The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Mayawati sees BJP-SP nexus Tribune News Service Lucknow, May 8 Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati today described the “on-going drama in Varanasi” as a BJP conspiracy to whip up communal passions in Purvanchal belt that will go to the polls on May 12. Speaking to reporters, Mayawati said she saw a nexus between the BJP and ruling Samajwadi Party government “as polarisation of voters on communal lines at this moment was convenient for both these parties.” “As top leadership of both SP and BJP are in the fray in this phase, a bit of communal tension would actually improve their respective positions,” she alleged While BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is contesting from Varanasi, SP party patriarch is in the fray from neighbouring Azamgarh. Accusing the BJP of needlessly blaming the Election Commission Mayawati said it was the duty of the state government to maintain law and order. “By denying permission to the BJP, the SP government was provoking communal feelings. The SP was attempting to send a message to the Muslims that it alone could protect them from the BJP,” said Mayawati.
	Fake encounters SC turns down Gujarat’s plea for national task force R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 8 The apex court today rejected Gujarat Government’s plea for setting up a special task force (STF) at the national level to go into complaints of fake encounter killings in the past 10 years. A Bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha said a national-level STF was not possible under the federal structure as maintenance of law and order was a state subject under the Constitution. “First tell us, how can we entertain the petition? The plea has to be within the constitutional parameters,” the Bench told advocate Hemantika Wahi who appeared for the Gujarat Government and pleaded for a uniform national policy to prevent only some states getting targeted for fake police encounters. For setting up an STF, there was need for a consensus among the states, the Bench pointed out and asked for the views of the advocates representing various governments who were present in response to the court notice issued earlier. Most states said they were against the plea. At this, the Bench asked Gujarat to try and take some states on board before coming up with such a plea. Further, it was the responsibility of the Centre, not the judiciary, to consider setting up such a task force, the court explained. Justices MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph were the other members of the Bench. Noticing the court’s reluctance, Wahi pleaded that the states should at least be directed to follow the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the issue. The Bench, however, noted that the NHRC guidelines were recommendatory in nature and the states could not be forced to strictly follow these. Law & order state subject: Court The Gujarat Government had filed a PIL seeking a uniform national policy to prevent certain states from being targeted for fake police encounters The SC Bench said a national-level special task force was not possible under the federal structure as maintenance of law and order was a state subject The court turned down the plea since most states represented in court by their counsels opposed the plea. The court had said a consensus among states was imperative
	Jama Masjid attack: 2nd chargesheet against Bhatkal Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 8 The Delhi Police today filed a chargesheet against Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his associate, Asadullah Akhtar, at a local court in connection with the Jama Masjid terror attack in 2010. The chargesheet has been filed before Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash. Yasin Bhatkal and Akhtar have been charged under the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Information Technology Act. This is the second chargesheet filed against the duo. The Delhi Police had earlier filed a chargesheet against them for their alleged involvement in firing at Taiwanese tourists outside Jama Masjid. The tourists had sustained bullet injuries. Bhatkal and Akhtar were arrested by NIA sleuths from the Indo-Nepal border in August last. In the second chargesheet, the police said that on the instructions of the Pakistan-based Indian Mujahideen (IM) leaders, Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal, Yasin and his associates allegedly decided to carry out a terror attack at Jama Masjid on the second anniversary of the Batla House encounter, which took place on September 19, 2008. Following the terror attack at Jama Masjid on September 19, 2010, the IM had sent emails to the media, claiming responsibility for the attack.
	SC happy with safety steps at TN N-plant Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 8 The Supreme Court today rejected the plea for setting up a special team to ensure the safety of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, holding that there “is no laxity” on the part of the government on the issue. “We notice that the directions given by this court are being properly addressed by the Centre, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board,” a Bench comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Vikramajit Sen said. Steps were being taken to oversee each and every aspect of safety, impact on environment and quality of various components, it observed. Evidently, it would take some more time for full implementation of the SC’s directives in its May 6, 2013 judgment giving the green signal for commissioning the project, the Bench acknowledged. “We find it unnecessary to appoint any committee at this stage since the status report and the affidavits indicate that the respondents are taking necessary steps...At the moment, we find no reason to give any further directions,” the SC said. In its 2013 verdict, the apex court had pointed out that nuclear energy was vital for economic development and India “cannot afford to be a nuclear-isolated nation.”
