New Delhi, September 19
With the recovery of nine more bodies today, a total of 17 people have died, while performing the Ganesh Visarjan (immersion) ritual in the Yamuna in Delhi yesterday.

A Delhi Fire Service official said that teams from six fire stations were on the rescue work from yesterday at Kudisa and Surya, two ghats (banks) of the Yamuna. "Until this evening, 17 bodies were found in these two banks. The death toll is likely to increase."

Teams from the fire stations at Shastri Nagar, Roop Nagar, Geeta Colony, Daryaganj, Gokulpuri and Tahir Nagar were engaged in the rescue operations with the Revenue Department of the Delhi Government. Yesterday, the rescue teams found eight bodies and today they found nine more bodies. Officials said they were able to save a 23-year-old man from drowning.

The police, however, remain tight-lipped over the figures and said that in the past two days only eight bodies were fished out. According to them, the operation for finding the bodies started on Wednesday afternoon when hundreds of people had reached the Wazirabad Yamuna Ghat (bank) in north Delhi to immerse the idols of Ganesh. This ceremony is called Ganesh Visarjan.

The identities of all the victims are yet to be ascertained. The bodies have been preserved at Aruna Asaf Ali Government Hospital and Sushruta Trauma Centre. The police have asked the families of missing persons to identity them.

Yesterday, Rajesh (25), Toshi (25), Rahul (31), Kale (31) and Yogesh Kumar (20), Sunny (22), Bhagat (20), and Babau Lal drowned and their bodies were recovered.

New Delhi, September 19
The Delhi High Court today extended till tomorrow its stay on the trial court's order for registration of FIR against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for alleged misuse of government funds in 2008 assembly polls.

Justice Sunil Gaur, who had granted stay on the trial court's order on September 3 while hearing the Delhi Government's plea seeking quashing of trial court's August 31 order, said he will hear the arguments of the parties tomorrow and added that "till then, the interim order to continue." A special court had on August 31 directed the Delhi Police to register an FIR against Dikshit on the complaint of Vijender Gupta, senior BJP leader, alleging the Chief Minister had misused government funds to the tune of Rs 22.56 crore in an advertisement campaign ahead of the 2008 assembly polls.

Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Delhi Government, contended Gupta, while filing the complaint against Dikshit and seeking registration of an FIR, had relied only on the Lokayukta's report as otherwise there is no material against her and the officers directly.

"The complainant does not have any other material except the Lokayukta report. Scandalous allegations have been made without any basis...," the senior law officer said.

He argued the trial court order is contrary to the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court on complaint cases.

Further, he said the Lokayukta's report was rejected by the President, who is the competent authority, and the trial court should have conducted an inquiry itself as an alternative remedy rather than asking the police to register an FIR against the Chief Minister.

The senior lawyer contended Gupta had concealed the fact by suppressing all the documents before the court.

After partly hearing the arguments for the Delhi Government, Justice Gaur deferred the hearing for tomorrow.

In his plea before the lower court, Gupta had sought registration of an FIR against Dikshit and others for alleged criminal breach of trust (Section 409, IPC), criminal misappropriation of public funds and criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act. — PTI

New Delhi, September 19
Keeping in view that there may be backbiting and internal strife following the ticket distribution, with an idea to pacify the party activists the BJP today invited Delhi-based 1,200 party leaders, who have submitted application for tickets to contest the assembly election, to dinner.

According to sources in the party, state election in charge Nitin Gadkari got information that there would be internal strife after the announcement for the tickets as there are only 70 assembly constituencies and about 1,500 party leaders have sought tickets. Only 70 people will be given tickets and those who will not get tickets and have been associated with the party for a long time may express their anger and can involve in party activities.

The sources said that Gadkari was also at the dinner party and tried to meet each one so that nobody could feel neglected.

While asking the party workers to make the Rohini rally of Narendra Modi a grand success, Gadkari also gave a message to work for the party to come to power without having any hassle, even if they are not given tickets.

A few days ago Gadkari had said that a large number of party activists had been visiting his residence with hoarding and photos. They asked for tickets. But everybody cannot be given tickets as the state has limited assembly constituencies. People should work for the party candidates whosoever he is. There should be no anti-party activities. Ticket will be given only to deserving candidates.

The sources said that in this election ticket of a few sitting MLAs can be cancelled as their performance is not good. They may loose election, if they are given tickets.

