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NSG at Chennai blast scene, looks for clues
Bombs may have been planted in Bangalore
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NIA to probe Chennai blasts if TN agrees: Shinde
IM operative deported from Sharjah
Cong rules out sitting in oppn
BJP: Next govt will review decision on snoopgate
Won’t return to BJP: Jaswant
Raja, Kani summoned in money laundering case
Cong poll promise of OROP still hangs fire
CEO distances Prasar Bharati from Modi row
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NSG at Chennai blast scene, looks for clues
New Delhi, May 2 The NSG squad was sent to Chennai last midnight following blasts inside the Guwahati-Bangalore Express yesterday morning. One woman passenger, Swathi, was killed, while 14 others were injured in the incident. The NSG squad is using the latest forensic techniques to pick up clues relating to the case. The squad was trying to identify the chemicals used for making the bombs; to find out whether a timer device was used to trigger blasts; and to see if the composition of the bombs was similar to the bombs used in recent blasts, including those used in Patna, sources said. The security of trains is once again in focus following these blasts. Thousands of railway stations across the country have no provision for proper security checks or luggage scanners to ward of such incidents. The NSG had found that single-pipe bombs and L-bent pipe bombs (both improvised explosive devices, IEDs) were planted inside a toilet at the Patna railway station and Gandhi Maidan where Narendra Modi’s rally was held.
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Bombs may have been planted in Bangalore
Chennai, May 2 The Crime Branch-CID dispatched its sleuths to Bangalore as it had information that the culprits might have secured the support of sleeper modules working there. A CB-CID official said they also suspected that the low-intensity bombs with timer device
could have been planted on the train in Bangalore before its departure on its journey to
Guwahati, via Chennai. — PTI
Footage of suspect released
Chennai: The CB-CID police on Friday released a CCTV footage of a person whose movements raised suspicion in what could be a firstever lead in the investigation. The video footage released at an hurriedly called press conference by CB-CID IGP Mahesh Kumar Agarwal said "the movement of a person found in some clippings is unusual and need verification”.
pti
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NIA to probe Chennai blasts if TN agrees: Shinde
Shimla, May 2 Addressing a press conference here today, Shinde said the Chief Minister had declined help from the Centre as the Crime Branch of the state CID was investigating the blasts in a train at the Chennai railway station. “If the state seeks our help, we will definitely provide all assistance and assign the task to NIA,” he said.
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IM operative deported from Sharjah New Delhi, May 2 He is alleged to have fled from India four years back to Nepal where he was provided a Pakistani passport by his ISI handler. He later went to Pakistan via Dubai to undergo arms training. Faizan, believed to be in his early thirties, was camping in Gulf countries and is alleged to have been choosing potential recruits for the banned outfit besides raising money. — PTI
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Cong rules out sitting in oppn
New Delhi, May 2 In the first formal indication that the party would be willing to either support or be supported by a secular Third Front formation in the post-election scenario, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said, "The Congress is determined to prevent the takeover of the government by communal forces personified by a single individual Narendra Modi and the RSS. I admit we have been late in countering the negative narrative spun by the BJP through an extensive vilification campaign against UPA's good governance, but we are now out in the field and the people are listening to us." The import of Sharma's remarks was that the Congress would explore all possible alliance options after the Lok Sabha election results on May 16. This is the first time a senior Congress leader, who is also the party spokesperson, has on record hinted at a possible Congress-Third Front truck to stop Modi from reigning at the Centre. The comment that the Congress has no plan of sitting in the Opposition is critical because some party veterans like general secretary (organisation) Janardan Dwivedi favour a stint in the Opposition if the party doesn't get the numbers. Knives were out today with Modi mocking the UPA as "ma-bete ki sarkaar" (mother-son government). "Sonia Gandhi is the elected president of the Congress and UPA chairperson. It is natural for the PM and ministers to consult the party on policy issues. It is foolhardy on Modi's part to suggest this is not normal. We ask Modi who runs the Gujarat Government, if not the RSS," Sharma said. The Congress minister said the RSS replaced BJP presidents at will. It also defied top BJP leadership to anoint Modi as the PM nominee, he said. "The danger is in the loyalty with which the BJP workers follow RSS diktats. The so-called tall leaders of BJP are pretenders. They know where they stand vis-a-vis the RSS and what it decides," Sharma added.
I am no friend of Modi, says Ahmed Patel
After BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi called Congress president Sonia Gandhi's aide Ahmed Patel his best friend in edited portions of a recent interview to Doordarshan, Patel hit out at the Gujarat Chief Minister terming the remarks "ridiculous". In a statement to news agencies, Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to Sonia, said he would quit public life if it was proved that he ever went to Modi's home or office. Modi had in his interview to DD, one of the two arms of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, said he and Patel had dined together and used to visit each other's houses.
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BJP: Next govt will review decision on snoopgate
New Delhi, May 2 On a day the government declared that a judicial commission to probe "snoopgate" allegedly involving Narendra Modi would be in place before the Lok Sabha elections process comes to an end on May 16, senior leader Arun Jaitley warned that the next government would be within its rights to review the "malafide" last-minute decision. Jaitley said the government has no "right" at this stage to announce appointments like a judge for the "snoopgate" probe panel and information commissioners or complete the quorum for the Lokpal search panel. "The government cannot go against the traditions. It will be the prerogative of the next government not to give in to these motives," he said. However, the party appears to have decided not to contest the appointment of the new Army chief. "Such appointments are generally by seniority," a senior leader said. But the BJP is all set to take the Congress by its neck over the "snoopgate" probe issue. "They are trying desperately to get at least one Judge to agree to head the 'snoopgate' commission... I would be "surprised" if any judge would have agreed to lend himself to the UPA for the "political and malafide" exercise,” said Jaitley. Terming the Congress’ decision “stoop gate”, his colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad said it was sheer “desperation” that was forcing the Home Minister of India to “stoop” to this level. “I can see the desperation.... No judge is willing to inquire into it,“ he said. He wondered if the ruling party was trying to “pressure” the judiciary in appointing a judge to the Snoopgate Commission. "I am concerned about the dignity of the office of a judge. Are you going to pressure the judiciary for your collateral, extraneous purposes?” he asked.
