The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Jama Masjid attack
Police get 10 days to conclude probe

New Delhi, April 9
A local court today allowed the plea of Delhi Police seeking 10 days time to complete their probe against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his aide Asadullah Akhtar in connection with the September 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack case.

"I have seen the application as well as considered the arguments advanced and my inference is that the application be allowed. Investigation agency is granted further 10 days time from tomorrow i.e. April 10 to conclude the investigation against both accused," Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash said.

The order came on a plea filed by Special Cell of Delhi Police in which it sought 10 days time to conclude the probe against Yasin and Akhtar, saying wanted accused Zia-ur-Rehman alias Waqas has been recently arrested and he was required to be interrogated to establish the "missing links".

"He (Waqas) has to be arrested in this case. With the arrest of this wanted terrorist, the missing links in the conspiracy are likely to be established which requires that period of investigation and judicial custody of these accused persons (Yasin and Akhtar) be extended," the police said.

It also said the reports of e-mails and ID chats used by Yasin and Akhtar have been sought from Yahoo and Nimbuzz and they were still awaited. It said forensic report of laptops and mobiles recovered from the accused was also awaited.

On September 19, 2010, two bikers had fired on tourists at the gate of Jama Masjid in Old Delhi area and two Taiwanese nationals-- Ku-Ze-Wei and Ko-Chiange -- had sustained bullet injuries. There was also a mild explosion of a bomb fitted in a car parked in the area.

Yasin and Akhtar are presently in Maharashtra after the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Mumbai had taken their custody in connection with the cases lodged against them there.

They both were wanted for their alleged roles in a string of terror attacks across the country.

Yasin and Akhtar were arrested by National Investigation Agency from Indo-Nepal border on the night of August 28, last year. — PTI

BSP MP gets bail for filing papers

New Delhi, April 9
The Supreme Court today granted temporary bail to BSP MP Dhananjay Singh, who along with his wife Jagriti Singh is accused of killing their maid, to file nomination from Jaunpur Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.

A Bench headed by Justice BS Chauhan granted temporary bail to Singh from April 14 to 21 for filing papers and subsequent campaigning in the constituency.

Singh, who is also an accused in a rape case, is a sitting MP from Jaunpur constituency in UP and had sought bail to file his nomination from that seat.

Polls would be held in Jaunpur Lok Sabha seat on May 12.

The BSP MP moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court on March 31 stayed the interim bail granted to him by a lower court on March 22.

The trial court had granted him interim bail on his plea that he had to look after his ailing father and as the charge-sheet had been filed, no useful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody.

Dhananjay was chargesheeted for various offences under the IPC, including alleged destruction of evidence and abetment to murder and attempted murder.

Jagriti has been chargesheeted for offences under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempted murder), 344 (wrongful confinement for 10 or more days), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the IPC.

The couple were arrested on November 5 in connection with the death of their 35-year-old maid Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal. — PTI

CRPF hints at mistake in defusing IED
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, April 9
Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force Dilip Trivedi today said his men may have committed a mistake when they tried to defuse two improvised explosive devices, which exploded causing the death of three of them and injuring eight others in Bihar's Aurangabad district on Monday.

"It can be said that there could have been a slight mistake or lapse in handling the IED, but it can be a human error. Even experts commit mistakes but it is important to see that our men went on a mission of national security and we should not be doubtful about someone who has sacrificed his life. When someone has seen a blast he could be disturbed. He is not careful about the timing and other things," said Trivedi on the sidelines of the CRPF's Valour Day held in Gurgaon today.

The 11 security personnel were part of a 50-member strong CRPF contingent that also had a Station House Officer of the Bihar Police attached to it.

Adarsh housing scam
HC notice to Chavan, Maharashtra Govt

Mumbai, April 9
The Bombay High Court today issued notice to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and the state government in the Adarsh Housing scam. The court had sought to know from the Central Bureau of Investigation if sanction was required to prosecute Chavan on corruption charges.

Justice Sadhana Jadhav raised the query while hearing a revision petition filed by CBI seeking permission to delete Chavan's name from the FIR in the case following refusal of grant of sanction to prosecute from Maharashtra Governor Kateekal Sankaranaryanan.

