The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	MBBS exam scam: Peer, 20 others fail to get relief Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, February 22 A special anti-corruption court here today rejected the bail pleas of 21 accused persons in the MBBS exam scam. All the accused are presently under judicial custody at Central Jail, Srinagar. Those whose bail was rejected by the court include prime accused and former chairman of the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) Mushtaq Peer and his two brokers Sajjad Ahmad and Haroon. Peer's earlier bail application was rejected by the court on December 7, 2013. “Special Judge, Anti-corruption, ML Manhas today rejected the bail applications of 21 accused persons by a single order,” chief prosecuting officer Khalid Muzaffar, who represents the Crime Branch, investigating agency in the case, said. The list also includes nine students, who had secured the admission to the MBBS course by purchasing papers of the Common Entrance Test (CET) in 2012, and nine parents. While rejecting the bail pleas of the 21 accused persons, the court said the bail applications were premature and that the case was of public importance. The MBBS exam scam involved the sale of CET-2012 question papers by former chairman of the BOPEE Mushtaq Peer through his aides Farooq Itoo, Sajjad Ahmad and Haroon in lieu of Rs 60 lakh.
	Pak prisoner commits suicide in Ambphalla jail Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, February 22 A Pakistani prisoner allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a window inside the Ambphalla district jail here during the intervening night of February 21 and 22. He has been identified as Showkat Ali (42), a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan. Prison superintendent Harish Kotwal said the incident probably occurred at 12.30 am last night. “He was kept with 27 inmates in a barrack. At 12.30 am, he went to the bathroom where he hanged himself with a towel by tying its end to iron bars of a window,” said Kotwal. The official said Shauqat was arrested in 2011 from the Arnia sub-sector, Jammu, on charges of illegally crossing the Indo-Pak border and in December, 2011, he was shifted to the Ambphalla prison under the Foreigners Act. He said the body had been shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital for the post-mortem examination. Additional Director General of Police, Prisons, K Rajendra said an inquiry had been ordered into Ali’s death. Following the death of the Pakistani prisoner, the security has been tightened at Kot Bhalwal Jail on the outskirts of Jammu. “The Kot Bhalwal jail has 22 Pakistani prisoners besides militants. It is the same prison where Pakistani national Sanaullah Ranjay was killed by a fellow prisoner in May last year. So, as a precautionary measure, the security arrangements have been reviewed,” a Home Department source said. Pakistan demands investigation New Delhi: Pakistan has asked India to investigate Showkat Ali’s death. Islamabad demanded full security of all Pakistani prisoners lodged in various jails in India and asked the Indian authorities to confirm the death and particulars of the deceased, Pakistan High Commission sources said. The counsellor (political) at the High Commission also took up the issue with MEA officials.
	Sikh body opposes dilution of Minority Act in state Tribune News Service Srinagar, February 22 Members of the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) said today that they would surrender their residency rights in Jammu and Kashmir as a mark of protest if the state government went ahead with any move to dilute the Minority Act. The APSCC has also objected to the aversions made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee about the minorities in J&K. "We are against any dilution or amendment in the National Commission for Minorities Act. The Parliamentary Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations regarding the Act are biased and cannot be accepted," Jagmohan Singh Raina, chairman, APSCC, said in a statement here. He said the approach of leaders belonging to different political parties towards the people of Kashmir had always been “controversial”. He alleged that these leaders get influenced by wrong information given to them by people or agencies with vested interests. "Such information has always harmed the policies towards Kashmir and even today the approach and recommendation to the state government is against the real minority here, which is the Sikhs. We will oppose tooth and nail recommendations that violate existing rules and regulations set by the Government of India for minorities," Raina said.
	BJP, Panthers Party demand new delimitation commission Tribune News Service Jammu, February 22 The issue of delimitation rocked the Legislative Assembly today as MLAs of Jammu-based political parties took the government to task for not adopting rational criteria in creating Assembly segments. They were demanding that a fresh delimitation commission should be set to create new Assembly segments in the Jammu region. As soon as the House assembled this morning for normal business, members of the BJP and Panthers Party were on their toes. They were demanding that the government should announce the constitution of a new delimitation commission so as to carve out new Assembly segments for Jammu. They trooped towards front row and resorted to raising slogans. Meanwhile, Jammu State Morcha (JSM) MLA Ashwani Kumar also joined the agitating Jammu-based political parties' MLAs. The MLAs demanded a reply from the government. “For the last 60 years, the Jammu region has been facing discrimination in every sphere of life,” said Panther Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh. While the agitating members were insisting on reply from the government, Speaker Mubarak Gul said the state Assembly had imposed a ban on creating more Assembly segments till 2026, so there was no reason for setting up a new delimitation commission. When BJP, Panthers Party and JSM MLAs were creating uproar, some members from the National Conference and Independent MLA Engineer Rashid countered them. After there was no response from the government, the Speaker requested them to take seats and observe calm, but BJP, JKNPP and JSM members staged a walkout from the House. State president of the BJP and MLA from Nagrota Jugal Kishore Sharma later said the Kashmir-centric parties were against providing justice to Jammu people and no rational criterion was adopted while creating Assembly segments. He regretted that the move about having fresh delimitation of Assembly constituencies to ensure fair distribution of seats to each region was opposed by the coalition leaders, although the Congress in its manifestos of 2002 and 2008 had pledged for fresh delimitation of the constituencies to grant due representation to each region of the state. The BJP is all out to make delimitation an issue in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The party has been demanding that out of the total 46 Assembly seats of the Kashmir valley, at least three seats should be reserved for displaced Kashmiri Pandits so as to give them due representation as per their population.
