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Thousands bid tearful adieu to Munde
Versions differ in Munde’s mishap
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UP Secy for transparency in police force
BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan likely to be next LS Speaker
Modi asks babus to make a difference
investment scam
Saradha scam: CBI registers 46 cases in a day
Beijing ready to promote strategic ties with India
Russia would do nothing detrimental to India
Naval fighter ‘crash-lands’ on aircraft carrier
Jaitley to visit aircraft carrier INS Viraat
One held in Afghanistan for Indian worker’s abduction
7 held for techie’s murder in Pune
Meghalaya woman shot for resisting rape
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Thousands bid tearful adieu to Munde
Mumbai, June 4 Roars of “Gopinath Munde amar rahe” and “Munde Saheb parat ya
(Munde Sir, come again)” went up as daughter Pankaja lit the funeral pyre standing amidst a sea of humanity at the departed leader’s home town in the backward Marathwada region. Grief, however, gave way to anger as the milling crowd, that had gathered under the blazing sun, became restless to have a closer glimpse of their beloved leader. The cremation ground soon turned into a battleground with Munde’s supporters hurling stones at a large police contingent who retaliated with a cane
charge. Pankaja, who till then was seen acknowledging the condolences while standing atop a platform with her father’s mortal remains, had to take charge of the proceedings. Public address system in hand, she pleaded with the angry locals to remain calm and order was restored, only to to be broken again as the crowd that swelled by the minute began demanding a CBI inquiry into Munde’s death and went on the rampage after the cremation. The angry crowd torched vehicles and stoned police personnel who were on duty, said the police. Even Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was not spared and he was gheraoed by Munde’s supporters after the funeral. They blocked the vehicles of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and some other ministers. TV footage showed Chavan seated in his car as protesters angrily thumped the bonnet with fists, forcing the police to cane-charge. However, security personnel quickly escorted Chavan to the helipad nearby from where he left the venue. Later in the afternoon, the situation was brought under control with the intervention of local leaders, the police
said. Munde, 64, Union Rural Development Minister, was yesterday killed in a road accident in Delhi while he was on way to Parli for a felicitation following his own and BJP’s resounding victory in Lok Sabha elections, which saw him re-elected for a second time from
Beed. However, in a cruel twist of fate, he could not reach there alive and only his mortal remains were brought to the Baidyanath Sugar Factory compound for performing the last rites, a few kilometres away from ‘Totla Maidan’, the venue of the felicitation that never happened. Earlier, thousands of people from Munde’s pocket borough Beed district converged on the Baidyanath Sugar Factory grounds in his native village of Parli to bid farewell to the leader. Munde’s mortal remains were brought from Mumbai earlier in the day to enable people to pay their last respects. In a departure from tradition, Munde’s funeral pyre was lit by his eldest daughter Pankaja
Palve-Munde. The BJP veteran is survived by his wife Pradnya and three daughters including
Pankaja, BJP MLA from Parli and heir to his political legacy. Uddhav too seeks CBI inquiry
Mumbai: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday joined several BJP supporters in Maharashtra who want a CBI probe to be instituted inquire into Munde’s death. “The sentiments of the workers should be respected. A CBI probe must be conducted,” Uddhav said shortly after Munde’s funeral. Gadkari gets additional portfolios
New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was on Wednesday given the additional charge of portfolios held by Gopinath Munde. A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said President Pranab Mukherjee, as adivsed by the Prime Minister, has directed that Gadkari shall be given additional charge of the Ministries of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
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Versions differ in Munde’s mishap
New Delhi, June 4 His personal assistant, Surender
Nair, was sitting on the co-driver’s seat. Kumar has claimed to the Delhi Police that when his car crossed Prithviraj Road to take Safdarjung Road, traffic signal at Prithviraj Road crossing was green. At that time, an Indica car, which was coming from Aurobindo Marg and heading towards Tughlak Road, rammed into the left rear side of his car. The accident took place after 6 am. On the other hand, Gurvinder Singh, the Indica car’s driver, claimed that the traffic signal of Aurobindo Marg was green at the time of the accident, said police. Police sources explained that they are not aware of the exact time when the accident took place. They said they would go by the version of Munde’s driver, who asserted that the traffic signal at Prithviraj Road had 26 seconds of the green light left when the SX4 crossed it. “Because we don’t know the exact time of the accident, we can’t probe whether the Prithviraj Road traffic signal or the Aurobindo Marg traffic signal was green. There are also no CCTV cameras at the site of the accident,” sources explained. A senior police officer said if the Prithviraj Road traffic signal was green, then the Aurobindo Marg traffic signal would be red. “The SX4 was hit by the Indica on its left rear side and the Indica was badly damaged on its front. Three-fourth part of the SX4 had already crossed the road when it was hit. Indica driver should have seen the vehicle and stopped. But Gurvinder jumped the red light and was over-speeding. After ramming into the SX4, the Indica skidded for about 31 feet before it came to a screeching halt,” explained the officer. As of now, the police are awaiting a report from the Road Safety Cell and the Forensic Science Laboratory, which will reconstruct the accident, including determining the speed of the two vehicles when the accident took place.