The agency had approached the High Court last month after the trial court refused to delete Chavan's name from the FIR filed by CBI in January 2011.

Chavan and 12 others were booked under section 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy and under various charges of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

“Do you (CBI) need sanction to prosecute under the general law of IPC?” said Justice Jadhav.

CBI lawyer Hiten Venegaonkar told the court that sanction to prosecute under the IPC was required since Chavan was a sitting MLA and former Chief Minister and Revenue Minister at the time when the alleged offence was committed.

"Without sanction to prosecute him (Chavan) under Section 120 (b) of the IPC, the agency cannot proceed to prosecute him under Section 13 (1) (d) of the PC Act independently,” Venegaonkar said.

The court then issued notice to Chavan and the Maharashtra government and posted the petition for hearing on June 10. The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the case against 13 people, including Chavan. — PTI

Azam’s remarks outrage martyrs’ kin
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 9
The "acerbic" remarks of Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan to propel his political prospects have outraged families of the Kargil War martyrs in Jammu and Kashmir. The SP leader had kicked up a political storm on Monday at Ghaziabad by reportedly saying India won the Kargil War solely because of Muslim soldiers and no Hindu soldier was behind the victory.

“Only an insane person or the one, who wants to garner votes, can make such a statement about the Army and its soldiers. My uncle, Naik Dev Raj Sharma, was one among those who sacrificed their life in the war. The Army doesn’t differentiate in the name of caste, creed or religion,” said Vinod Sharma, Dev Raj’s nephew.

Vinod, who runs a LPG refill agency allotted to Dev Raj’s wife Nirmala Devi, said: “Our Army is apolitical. The Indian Army has individuals from every community, religion and sect. How could he (Azam) be so irresponsible?” Every individual who fought the war was an Indian first and an Indian last. None should be let loose to talk rubbish just to propel his political prospects, he added.

Sharda Bhau, wife of Daler Singh Bhau, a Havaldar from Pallanwala, said: “The soldiers who fought the war were Indians and not Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus or Christians. Soldier from every religion sacrificed their life in the war. Such leaders should be taken to task.” Sharda also runs a filling station at Domana on the outskirts of the city. My husband’s close friend Karim Abdul from 12 JAK LI was among the martyrs. Therefore, the SP leader should have though before opening his mouth, she added.

Mamta Saini, sister of Ashok Saini, another soldier, said: “Army didn’t belong to one religion or region. Therefore, saying that Muslim soldiers won the war was undermining others. ”

Maj Gen (retd) GS Jamwal said: “Politicians should be educated by their parties because some issues are sacrosanct. The Army is not fighting elections.” General Jamwal said such statements hurt the morale of the soldiers. At least 69 soldiers from Jammu and Kashmir among 527 were martyred during the war.

Spare Army from divisive politics: Omar

Srinagar, April 9
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Army should be kept out of the "murky world" of divisive communal politics. "Politicians like Azam Khan are well advised to refrain from dragging the Army into the murky world of divisive communal politics," Omar wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.

"Those who fought for victory in Kargil were not Hindu soldiers. In fact, the ones who fought for our victory were Muslim soldiers." Omar said the biggest strength of the Defense forces has not been their equipment or training "but how people from diverse religions, backgrounds and political beliefs" have fought and died shoulder to shoulder without any of the "aforementioned things becoming a factor". — TNS

KCR twin plan: Will contest LS, Assembly seats
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, April 9
Founder-president of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to enter the electoral fray from both Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in the region.

KCR, as he is known, will contest from Medak Lok Sabha seat, once represented by former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi, and Gajwel Assembly constituency in the same district. His name figures in the second list of candidates announced by the regional party yesterday.

The TRS chief drew flak from his detractors for promoting family rule in the party he had founded in 2001 to fight for the cause of separate state. KCR's daughter K Kavitha is being fielded from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency while his son KT Rama Rao is the party candidate for Siricilla Assembly seat in Karimnagar district. KCR's nephew and an influential leader in the party T Harish Rao is seeking re-election from Siddipet in Medak district.

Interestingly, KCR was elected to the Lok Sabha from Mahaboobnagar in 2009 and from Karimnagar in 2004. He is said to have shifted the constituency to further boost the party's prospects in the region.