	BJYM: Implement Parliament resolution to liberate PoK Jammu, February 22 The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today urged the government to implement the resolution passed by the Parliament on February 22, 1994, for liberating Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). A large number of BJYM activists gathered at the Maharaja Hari Singh statue near the Tawi Bridge, Jammu, demanding immediate implementation of the Parliament’s resolution to liberate PoK. Addressing the protesters, BJYM state in charge and BJP leader Yudhvir Sethi alleged that it was the indecisiveness on the part of the Indian political leadership that even after 20 years, the country had not been able to implement the Parliament resolution of 1994. — TNS
	Police foil march by separatists Arrest Shabbir Shah, Nayeem Khan Srinagar, February 22 The police today foiled a protest march by separatists against the 1993 Kunan Poshopora alleged mass rape incident by arresting leaders Shabbir Shah and Nayeem Khan in Srinagar. Shah and Khan, who along with their supporters and activists tried to take out a protest march in the city, were arrested by the police in the Lal Chowk area. The protesters, holding banners, were demanding punishment to the perpetrators of the Kunan Poshpora “mass” rape. However they were prevented by the police to march ahead. Over 30 women were allegedly raped by Army personnel in the remote Kunan Poshpora village of Kupwara on February 23, 1991. The charges have not been proved as no trial has been held. — TNS
	Prof Talat gets another term as Kashmir University VC Tribune News Service Jammu, February 22 Governor NN Vohra, Chancellor of the University of Kashmir (KU), in consultation with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah (who is Pro-Chancellor of the university), has appointed Prof Talat Ahmad the Vice Chancellor of the KU for another term of three years with effect from the date on which his present term expires. His present three-year term as the KU Vice Chancellor will expire on May 31. Prof Talat Ahmad, a noted geologist, a fellow of all major science academies of the country and recipient of several awards, had assumed charge as the KU Vice Chancellor on June 1, 2011.
	Army ready to face any challenge this year, says Gen Gurmit Singh Srinagar, February 22 While saying that militant activities were higher in the Valley as compared to last year, the Army on Saturday said it was fully prepared for all challenges in the wake of US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and forthcoming elections in the state. “We are fully prepared for any challenge,” said General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Gurmit Singh in Srinagar. “I think in 2014, we have got three challenges. First one is the effect of regional dynamics. We have our intelligence network for meeting this threat. The second is with the elimination of terrorist leadership in the Valley, there will be attempts of infiltration. The third is elections and we will be concerned about providing a secure environment,” he said. “We have so far eliminated 11 terrorists and apprehended 13 of them. Overall 24 have been naturalised since the start of this year,” he said. ‘Pheran’ gaffe: Army apologises to scribes Lt Gen Singh apologised to scribes over a press invitation on Friday which had asked them not to wear “pherans” which had triggered a row. Public Relations Officer of the Defence Ministry Lt Col NN Joshi had yesterday asked journalists to refrain from wearing “pherans” for the briefing by the GOC 15 Corps which was later withdrawn. “The Army will never trample the emotions of the local people,” he added. “If the Army has in fact told journalists not to wear pheran to Corps HQ events that is unacceptable and the order should be withdrawn,” Omar wrote on Twitter yesterday. — TNS
	Minor girl gang-raped Our Correspondent Katra, February 22 A minor girl was allegedly gang-raped by four persons at Katra in Reasi, the police said today. Two of the accused have been arrested in the case in which a 17-year-old student of Class VIII was allegedly kidnapped and raped by four persons in the Nomian area of the town on Thursday evening, the police said here. The police said the parents of the girl lodged a complaint against four persons on the evening of February 20. A case has been registered and a medical test conducted on the girl, the police said, adding that a search is on to nab the remaining accused.
	Woman commits suicide Our Correspondent Udhampur, February 22 A woman committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree late last evening at Satrari village in Udhampur district. According to reports, 35-year-old Rumo Devi of Satrari village ended her life by hanging herself from a tree. She was taken to the PHC by her family members, where doctors declared her brought dead. The police have registered a case and further investigations are on. However, the reason behind taking such an extreme step could not be ascertained so far.
	Arms recovered near LoC Srinagar, February 22 The Army has recovered a cache of arms and ammunitions from the Kamalkote area near the Line of Control in the Uri sector of Baramulla. “The cache contains three AK rifles with three magazines and four pistols with five magazines. Strict vigil is being maintained by the Army in Uri to thwart terrorists' attempts to hide caches in remote areas” a defence spokesman said. — TNS