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No info from Switzerland on black money: Jaitley
2002
hit-and-run case |
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Hooda, Chavan safe, Gogoi likely to go
India signs additional protocol to nuclear safeguard agreement
MHA rejects proposal to grant visa-on-arrival to Bangladeshis
Cong workers oppose pre-poll alliance with NC
Oppn stages walkout over power cuts in UP
Pre-medical paper not leaked: STF
Tandoor
case
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No info from Switzerland on black money: Jaitley
New Delhi, June 23 “We are today writing to the Swiss authorities, with whom the Ministry is in touch, so that details with regard to whatsoever information the authorities have can be expedited and co-operation between the Swiss authorities and the Indian Government can bear fruitful results. Our communciation will be sent today itself,” Jaitley told
mediapersons. The Finance Minister said the government had not received any official communication regarding co-operation in sharing
information. Jaitley’s remarks came a day after Press Trust of India filed a Zurich datelined report that cited a Swiss government official saying that the Swiss Government had prepared a list of Indians having untaxed money stashed in bank accounts and the list was being shared with India. “News has appeared in various sections of the media quoting Swiss authorities that they are willing to actively cooperate with the government of India in giving details about Indians who hold bank accounts in the Swiss banking system,” Jaitley said. According to the latest data published by Switzerland’s central bank
SNB, Indian money in various Swiss banks rose by 43 per cent during 2013 to around Rs 14,000
crore, including the money held directly by Indian clients and those through fiduciaries or wealth managers. With the issue of black money gaining focus, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today directed all banks and financial institutions to provide information and documents sought by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to unearth black money.
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2002
hit-and-run case
Mumbai, June 23 The prosecution’s case is that the actor had taken drinks in “Rain Bar” along with his friends and was allegedly under the influence of liquor on September 28, 2002, when his car rammed into a bakery in suburban Bandra, killing one person and injuring four others. “Salman’s group had ordered drinks and snacks but I am not sure whether Salman had consumed drinks himself as the order had been taken by a waiter and not me,” Rizwan, who was the manager of “Rain Bar” at the relevant time, told the court of Sessions Judge DW Deshpande. As the restaurant was full, Salman and his brother Sohail Khan were standing in front of service counter. After some time they occupied a table and ordered drinks and snacks, Rizwan said during examination. “I saw Salman holding a glass, but it was full with a colourless liquid like water,” said the manager. Asked if it was liquor, Rizwan said he was not sure because the order had been taken by a waiter. Rizwan said he had escorted the group to the main door of the restaurant when they were leaving the bar between 1.15 am to 1.30 am. “However, Salman was not smelling of liquor and he was also walking like a normal person," said the manager. — PTI
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Hooda, Chavan safe, Gogoi likely to go
New Delhi, June 23 Those secure include Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan, both of who met Congress president Sonia Gandhi last week to explain their respective positions in the wake of dissidence in their respective states. The only Congress CM facing the prospect of replacement is Assam’s Tarun Gogoi with top party functionaries today saying that change will do the party good only in Assam where Assembly elections are due in 2016. In Haryana and Maharashtra, which go to polls later this year, change is being resisted on grounds that there’s hardly any time left to make an impact. The party also made light of Hooda rival Choudhry Birender Singh’s remarks yesterday that he would not contest on Congress symbol in case Hooda remains the CM in Haryana. “What is said is not always done,” said a leader adding that open rebellion against leadership is not a very savoury thing to do. Sources in the Congress added that in Haryana and Maharashtra, they hardly had the privilege of time which is why the current leadership is expected to stay. “There is also the question of finding suitable replacements,” said top party functionaries adding that in Assam change could be experimented with as the new incumbent would have ample time at his disposal to effect positive changes. Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge is in Assam today speaking to state leaders on the necessity of change in leadership and the possible replacement of Gogoi, who is facing a mighty rebellion from Assam education minister Humanta Biswa Sarma, likely successor to the CM. The reason why a decision on leadership change in Assam is being delayed is – lack of consensus on Sarma’s candidature as a replacement to Gogoi. “Everyone’s views would have to be taken on board before the decision is made,” said leaders.