Actor-turned-politician Vijayashanti, who switched over to the Congress following her suspension from the TRS, is the sitting member from Medak. The ruling party, however, is fielding her from the Medak Assembly constituency in the April 30 election.

The TRS, which is positioning itself as the sole champion of Telangana cause and seeking to claim entire credit for realising the statehood goal, has announced candidates for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the region and 96 out of 119 Assembly seats. With this, it has closed the door on the Congress and dashed all hopes of any last-minute alliance with the ruling party.

While retaining all 17 sitting legislators, the TRS has rewarded defectors from other parties with tickets. The party has also fielded K Sankaramma, mother of Telangana martyr K Srikant Chary, a 24-year-old student who immolated himself during Telangana agitation in December 4, 2009. She will contest from Huzurnagar constituency in Nalgonda district. The self-immolation by her son, a physiotherapy student in Hyderabad, was a major turning point in the Telangana agitation.

The family show

* TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will contest the Medak Lok Sabha seat, once represented by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Gajwel Assembly constituency in the same district; His name figures in the second list of candidates announced by the regional party on Tuesday

* KCR's daughter K Kavitha is being fielded from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency while his son KT Rama Rao is the party candidate for Siricilla Assembly seat in Karimnagar district

When INS Vikrant defied US sanctions

While reports that India’s first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, is to be sold off as scrap has stirred sentiments of many, there is a little-known story of how, at the height of its operational employability in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, limitations arising out of sanctions imposed by the US were overcome to ensure that the sea warrior went to war. INS Vikrant, that served the Indian Navy from March 1961 to June 1997, played a decisive role in the war and formed a vital part of Indian’s maritime legacy and military history. In June 1970, INS Vikrant was berthed for major repairs due to a crack in a water drum of one of the boilers that powered its steam catapult to launch aircraft.

A file photo of aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

Unable to procure a replacement drum and spares from the United Kingdom due to US sanctions, the then Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral SM Nanda, ordered modifications and retrofitting that would divert steam from the carrier’s forward machinery to the steam catapult, bypassing the damaged boiler. This repair enabled INS Vikrant to launch both the Sea Hawks and the Breguet Alizé, though at the cost of some of its cruising power. In March 1971, the carrier was put through trials and the modifications turned out to be hugely rewarding, enabling INS Vikrant to undertake combat operations on the high seas. Its aircraft unleashed their full prowess on Chittagong, Khulna and Cox’s Bazar, destroying Pakistani assets and vessels and completely decimating any defensive capability there. After six days of unrelenting attacks, INS Vikrant’s air wing had ensured East Pakistan was fully contained from the sea.

Mighty Jets fly past 53rd milestone

The IAF’s only IL-76 outfit, No 44 Squadron, marked its 53rd anniversary this week. The squadron was raised at Chandigarh on April 6, 1961. After a string of deployments elsewhere, it was relocated at Chandigarh a few years ago.

Known as the Mighty Jets, the squadron is also the lifeline to the northern sector, airlifting men and material to the icy heights, besides undertaking strategic tasks and humanitarian missions at home and abroad.

The squadron, raised on AN-12 turboprops, took the Chinese completely by surprise by airlifting AMX-13 tanks to Chushul, at an altitude of 14,000 feet, during the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the squadron was involved in incessant bombing of Pakistani concentrations; and in 1988, it airlifted the Indian Para Brigade from Agra to the Maldives to thwart the coup attempt by mercenaries.

Currently under the Command of Gp Capt VR Vishwanathan, the squadron set a new record when it used an IL-76 to airdrop paratroopers at Nyoma in Ladakh at 13,500 feet above sea level, which called for special skills due to rarefied air and mountainous terrain.

Air Marshal Nair is SASO, Training Command

On promotion this month, Air Marshal SRK Nair has taken over as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the IAF’s Bangalore-based Training Command.

A transport pilot who had earlier served as the Air Officer Commanding, 12 Wing, Chandigarh, he was closely involved in the planning and execution of reactivation of the world’s highest landing ground, Daulet Beg Oldie in Ladakh, by 48 Squadron from Chandigarh.

