N A T I O N

Code violation: Cong moves EC seeking Modi’s arrest
New Delhi, May 1
A day after the Election Commission ordered registration of an FIR against BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi for flaunting his party symbol while the polling was on, the Congress today demanded the Gujarat CM’s arrest in the matter.

Jaitley questions haste in FIR against Modi
New Delhi, May 1
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today questioned the Election Commission’s order for registration of an FIR against Narendra Modi.

I’m not a coward like Modi: Digvijay
New Delhi, May 1
Madhya Pradesh former Chief Minister and Congress leader Digvijay Singh was back to Narendra Modi bashing today, a day after he admitted that he was in a relationship with a TV anchor.

EC can’t behave like God: Azam
Rampur, May 1
Riled by the ban imposed to prevent him from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan today again hit out at the Election Commission saying the poll body cannot behave like “God” and it should take actions best suited for a democratic setup.

Members of Indian Federation of Trade Unions Delhi Committee take photographs using a moble phone at a protest demanding better wages and working conditions, on May Day in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI

Parties unite to flay Pak Army Chief for his Kashmir remark
New Delhi, May 1
Setting aside political differences, India’s two leading parties --the Congress and BJP -- reacted sharply to Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s statement on Kashmir.

Furnish info to petitioners, SC tells Centre
New Delhi, May 1
The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to hand over within three days all documents and information collected by it in its probe in the cases of alleged stashing of black money in LST bank in Liechtenstein, Germany, to jurist Rama Jethmalani and others who raised the issue before it.

1 held for cheating in Civil Services Exam 
New Delhi, May 1
The CBI has arrested a Civil Services aspirant and booked three others, including a girl, for cheating in the main Civil Services Examination for 2013.

 Code violation: Cong moves EC seeking Modi’s arrest
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1
A day after the Election Commission ordered registration of an FIR against BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi for flaunting his party symbol while the polling was on, the Congress today demanded the Gujarat CM’s arrest in the matter.

Filing a fresh petition with the EC today, the Congress said Modi had not just violated Section 126 (1) (a) and (b) under which he has been booked, he has also violated Section 130 of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 under which the offence committed is cognizable.

“Narendra Modi has also committed an offence under Section 130 of the RPA Act and he should be arrested because this offence is cognizable,” KC Mittal, secretary, legal affairs department of the Congress, said today even as Finance Minister and senior Congress spokesperson P Chidambaram said Modi should have been “honorable enough” to apologise for the violation of the Model Code he conducted yesterday.

Section 130 of the RPA Act deals with “prohibition of canvassing in or near polling station” and reads, “No person shall, on the date or dates on which a poll is taken at any polling station, commit any of the following acts within the polling station or in any public or private place within a distance of 100 metres of the polling station namely canvassing for votes; soliciting the vote of 
any elector; persuading any elector not to vote for any particular candidate; persuading any elector not to vote at the election; exhibiting any notice or sign (other than an official notice) relating to the election.”

The section clarifies that any person who contravenes its provisions shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs 250 and the offence punishable under this section shall be cognizable.

Modi had yesterday flashed the BJP election symbol - Lotus - and held a press conference close to the booth in Ranip in Gandhinagar where he cast his vote. The BJP however maintained again today that Modi was not in the 100 metres radius when he displayed the Lotus sign.

Modi speech outside restricted area: Police
Ahmedabad: A preliminary probe by the Gujarat police claims BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had addressed the gathering outside the restricted 100-m radius of the polling booth. "Our preliminary probe (has) revealed that authorities had marked that limit with a white strip outside the booth, and the press conference was outside that limit," said a senior officer of Detection of Crime Branch of Ahmedabad police. PTI

 Jaitley questions haste in FIR against Modi
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today questioned the Election Commission’s order for registration of an FIR against Narendra Modi.

He said it acted in “haste and anger” and the interpretation given by it may fall foul of constitutional provisions. Jaitley said the poll body had “missed out” the larger vision as the meaning of criminal law could not be stretched out and definition of polling area be defined as Modi was not inside the polling station while giving a media byte after voting like other leaders elsewhere in the country.

“When constitutional institutions react in haste and even anger, they miss out the larger vision. Criminal law provisions are to be strictly construed. Their meaning can't be stretched out," Jaitley said.

 I’m not a coward like Modi: Digvijay
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1
Madhya Pradesh former Chief Minister and Congress leader Digvijay Singh was back to Narendra Modi bashing today, a day after he admitted that he was in a relationship with a TV anchor.

“I am not a coward, which unfortunately Narendra Modi is. I accept my relationships and never run away from them,” Singh said in reference to BJP’s PM nominee Modi leaving the column of spouse in his election affidavit blank in three consecutive state assembly elections.

It was only in the Lok Sabha election that Modi admitted to his marriage with Jashodaben; this after the Supreme Court ruled in a case that material facts have to be admitted and columns cannot be left blank.

Digvijay had yesterday acknowledged his relationship with Amrita Rai on Twitter after the social media went viral with a video featuring their intimacy.

While Rai today reiterated that her computer had been hacked and this was a serious offence in India, her husband Anand Pradhan also tweeted today saying he and Rai had separated long back and he wished Rai well in her future life in which she was free to take her personal decision.