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BMC snaps power, gas lines at illegal Campa Cola flats
Mumbai, June 23 “We have formed 12 teams to carry out the disconnection work in the flats,” Deputy Municipal Commissioner Anand Waghralkar told mediapersons. Employees from the power utilities and the gas company also entered the buildings to disconnect supply to the illegal flats. Residents of the building allowed in the civic workers this morning after holding out for three days. Shortly before the disconnection work commenced, Waghralkar promised the residents that only the disconnection work would be undertaken today. Residents of the illegal flats said they would not surrender the keys of their flats to the civic authorities. Yesterday, residents of the building met Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan in a last-ditch effort to save their flats. As per a compromise formula being worked out with a developer, a neighbouring plot also owned earlier by the Campa Cola company would be amalgamated with the one where the illegal buildings are located. The entire complex is being sought to be developed under the cluster development plan mooted by the Maharashtra Government. Sources said the residents would approach the Supreme Court with a fresh plea to stay the demolition after signing a deal with the developer.
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India signs additional protocol to nuclear safeguard agreement
New Delhi, June 23 “The step signals our commitment to abide by our international commitments,” MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here. The proposal had been lying in cold storage for quite some time. However, the Narendra Modi government has decided to go ahead with the ratification process, paving the way for large imports of nuclear technology to boost power generation. The government’s decision clearly indicates that New Delhi wants to bolster strategic and nuclear trade ties with the US and other countries with which India has signed nuclear pacts. The tardy progress on the Indo-US nuclear deal is expected to figure prominently during talks between Prime Minister Modi and President Barack Obama when the Indian leader visits Washington in September. New Delhi hopes the ratification of the additional protocol would also help it strengthen nuclear trade with France and its other nuclear partners. The additional protocol will cover only those facilities which are monitored by the IAEA, and will have no bearing on the non-safeguarded facilities which are used for building weapons. The IAEA had in March 2009 approved an additional protocol to India’s safeguards agreement consequent to a pact reached with the agency the previous year to place its civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards. That agreement had paved the way for the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to grant India-specific waiver for it to have commercial relations with other countries in the civilian atomic field. The waiver was necessary as India, despite being a nuclear-armed state, is not a signatory to the NPT. The new arrangement would also facilitate regular entry and exit of the IAEA personnel by providing them with multi-entry visas, apart from guaranteeing “free communication” generated by the surveillance or measurement devices of the IAEA that are already in place in facilities that are under international safeguards.
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MHA rejects proposal to grant visa-on-arrival to Bangladeshis
New Delhi, June 23 This came after the MEA had asked MHA to give its opinion to include the two issues as part of the tentative agenda of discussions during the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh between June 25 and 27. “We have rejected the two proposals. We have already communicated to the MEA our strong objection to the proposals,” a Home Ministry official said. The issue has generated strong reaction in Assam where Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi opposed the move and slammed the Narendra Modi government for toying the idea. Gogoi’s reaction came after the MEA sought the opinion of Assam Government, among other stakeholders, on the two issues. The Home Ministry, however, did not rule out another MEA proposal — long-term multiple entry tourist visa for Bangladeshis under the age of 18 and over the age of 65. “This proposal can be considered subject to certain conditions, including appearance of the visa-holder before the Foreigner Regional Registration Office every year," the Home Ministry official said. — PTI
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Cong workers oppose pre-poll alliance with NC
Srinagar, June 23 They raised the demand for going it alone in the coming Assembly elections at a meeting with AICC general secretary and J&K in charge Ambika Soni. JK Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Saifuddin Soz and senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present at the meeting. As many as 85 leaders, including ministers, MLAs MLCs, state vice-presidents, general secretaries, and district presidents from three regions — Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh — attended the meeting. The Congress leaders also put forward their suggestions for strengthening the party ahead of the Assembly polls during one-to-one meetings with Soni. “The leaders urged the party leadership to go it alone in the Assembly polls,” said a senior party leader, who attended the meeting. However, Soz avoided a direct answer on whether it would go it alone or forge an alliance with any party. “This is a million-dollar question…Ambika Soni is conducting one-to-one meetings with local workers to get suggestions about what the changes they want and how to go ahead,” said the PCC chief. Azad said the decision on entering into any poll alliance would be taken by the party high command after consultations with the local leadership. The Congress and the National Conference had a pre-poll alliance in the Lok Sabha elections and they faced defeat on all six constituencies, prompting them to “introspect” the defeat. Soni reiterated the need to rejuvenate the party from the grass-roots level to overcome the LS poll debacle.