He commanded 44 Squadron, then based at Nagpur, remained Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Operations (Transport and Helicopters) and was also associated with the induction of the C-17 Globemaster heavy light transport aircraft into the IAF. Very few officers from the transport stream have made it to the rank of air marshal.

Vijay Mohan

WB complies with EC order, ousts 7 officials

Kolkata, April 9
The West Bengal Government today complied with the Election Commission’s order today and removed seven officials from their existing posts. They have been replaced with different officials as desired by the poll panel.

"Yes, we have executed the Election Commission order today and a letter in this regard has already been sent to the EC,” state Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee told PTI here. The EC had directed state Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra to execute the order by 10 am today.

The shifted SPs included RK Yadav (Malda), Humayun Kabir (Murshidabad), SMH Mirza (Burdwan) and Bharati Ghosh (West Midnapore and Jhargram) and DM Sanjay Bansal (North 24 Paraganas).

Under the EC directive, Rupesh Kumar would take over as Malda SP, Syed Waquar Raja as Murshidabad SP, Miraj Khalid as Burdwan SP, Rashid Munir Khan as Birbhum SP and Sisram Jhajoria West Midnapore SP.

The EC also ordered transfer of Birbhum SP Alok Rajoria, who has been asked to take over as SP of Jhargram police district. State Health Secretary Onkar Singh Meena has been given the responsibility as DM of North 24-Parganas district in place of Sanjay Bansal.

Besides, ADM West Midnapore district Arindam Dutta and returning Officer of Mathurapur Parliamentary Constituency Alokesh Prasad Roy have also been removed. — PTI

SC rejects Sahara chief’s plea for house arrest

New Delhi, April 9
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined a plea by Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy seeking to be placed under house arrest, instead of continuing to be lodged in the Tihar Jail, in order to mobilise Rs 10,000 crore to return investors money - a condition to secure his release from jail.

Turning down the plea by Roy, a Bench of Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said: "We have not passed an order of arrest. If that be so we would have sent him to civil prison. We only passed the order of judicial custody. He is under our custody." The court said this as senior counsel Ram Jethamalani urged the court that Sahara chief be placed under house arrest at least for a week so that he could meet the international parties who are willing to take Sahara assets. He also pointed to ensuing three holidays.

"Holidays are coming. Who will go the jail to talk? It destroys the total credibility... he is not absconding. Please keep him under house arrest. He will report to the court every day."

The apex court by its March 4 order had sent Subrata Roy and two directors of SIRECL and SHICL Ashok Roy Choudhary and Ravi Shankar Dubey for not complying with its Aug 31, 2012 and subsequent orders to return the investors' money. In the course of its arguments, market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) told the court that the question that has to determined by the court and that has not been addressed so far in any case is: "What order Supreme Court can pass to secure the obedience of its order?" Quoting an American judge, senior counsel Arvind Dattar, appearing for SEBI, told the court that "a court that can't enforce its own order is a court without a judge".

Addressing the court's query whether it could act differently from what has already been laid down in a legislative enactment, Dattar said: "Since August 26, 2013, after 17 hearings, stage after stage, this court has found that its orders were not being complied with" and it was faced with a deliberate and wilful disobedience of its order.

Dattar told the court that its power could not be circumscribed by any confines. The matter was directed to be listed on April 16 as counsel for Roy wanted to address the court on the submission made by the SEBI.

The court on March 26 had asked Sahara to deposit with its registry a sum of Rs 10,000 crore as a part payment of the Rs 24,000 crore that it had to return to investors which group's two companies - Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd. had collected through optionally fully convertible debentures. Sahara companies have already paid Rs 5,120 crore to market regulator SEBI in 2012. Of the Rs 10,000 crore, Rs 5,000 crore has to be paid in cash and balance of Rs 5,000 crore by way of guarantee by a nationalised bank. The money, to be deposited with the apex court registry, will be routed to SEBI for returning to investors. — IANS

What Roy wanted

* Senior counsel Ram Jethamalani urged the court that Sahara chief be placed under house arrest at least for a week so that he could meet the international parties who are willing to take Sahara assets

* Turning down the plea by Roy, a Bench of Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said: "We have not passed an order of arrest…We only passed the order of judicial custody. He is under our custody."