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Won’t return to BJP: Jaswant
New Delhi, May 2 He termed the expulsion of his MLA son Manvendra Singh from the party an “act of injustice and low vendetta”. Addressing mediapersons in New Delhi, Singh said while he was expelled for the second time by the BJP, he would not return to the party even if they tried to cajole him. He had no plans to float a new political party, he added. Singh was expelled from the party after he rebelled and decided to contest as an Independent from the Barmer Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan when he was denied ticket. The party nominated Col Sonaram immediately after the latter quit the Congress. Without naming BJP PM nominee Narender Modi, Singh said: “It is one man or a coterie chosen by him that matters in the party. This is not a natural evolution of the party.” He added that even during the era of Atal Behari Vajpayee, the party functioned through collective leadership. It was wrong on BJP’s part to nominate Sonaram, who used to target the party as a member of the Congress, Singh said. The decision to deny ticket to him was not a collective one but was taken by BJP president Rajnath Singh and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, he added.
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Nido case: CBI files chargesheet against 7
New Delhi, May 2 The Delhi Police have already filed murder charge against the accused. In its charge-sheet filed in the ACMM court at Saket, the CBI pressed culpable homicide charges against seven accused, including three juveniles. The others charges include illegal confinement and offences under the SC/ST Atrocities Act, a statement issued by the CBI said. Nido (19), son of an Arunachal Pradesh MLA, was killed on January 29 after an altercation with the accused in Lajpat Nagar in South-East Delhi. The case was earlier investigated by the Delhi Police but was subsequently transferred to the CBI. The CBI has named four of the seven accused - Farman, Pawan, Sunder and Sunny Uppal - in the charge-sheet. Proceedings against the three juveniles will be carried out by the Juvenile Justice Board.
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Raja, Kani summoned in money laundering case
New Delhi, May 2 Special CBI Judge OP Saini asked the accused, including DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, to appear before it, saying there is "enough incriminating material" on record to proceed against them. "I have carefully considered the submissions made at the bar in the light of the material on record. Since the complaint has been filed by a public servant, there is no need to examine him. "On perusal of the material on record, I am satisfied that there is enough incriminating material on record to proceed against the accused persons. Accordingly, I take cognizance of the case," the judge said, adding, "Issue summons to the accused for May 26." The ED had filed its charge-sheet against 19 accused, including 10 individuals and nine companies, on April 25 in the money laundering case. Besides Raja, Kanimozhi and Dayalu Ammal, the ED also named promoters of Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka as accused in the case. Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, Asif Balwa and Rajiv Aggarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, P Amirtham and Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar have also been named as accused in the case. — PTI
Enough incriminating evidence: Judge
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Cong poll promise of OROP still hangs fire
New Delhi, May 2 The final calculations as regards increased pension are
still lying with the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) and
the Ministry of Defence is yet to issue the final letter to implement
the “one rank, one pension” (OROP) scheme, which will lead to
enhancement in pension of retired soldiers. Surprisingly, Defence
Minister AK Antony has allowed bureaucrats another three weeks (till May
14) to complete all formalities. As the allowed time will end just two
days before the declaration of General Election results on May 16, the
fears are that the present government may not get enough time to
implement it. Retired soldiers were expecting that the hike would
reflect in their pensions for April, 2014, payable in May. On April 24,
the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare (DESW) notified a working group,
comprising representatives of the CGDA, the DESW, the Ministry of
Defence (Finance) and the three Services. The CGDA has been asked to
finalise the “draft government letter” (DGL). It has to be submitted
to the MoD, along with financial implications, within three weeks. The
“DGL” presented by the Services on April 22 was rejected. At a
meeting on February 26, Antony categorically said the required finances
would be made available. Maj Gen Stabir Singh (retd), Chairman of the
Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), said: “Antony never directed
ascertaining of financial requirement under the OROP plan. As per the
government decision, the OROP is to be implemented as per the accepted
definition; whatever the financial requirements, these would be met.”
He termed these as ‘diversionary tactics’ to delay implementation of
the OROP plan. In a letter to Antony, the IESM has requested that
necessary orders be passed before the present government demits office,
otherwise the new government will take its own time in finalising the
issue.
Time running out for govt
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CEO distances Prasar Bharati from Modi row New Delhi, May 2 Interestingly, Jawhar Sircar, CEO of Prasar Bharati, wrote to members of the Prasar Bharati board informing them about the circumstances surrounding the interview "as I see them". — PTI
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New Delhi, May 2
The BJP today cautioned the Congress-led UPA against misusing its powers in the "last 10 days" in government.
On a day the government declared that a judicial commission to probe "snoopgate" allegedly involving Narendra Modi would be in place before the Lok Sabha elections process comes to an end on May 16, senior leader Arun Jaitley warned that the next government would be within its rights to review the
"malafide" last-minute decision.
Expelled BJP leader and former Union Minister Jaswant Singh today ruled out any possibility of his return to the party or joining the
NDA. But the veteran leader said he would support the NDA, or any formulation in Parliament, depending upon issues.
