze on board MOL Comfort which caught fire on Saturday, according to sources here.
Disgraced former Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji was today arrested here following sodomy allegations levelled against him by his domestic servant Rajkumar Dangi, police said.
Caucasian patients have an aortic size of 22 mm, while the size is 14.94 mm in case of Indian patients
Sources close to the chief minister's office here claimed that the BJP high command had given the final clearance to his name and it could be declared by the party president Rajnath Singh any time, possibly by the end of the current month after taking the NDA alliance partners into confidence.