Indian Orbiter halfway to Mars

Bangalore, April 9
India's maiden mission to Mars is on course, with its spacecraft Orbiter crossing the halfway mark on its voyage to the Red Planet, four months after it left earth on December 1.

"The spacecraft on Wednesday at 9.50 am crossed the halfway mark of its journey to Mars along the designated helio (sun)-centric trajectory in the solar orbit," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement.

"In terms of radio distance, the 1,337 kg Orbiter is cruising at 39 million km away from earth, travelling at 1.55 km per second in the sun's orbit," the space agency said.

As a signal from earth to the spacecraft and back takes four minutes and 15 seconds, the antenna on board the spacecraft will be activated for handling communications with the ground stations.

The Rs 450-crore Mars Orbiter Mission was launched on November 5 from Sriharikota spaceport off the Bay of Bengal, about 80 km north east of Chennai, on board a 350-tonne rocket with five scientific instruments to detect methane in the Martian atmosphere, measure the thermal emission and capture images of the Red Planet from its orbit at a distance of 500 km.

The spacecraft's journey through space is being monitored from India's deep space network at Bylalu (30km from Bangalore) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the US.

"As the Orbiter is on its designated trajectory, the trajectory correction manoeuvre, which was planned to be undertaken this month, is not considered essential," the statement noted.

Space scientists and engineers are also conducting periodic tests at different levels of autonomy, built into the spacecraft for contingencies. "The spacecraft and its five scientific instruments are in good health," the statement added. — IANS

Hate speeches: Shah moves HC against FIRs

Allahabad, April 9
BJP leader Amit Shah today moved the Allahabad High Court challenging the FIRs lodged against him by the UP government for alleged hate speeches made by him at election meetings in Bijnore and Shamli districts.

A Division Bench comprising justices Arun Tandon and Satish Chandra posted the matter for tomorrow while directing the state government to submit CDs of the speeches delivered by Shah at these two places.

Shah has been booked under Section 153 A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and Section 125 of Representation of People Act (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election). — PTI

Three CRPF men killed in Chhattisgarh ambush

Raipur, April 9
Over 100 Maoists today ambushed a team of security forces in Chhattisgarh’s tribal belt of Bastar on the eve of Lok Sabha polls, killing three commandos of CRPF’s CoBRA battalion and injuring five others, including two officers, in twin attacks.

In the first incident in Sukma district, Maoists opened heavy fire on a patrol of the specialised anti-Maoist operations force CoBRA that was coming back from Burkapal after escorting poll officials to the Maoist stronghold for tomorrow's polls in Bastar.

"The incident occurred in the Chintagufa police station limits when the security forces were returning after dropping a polling party at its destination this morning," said Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Neeraj Chandrakar.

Officials said a squad of around 100 Maoists surrounded the party from three sides, leading to the killing of three commandos while three others, including a Deputy Commandant rank officer were injured.

"The troops were hit on the back," a senior official said. A joint "cordon and search" operation of CRPF and state police was launched to track the Maoists. The slain commandos have been identified as Chandrakant Ghosh, Narshimha and Ranbir S and the injured DC as R K Singh.

The troops belong to the 206 CoBRA battalion based in Jagdalpur.

"We are alive to every possibility and we will conduct the polls peacefully," a senior security official monitoring the security forces deployment in Delhi said.

Bastar IG Arun Dev Gautam said the incident occurred around 10.30 am after the Maoists ambushed the commando patrol party which was moving on foot.

In the second incident in neighbouring Bijapur, Maoists carried out two powerful blasts in the morning hours, injuring two CRPF personnel.

Officials said a patrol squad of the force was on an operational task when two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) went off in the forests of Bijapur near Gangloor village.

"The incident occurred when a Road Opening Party (ROP) of the paramilitary force was on an operation for election-related security in Gangaloor police station area this morning," Bijapur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said.

"During the operation, the personnel came in contact with a pressure bomb that exploded," he said.

Inspector Resham Lal and Constable Pushpraj of the 85th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured in the incident, he said, adding both of them are stated to be out of danger.

The Maoist-hit Bastar constituency of Chhattisgarh is the lone seat going to the polls in the first phase of parliamentary election in the state tomorrow. — PTI