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Keeping close watch on UP, says Centre
Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 4 The BJP-led Centre is keeping a close watch on the developments in the state. Amidst growing outrage at the national and international levels, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the Centre was monitoring the situation closely. Notably, a day after UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav blamed media for creating too much fuss about the alleged abduction, rape and murder of two teenagers in the Badaun district, especially when “such incidents were being reported from other states”, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav glossed over the shameful incident, telling reporters, “You do your work, I will do mine”. Another senior leader from the party maintained that UP was being deliberately targeted. Ram Gopal Yadav said “such incidents are happening everywhere. Until people’s mind-set changed, these will not end”. Though the state BJP has been vocal on the issue, the Central leadership is playing a wait and watch game. However, BJP MP from Bihar R K Singh, also a former home secretary, today called UP “a fit case” for President’s rule, which Samajwadi Party’s arch rival — BSP supremo Mayawati — is also clamouring for to stem “increasing lawlessness and jungle raj” in Uttar Pradesh. Singh said UP was a stark example of breakdown of law and order. Sources say the senior leadership is closely watching the developing political situation in the state. However, the party’s moral stance on the UP issue has been weakened by reports of rapes from the BJP-ruled Rajasthan. In fact Jhalawar, from where the reports of alleged rape of two minor girls have emerged, is the constituency of Dushyant Singh, son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. In any case, senior party leaders say the BJP will not bring down any “democratically elected” state government — whether it was in UP, Uttarakhand or Bihar. “However the way the situation is developing, some states could have poll ahead of the scheduled time,” they add. Though the elections in UP are due in 2017, sources say Narendra Modi’s key aide Amit Shah has asked MPs to keep the cadres ready and highlight non-governance of the SP government. Akhilesh removes DM, suspends 6 officials Lucknow: Shravasti District Magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami was removed and six officials were suspended on Wednesday after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav paid a surprise visit to different parts of the district. Taking serious note of the complaints by people of laxity, Akhilesh suspended the officials concerned. UP Principal Secy wants police to be accountable Lucknow: Newly-appointed Principal Secretary (Home) Deepak Singhal said he wanted better communication among officials and a police force more accountable and transparent in its dealings with people SP leaders trivialise issue Media was creating too much fuss in the Badaun case, especially when such incidents were being reported from other states. Akhilesh Yadav, UP Chief minister When the relationship between girls and boys come out in open, it is termed as rape... These incidents happen in other places also but are not highlighted. Ram Gopal Yadav, SP leader
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UP Secy for transparency in police force
Lucknow, June 4 Addressing mediapersons on his first day in office, the 1982-batch IAS officer, Singhal said he wanted better communication down the line and a police force more accountable and transparent in its dealings with people. “A new GPS-enabled software called Heinous Crime Monitoring System would record the time of the crime and the time taken by district-level officers – the SSP and the DM, to personally reach the spot. Action would be taken against those who do not reach the spot within time,” Singhal said.