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Oppn stages walkout over power cuts in UP
Lucknow, June 23 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from Agra Dr Dharmapal Singh said the state government had promised 24-hour uninterrupted power supply to the Taj Trapezium Area. In actual, urban areas like Agra, Firozabad, Mathura and Hathras faced five to six hours of power cuts and the rural areas barely get 8 to 10 hours of the supply, he said. Meerut BJP MLA Laxmikant Bajpai also charged the state government of deceiving the House by claiming that electricity was being supplied between 10 and 24 hours to the rural and urban areas. “Nowhere in the state power is being supplied as per the roster schedule presented in the House,” the MLA said. Leader of the Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya said not only the common people but farmers were spending money on expensive diesel in order to irrigate their fields in the absence of electricity while the government was claiming 10 hours of power supply to the rural areas.
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Pre-medical paper not leaked: STF
Lucknow, June 23 After examining the UP Combined Pre-Medical Test (CPMT) papers kept in lockers of two nationalised banks, the Ghaziabad District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police had cancelled the examination suspecting tampering. The decision had affected 1.9 lakh students who were to take the examination at 213 centres spread across the state. The investigation of the paper leak had been handed over to the STF. Superintendent of Police (STF) Amit Pathak today said his team, including forensic experts, had examined the boxes stored in the lockers of the two banks for well over six hours. “Prima facie there appears to be no paper leak. Some boxes have been damaged in transition giving the impression of their being tampered with,” he said.
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Remarks against Shirdi Sai Baba create furore
Haridwar, June 23 Shankaracharya said Sai Baba should not be worshipped as god as it was a conspiracy hatched by some foreign organisations to weaken the unity among Hindus. He said the construction of temples in the name of Sai Baba across the country was as an attempt to weaken the Shri Ram temple movement. Citing the Sanatan Dharma, he added that in Kalyuga there was no mention of any other incarnation of Lord Vishnu except Kalki and Lord Buddha. Meanwhile, the controversial statement evoked a sharp reaction from various quarters. Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad spokesperson Baba Hatyogi said he respected Jagadguru Shankaracharya and if devotees found solace in the teachings of Sai Baba, then they should not be stopped from worshipping him. Saint Sachivanand of the Sant Kabeer Panth sect said the God was one and
religion should not be made a trade.
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India’s image improved after NDA came to power: Paswan
New Delhi, June 23 Addressing the media on the sidelines of his party’s national executive meeting here, he said the participation of SAARC members in the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi was a testimony to the international recognition of the country under Modi’s leadership. “The minorities will be most secure under the NDA dispensation and efforts will be made to bring them into the national mainstream.” Paswan defended the recent hike in the rail fare, saying that it had become necessary in order to keep the department going. He also said notwithstanding the false alarm raised by the opposition parties, the country had adequate stocks of foodgrain. Referring to political scenario in Bihar, he said the state was headed for a mid-term election in October as the Bihar Government would collapse due to inner contradictions and dissensions in the ruling
JD(U).
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Tandoor
case
New Delhi, June 23 A bench of justice Pratibha Rani, however, agreed to hear his plea on July 9 and directed Sharma to surrender in Tihar Jail on June 26, the date of expiry of the three-week-long furlough granted by the Director General of Prisons here. The court, meanwhile, issued notice to the Delhi police and sought a status report from it regarding the contentions made by Sharma in his petition. Sharma has sought parole for three months on the ground that his mother has been advised to undergo knee surgery and subsequent physiotherapy for three months and that he needs to take care of her during that period. The former Youth Congress leader, has also challenged the May 22, 2014, order of the Delhi government by which his mother’s plea to grant him parole was rejected. Delhi Police, represented by advocate Saleem Ahmed, opposed Sharma’s plea for parole, saying he is currently out on furlough. — PTI
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New Delhi, June 23
Mumbai, June 23