	Lok Sabha prepares to welcome new MPs KV Prasad Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 8 With just over a week to go before the results for the 16th Lok Sabha are announced, the secretariat is all set to welcome new members to the House. Lok Sabha secretary general P Sreedharan told The Tribune today that the secretariat would be ready to receive new members from May 16, the day the results will be declared. Special reception counters have been set up at three main railway stations and two airports in the city. Sreedharan said the secretariat staff at the airports - both domestic and the new terminal - and at New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations will be ready to receive new MPs whose entry to the Parliament House Building will be facilitated with the help of security. A designated room with 10-odd counters will be working to enable the new members to complete paper work, including authenticating signatures that form part of the House records, preparation of identity card, furnishing personal detail that will be included in the official handbook and uploaded on members homepage, allocation of mobile connections and health care facility given by the Central Government Health Scheme, etc. It is the responsibility of the Department of Estates under the Ministry of Urban Development to provide transit accommodation to the new MPs. A provision is made for some 250-odd fresh MPs.
	No more clean chit without CVC consent, CBI tells SC Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 8 The CBI today assured the Supreme Court that no more clean chits would be given in the coal scam cases by filing closure reports in the trial court for want of evidence. The investigation agency gave the assurance as PIL petitioners, on whose plea the SC has been monitoring the probe, took strong exception to the CBI filing one closure report after the other in the trial court. Even the few regular cases that had been registered following the preliminary investigation (PE) talked of only misrepresentation of facts on the part of the companies which got coal block allocations in gross violation of the rules and regulations, advocates Prashant Bhushan and ML Sharma pleaded. At this, the Bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha suggested to CBI’s senior counsel Amarendra Sharan that the agency should submit its investigation reports to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) seeking its advice on the next course of action - whether to file a chargesheet or a closure report. Sharan initially resisted the proposal, contending that the trial court was anyway not bound to accept the closure reports and could order the CBI to conduct further probe and file chargesheets. Noticing that the Bench was not convinced and the petitioners - NGO Common Cause, ML Sharma and several others - were against closure reports, Sharan said the agency would take the CVC’s consent on its move in the trial court and desist from giving a clean chit to anyone in the cases. The petitioners pleaded against allowing a free hand to the CBI as the allocations involved billions of rupees in the form of coal, a scarce non-renewable natural resource which belonged to the people and was held by the government only as their trustee. The apex court directed the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to file status reports by July 7 on their probe done till June 30. Coal scam: Petitioners' take The investigation agency gave the assurance as PIL petitioners, on whose plea the SC has been monitoring the probe, took strong exception to the CBI filing one closure report after the other in the trial court. Even the few regular cases that had been registered following the preliminary investigation talked of only misrepresentation of facts on the part of the companies which got coal block allocations in gross violation of the rules and regulations, they said.
	CBI gets first woman Addl Director New Delhi/Chennai, May 8 Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram today took over as CBI's first woman Additional Director but was suspended by Tamil Nadu government late tonight for allegedly not following rules before joining the central probe agency. A HomeDepartment order of the state government said in Chennai that "whereas disciplinary proceedings" against her were contemplated, Ramasundaram, a Tamil Nadu cadre officer, was being placed "under suspension with immediate effect." Sources said Ramasundaram has been suspended for reportedly not following rules prior to joining the new post. PTI
	'Aashiqui 2' singer Tiwari arrested on rape charge Mumbai, May 8 Popular playback singer Ankit Tiwari was today arrested for allegedly raping his female friend on several occasions for over a year on the pretext of marriage. Tiwari (24), known for his popular song 'Sun Raha Hai Na' from 'Aashiqui 2', was arrested by Versova police this morning after the woman, who is said to be his girlfriend, complained that he sexually assaulted her between October 2012 and December 2013 assuring marriage but failed to keep the promise. Ankit's brother Ankur was also arrested for threatening the woman with dire consequences. Ankit has been booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage), and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) while his brother was charged with criminal intimidation. — PTI