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BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan likely to be next LS Speaker
New Delhi, June 4 Mahajan, 71, has been MP from Indore eight times and served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. She was on the panel of chair in the previous Lok Sabha. As per the schedule of the election announced by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, deadline for filing of nomination papers is before noon tomorrow. Although the government did not make any formal announcement, the process to have her nominated on behalf of the ruling coalition is complete. Sources associated with the work said parliamentary managers of the BJP-led NDA were in touch with leaders of other political parties so that her election is unanimous. The Congress with 44 MPs is not in a position to get a person through. Mahajan, an advocate by profession, is popularly known as `Tai’ and served as a corporator and deputy mayor in Indore between 1982-85 before her election to the Lok Sabha in 1989. In the last House, she was on the panel of chairperson and would become the second woman after Meira Kumar who held the position in the 15th Lok Sabha. After the House adjourned on the first day of the opening session in the memory of Gopinath Munde, the new members will commence the process of taking oath from tomorrow and the process is expected to be complete by Noon on June
6.
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Modi asks babus to make a difference New delhi, June 4 The Prime Minister said in the process of governance, ideas should be converted into institutions because these last longer than individuals. The Prime Minister emphasised the need for use of technology for greater efficiency and effectiveness in administration. He said in a democracy, redressal of citizens' grievances was important and IT can help greatly in this regard. Modi said he would be accessible to all officers and encouraged them to approach him with their inputs and ideas.
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Roy to stay in jail, but can sell property: SC
R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
A Bench comprising Justices TS Thakur and AK Sikri did not agree with the contention that shifting Roy and two of his directors, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary, to a guest house would enable them to expedite the sale of properties. “We don’t think so,” the Bench said and pointed out that prospective buyers could meet them in the jail. Further, none of them suffered from any medical condition that called for hospitalisation or an atmosphere conducive to recovery from any disease. Sahara has got the total value of the nine properties assessed at Rs 4,298.47 crore. While the property in Amritsar is worth Rs 153.75 cr, the values of the real estate assets in other places are: Ahmedabad (Rs 470 cr), Pune (Rs 575 cr), Chauma (Rs 1,430 cr), Vasai (1,169.72 cr), Ajmer (Rs 160 cr), Bhavnagar (Rs 103 cr), Jodhpur (Rs 112 cr) and Bhopal (Rs 125 cr). The apex court made it clear that none of the properties could be sold to any Sahara company or at a value lower than the government-approved circle rate. Further, the group could pledge some of its holdings in the Aamby Valley project in Pune. All the proceeds would directly go to market regulator SEBI. The court said it was placing all these conditions to ensure that the properties were not subjected to distress sale in order to protect the interest of the investors who had subscribed to the fully convertible debentures floated by two companies of the Sahara group in 2008-09. “Saharas need to eventually deposit a substantial amount which according to the current estimate may be in the neighbourhood of Rs 30,000 cr to Rs 35,000 crore,” the Supreme Court Bench explained. The SC said it would also allow Sahara to sell its three premier hotels – two in New York and one in London – after the group provided details of these assets and the loans taken from Bank of China. Further hearing in the case would be held by a three-Judge Bench to be constituted by Chief Justice RM Lodha as one of the main orders had been passed by a Bench of similar strength, Justices Thakur and Sikri said. Sahara chief Subrata Roy was taken into custody on February 28 and sent to the Tihar Jail here on March 4 along with the two directors for the group’s failure to return about Rs 20,000 crore to nearly 30 million investors through SEBI as directed by the Supreme Court. Market regulator SEBI had declared the debenture issues as illegal. Group can sell 9 properties
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Saradha scam: CBI registers 46 cases in a day