New Delhi, September 19
The Delhi Government's ambitious project, which had come under criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General for using substandard material, was today inspected by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the first consignment of 1,500 tonnes arrived at the Signature Bridge site.

The consignment includes the pylon bases which weigh 425 tonne each and reached the site September 10. The crane with a capacity of 1,250 tonne which will used to lift the pylon base has reached the site. The total weight of the steel pylon structure is 6,500 Tonnes. The central pylon is being constructed by a Shanghai-based company. The asymmetrical blocks of the pylon were brought to Gujarat via sea and transported to Delhi by road from Kandla, travelling a distance of 1,640 km.

The second consignment has reached Kandla port and is on the way to Delhi. The third consignment is being shipped from Shanghai this month while the remaining two will reach Delhi by end of this year.

"The Signature Bridge will be Delhi's future symbol and this engineering marvel will surely enhance the prestige of the city to a world-class one," said Dikshit.

The main bridge is 675-m long, which is asymmetrical and cable stayed. It has two approaches, the eastern approach which is 1.8-km long to connect main bridge with marginal bund road at the Khajuri Khas intersection.

It has a flyover and a ground-level rotary at the Khajuri Khas intersection and the western approach has a flyover on Outer Ring Road which covers the existing intersections at Timarpur, Nehru Vihar and Wazirabad.

New Delhi, September 19
The three Mayors of the city today refused to administer the oath of office to the Aldermen appointed by the Delhi Government, alleging that the recruitment has been made on the basis of political considerations.

The Mayors said that they will call on the Lieutenant Governor to discuss the matter.

Leader of the House Subhash Arya said that the Delhi Government appointed 10 Aldermen each to the East, North and South Municipal Corporations of Delhi. "These appointments were made ignoring the three municipal corporations and seem to have been made keeping in mind the political affiliations rather than merit of the persons appointed. In a curious case, Prof. Zile Singh has been nominated to the North Municipal Corporation while he is a resident of East Delhi. This is a gross violation of law," said Arya.

Quoting Section 3(B) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, which dealt with appointment of Alderman till 1997 House of the MCD, Arya said that it no longer mentions Alderman as such. "The word has been replaced by persons to be represented in the House of the Municipal Corporation. Still the Delhi Government has nominated 30 Aldermen to three municipal corporations," he said.

Aldermen are appointed to the House of Municipal Corporation at the beginning of its term. "The government delayed the appointment till April 2011, when it nominated Aldermen with an eye on municipal corporation polls. Now, after trifurcation of the MCD House, the government has made the appointments after 16 months but towards the end of its own tenure as the assembly elections are to be held in November this year," said Ram Narayan Dubey, North Corporation Mayor.

New Delhi, September 19
Two of the six accused, arrested in connection with the murder of NRI student Anmol Sarna, were today remanded in judicial custody by a Delhi court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Wason sent Shivank Gambhir and Madhav Bhandari, friends of Anmol, to Tihar jail till September 30, after the investigating officer said they were not required for interrogation.

The two were produced before the court on expiry of their two days police remand.

On September 17, the court had remanded the remaining four accused - Pranil Shah, Ritham Girhotra, Surender Bali (46) and Naresh Mishra (60), in Tihar jail till September 30.

Pranil and Ritham are stated to be friends of Anmol while Bali and Mishra were security guards at the housing complex in south Delhi where the incident took place.

New Delhi, September 19
An alleged drug trafficker, who was arrested on yesterday, used a unique modus operandi of transporting consignments of ganja concealed in the cavity of Indian Railways train toilets, the police said on today.

Anil Kumar, who hails from Patna, was caught in Mayapuri, west Delhi, allegedly with 4.7 kg of ganja. He came to Delhi in June and has arranged 15-16 drug deals so far.

"Anil confessed that he had a supplier in Bihar whom he would contact upon getting orders for ganja from clients," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Ranvir Singh.

The supplier in Bihar would then conceal the consignment in the cavity of toilets of the trains. Once this is done, the supplier would pass information over the mobile phone to Anil in Delhi. On scheduled date of arrival of the train, Anil collected the consignment from the coach, where the drugs were concealed.

"Anil used to buy a platform ticket and once all passengers alight, the consignment was taken out after opening the cavity which normally is covered with plywood," Ranvir added. He used a screwdriver for opening and closing the cavity.