TV anchor files police complaint 
Rajya Sabha TV anchor Amrita Rai on Thursday filed a complaint with the Delhi Police crime branch, alleging hacking of her Gmail account and uploading of her intimate pictures with Digvijay Singh being on the Internet. "A case under the Information Technology Act has been registered and action will be taken against those responsible," sources said.

  EC can’t behave like God: Azam

Rampur, May 1
Riled by the ban imposed to prevent him from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan today again hit out at the Election Commission saying the poll body cannot behave like “God” and it should take actions best suited for a democratic setup.

"The Election Commission cannot behave like God! Instead it should adopt a line of action best suited for democracy and in the spirit of the Constitution," Khan told reporters here.

He asked the poll body to "exhibit courage" and cancel his membership of Uttar Pradesh Assembly. The EC on April 23 issued a fresh show-cause notice to Khan for reportedly making objectionable remarks against it and circumventing a ban imposed on him from campaigning in UP.

The show-cause notice was issued to the senior SP leader days after the EC banned him from campaigning in the state following his controversial “Kargil” remarks. — PTI

Azmi takes jibe at Muslims not voting for SP

Sant Kabir Nagar (UP): Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi has courted controversy saying Muslims who do not vote for his party are not "true Mulsims". "A Muslim, who does not vote for SP and talks against it is not a Muslim. His DNA test should be conducted. See whether he is from RSS," he said while addressing an election rally in support of SP candidate Bhalchandra Yadav at Khalilabad. — PTI

 Parties unite to flay Pak Army Chief for his Kashmir remark
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1
Setting aside political differences, India’s two leading parties --the Congress and BJP -- reacted sharply to Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s statement on Kashmir.

Terming the Kashmir Valley an “inalienable” and “integral” part of India, leaders on both the sides junked the Pakistan Army Chief’s claim that Kashmir was Islamabad’s “jugular vein”.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram said no one in the world had any doubt that “Kashmir was and will be India’s integral part”.

Reminding Pakistan of people’s participation in the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he called it a testimony to the fact that the state belonged to India.

His thoughts were echoed by I&B Minister Manish Tewari. “In fact, the real issue is that Pakistan is in illegal occupation of large parts of Jammu and Kashmir,” Tewari said.

A day after it slammed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for his comments against Narendra Modi over the Dawood Ibrahim issue, the lead Opposition party vociferously condemned Sharif’s “provocative and aggressive comments”.

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and “a unanimous resolution of the Indian Parliament has stated in no uncertain words that the entire Jammu and Kashmir, inclusive of those parts which are under illegal occupation by Pakistan, belong to India. The elected civilian government of Pakistan should ensure that it focuses its attention on building a peaceful Pakistan and not allow its army to pose a threat and issue alarm calls against peace in the region”.

“India knows how to handle its own strategic imperatives and requirements,” senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad added.

What he said
"Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. The resolution of the Kashmir issue should be in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris and in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions. Matchless sacrifices offered by Kashmiris will not go in vain. The resolution of the Kashmir issue is indispensable for lasting peace in the region. Pakistan Army is in favour of peace but is always ready to respond to any aggression in a befitting manner." — General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan Army Chief

 black money
Furnish info to petitioners, SC tells Centre

New Delhi, May 1
The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to hand over within three days all documents and information collected by it in its probe in the cases of alleged stashing of black money in LST bank in Liechtenstein, Germany, to jurist Rama Jethmalani and others who raised the issue before it.

"Since the investigation is complete into the aforesaid mentioned cases, now we once again direct Union of India to furnish the documents and information which is kept in the covers (sealed) to petitioners within three days from today,” a Bench comprising justices HL Dattu, Ranjana Prakash Desai and MB Lokur said.

The apex court also appointed its retired judges MB Shah as the chairman and Arijit Pasayat as the vice-chairman of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) for providing guidance and direction in the investigation of all cases of black money in the country and abroad.

Justice Shah, who was earlier appointed as vice-chairman, will take replace former apex court judge BP Jeevan Reddy, who expressed his inability to continue as chairman due to personal reasons.

The Bench directed the Centre to issue notification regarding their appointment within three weeks. — PTI

  1 held for cheating in Civil Services Exam 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1
The CBI has arrested a Civil Services aspirant and booked three others, including a girl, for cheating in the main Civil Services Examination for 2013.

Deepak Mann (28) had appeared for the third time in the main Civil Services Examinations-2013. He was arrested after sustained questioning. He belongs to Prahladpur Bangar village in outer Delhi.

The CBI conducted raids at the residences of the accused and seized three mobiles phones, two laptops, one customised "bluetooth" device, a customised vest to conceal equipment, seal of gazetted officers and a Sub-Inspector's identity card. Deepak worked with the Delhi Police earlier. He had reportedly left the job to take the Civil Services Examination.

While sitting in the examination hall, Deepak would take photographs of the question paper and mail these to his girlfriend. The girl was also preparing for the Civil Services Examination. She would solve the paper and send it back it to Deepak. Two other persons were also involved in the case.

Deepak had got stitched a special vest to hide his mobile phone and other equipment used for cheating.