New Delhi, June 4 After registering 43 cases in Odhisa and three cases in West Bengal, the CBI said it would also investigate the role of regulators such as Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as per the orders of the SC. The CBI named Saradha Group’s chief Sudipta Sen, besides others, in the cases which have been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to cheating and criminal conspiracy. The Supreme Court had last month handed over the scam probe to the CBI and asked the state governments to provide logistical help to the agency’s team probing the matter. The CBI has formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT), headed by Joint Director Rajeev Singh. “Investigation conducted so far puts a question mark on the role of regulatory authorities such as SEBI, Registrar of Companies and officials of the RBI within whose respective jurisdictions and areas of operation the scam not only took birth but flourished unhindered,” an apex court bench headed by Justice TS Thakur had said in its order. CBI Special Director Anil Kumar Sinha has been asked to monitor the progress in the probe. — PTI
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Beijing ready to promote strategic ties with India
New Delhi, June 4 ‘’China is willing to work with the Indian side, seize the opportunities, create enabling conditions and promote the strategic cooperative partnership China and India to new height,’’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a press briefing. Both India and China today announced that Wang will travel to India on Sunday as the Special Envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Indian leaders. He is also expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be the first contact between the two sides after the BJP-led government assumed office in India. According to the Chinese spokesman, the visit was aimed at sending an important message that China valued bilateral relations. ‘’The visit is an important element of the Year of India-China Friendly Exchanges and will provide further momentum to the India-China strategic and cooperative partnership,’’ the External Affairs Ministry here said. Modi has enjoyed a special relationship with China, having visited the East Asian nation at least four times during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. His victory in the elections was widely welcomed by the Chinese official media. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was among the first top world leaders to ring up Modi after he took over as the PM. Chinese Foreign Minister coming
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Russia would do nothing detrimental to India
New Delhi, June 4 Moscow's Ambassador here Alexander M Kadakin said that Russia had never imposed any arms embargo on Pakistan and that its technical and military cooperation with the country dates back to 1960s. "We have not changed any policy, and contrary to press reports there has not been any embargo on Pakistan. We have supplied arms to Pakistan since early 1960s. This was sheer case of mis-reporting and over-reacting," he said. He was reacting to reports from Moscow that Russia has lifted an arms embargo on Pakistan and the two countries were in talks over supply of Mi35 helicopters. Russia has not supplied any arms to Pakistan but there have only been "initial" talks to supply Mi 35 helicopters, he said. "We have not supplied, lately, any arms to Pakistan. Its not the arms, but its Mi 17 civilian aircraft. We are at the very initial stage of talks on Mi 35, but that is exclusively for anti-terrorist and anti-narcotics operation. "There can be a wish list from Pakistan, but we have not reacted to that. It is a matter of negotiations," Kadakin said. The envoy said that Russia saw supplying Mi35 helicopters as its contribution to the anti-terrorist and anti-narcotics endeavour.
— PTI
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Rafale takes to Indian skies
Even as defence and aviation experts are keeping a sharp look out on developments pertaining to the finalisation of the much awaited deal to procure the Rafale fighter aircraft, a flight of these aircraft are already flying in combat mode over the scorching deserts of Rajasthan. The French have brought in these aircraft, along with KC-135 aerial refullers, for a joint training exercise, Garuda-V, with the IAF. Operating from the Jodhpur airbase, the Rafale would be here for a fortnight, practicing aerial warfare which would include maneuvers to carry out surgical strikes along with the IAF’s SU-30, MiG-27 and MiG-21 Bison. The exercise is aimed enhancing operational co-operation and to validate capabilities and would help both the air forces in appreciating the intricacies of planning and conduct of combat missions in an operational environment. Three officers approved against single vacancy
The Army has approved three brigadiers for a single vacancy existing in the rank of major general in the Judge Advocate General’s Department, the Army’s legal branch. Following orders of the Armed Forces Tribunal, the Army had convened a fresh promotion board and approved Brigadiers PK Sharma, Dinkar Adeeb and Rajinder Kumar for elevation. Army sources said that promotions are vacancy based and approving several officers against one vacancy is unusual. Brig PK Sharma, being senior most among took over as Additional Director General (litigation) at Army Headquarters this month. JAG Branch officers said that he could take over as the Judge Advocate General (JAG) when the incumbent, Maj Gen T Prashad retires early next month and would hold the department’s top post for a few months. On his retirement in the middle of next year, Brig Rajinder Kumar is now tipped to take over as the JAG. Army’s Gallipoli campaign
The Army is planning to project the exploits of Indian soldiers who had taken part in the Gallipoli Campaign during the First Worlds War. As a precursor, the Adjutant General, Lt Gen Sanjeev Anand had visited war memorials in France and Belguim recently to pay homage to Indian soldiers who had laid down their lives in the campaign. Buglers and pipers from the Sikh Regiment had also accompanied him. The Army plans to send a contingent from 4 Mech (1 Sikh), that was earlier known as the 14 Ferozepur Sikhs that had participated in the campaign, to Gallipoli in Turkey, to participate in the campaign’s centenary in April next year. A representative of the regiment has already visited Gallipoli to formalise India’s participation in the celebrations. Army Education
Corps turns 94
The Army Education Corps turned 94 on June1. The corps plays a pivotal role in meeting aspirations of serving soldiers of the Indian Army in various aspects such as higher education, map reading, foreign language courses, personality development programmes and military music training. The Corps came into
existence with just 40 regular officers, 40 short-service commissioned officers, 120 JCOs and 400 Other Ranks and at present has a strength of approximately 500 officers, 6000 JCOs and Other Ranks. Another 100 odd civilians also serve at AEC units all across the country. Vijay Mohan
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Naval fighter ‘crash-lands’ on aircraft carrier New Delhi, June 4 Confirming the incident, naval sources said it was not a "crash", but the fighter jet had a "hard landing" on the deck. The pilot was safe but the plane's nose-wheel section suffered some damage, sources confirmed. The incident occurred in the evening in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Goa, where the ship is said to be sailing. The twin-engine Russian made MiG-29-K jet had taken-off from the Naval Air Station in Goa and was scheduled to land on the deck of the 44,500-tonne warship. Landing a fighter-jet on a sailing aircraft carrier is one of the most complex aviation procedures. In this case, the fighter jet would have been coming at more than 350 kmph and had to land on the deck of a warship and then stop within 200 metre. A set of three horizontally placed 'arrester wires' pop-up on the deck when the plane makes the final approach. These wires fit into the 'tail hook' in the jet's under carriage to stop it from tipping into the sea. The 'tail hook', more than 2-feet long, drops down as the pilot approaches to land. In today's incident, one or more of the arrestor wires had not fitted onto the 'tail hook'. This is the first incident of its type since the MiG 29-Ks have been inducted over the past 24 months. — TNS
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Jaitley to visit aircraft carrier INS Viraat
He is, so far, not slated to sail on board. The warship is docked at Mumbai. Navy Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan will accompany him. The defence minister will be the chief guest at the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard ships Achook and
Agrim.
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One held in Afghanistan for Indian worker’s abduction
New Delhi, June 4 The man in question is being interrogated by the Afghan officials for more leads. An advisory has been issued by the Indian Consulate to all Indians residing there to be more careful. The MEA is also closely monitoring the situation in Herat. The development comes hours after the US said it was in touch with India and Afghanistan on the abduction of the Indian aid worker by some gunmen believed to be associated with Taliban. “We are aware of the reports that an Indian national has been kidnapped near Herat,” a state department spokesperson said when asked about the abduction of 47-year-old Prem Kumar, country director of Jesuit Refugee Service.
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7 held for techie’s murder in Pune
Mumbai, June 4 The protesters allegedly thrashed them mercilessly before the police present in the area came to their rescue. Both men were shifted to hospital with serious injuries. Shaikh died in the hospital on Tuesday whereas Khan continues to be critical, the police said. Shaikh hailed from Solapur and was working in a software company in Pune. The orgnasitaion was protesting what they claimed were morphed images of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray posted on social networking sites. |
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Meghalaya woman shot for resisting rape Shillong, June 4 The woman was at home with her husband and five children when four to five armed militants of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) entered their house around 6 pm yesterday. They locked up her husband and five children inside the house and pulled out the woman, police said. She was first assaulted and molested. When she resisted, they shot her with automatic assault rifles, blowing her head in almost two pieces, Inspector General of Police (Operations) GHP Raju said. PA Sangma, MP representing the Garo Hills, condemned the incident and said the law and order was worsening in region. — PTI
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New Delhi, June 4
New Delhi, June 4