The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	adarsh scam Petition seeks HC direction to CBI to produce evidence Mumbai, June 24 A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court today seeking a direction to the CBI to produce the entire evidence during its investigation into the Adarsh Housing Society scam on the basis of which it had given a clean chit to former Maharashtra chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde. The petition was mentioned personally by activist Pravin Wategaonkar before a Bench of Justices VM Kanade and P D Kode who decided to hear the matter tomorrow, along with another petition filed by the same petitioner seeking to make Shinde as an accused in the Adarsh case. Wategaonkar had in July 2013 filed the petition seeking to make Shinde as an accused. However, in its reply on October 9, 2013, the CBI gave a clean chit to Shinde saying they had probed the case and found evidence against the former union home minister as “deficient and insufficient”. — PTI
	Row over Brigadier’s lost I-card Army begins Court of Inquiry Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 24 The loss of an identity card of a Brigadier, who is at present posted at Army Headquarters, has kicked up a controversy with the Military Intelligence (MI) reporting that the card may have fallen into thehands of subversive. Sources said the Brigadier had been posted at the Eastern Command when he lost his identity card. Based upon field reports and other inputs, including the recording of a telephone conversation, the MI had learnt that a civilian was trying to sell the card to subversive elements based in the north-east. The MI had filed a report to higher authorities in this regard. The Army has convened a Court of Inquiry (COI), presided by Brig I Balan, to investigate the loss of the identity card. Two colonels, one from the Ordnance and the other from the Military police, are members of the COI, the sources added. In the armed forces, the loss of one’s identity card is a serious issue and can entail disciplinary action. It is mandatory to report and investigate every loss, especially from the counter intelligence angle, to ensure that the document is not misused. Several policy letters have been issued by Army Headquarters in this regard. There have been many instances of military personnel losing their identity cards in the past, but this is the first case involving a brigadier-level officer. The fear is that the lost identity cards could be used for gaining unauthorised access to sensitive establishments or restricted areas. Several cases have also been reported from Jammu and Kashmir where stolen military identity cards were used by some civilians for procuring mobile SIM cards.
	Gujarat CM reserves 33% seats for women in state police force Manas Dasgupta Gandhinagar, June 24 Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today announced 33% reservation for women across all cadres in the state police force. Addressing mediapersons after a passing-out parade at the police training academy at Karai, Patel said it was necessary to empower women to uplift them in society. The move is part of the steps being taken to provide safety to women. She did not elaborate further. Earlier, Patel took the salute at the passing-out parade of 136 police officers, including 97 armed police sub-inspectors and 39 intelligence officers. Of the total 25 women officers, 10 were PSIs and 15 intelligence officers. Patel hailed the contribution of the police force in the state’s development. She said she was happy that more women were joining the police force. So far, 952 women police officers have passed out of the academy and 33 women were directly recruited as deputy superintendents of police and four of them currently posted in border districts in the state. Claiming that Gujarat had recorded lowest crime rate among all states, Patel complimented her predecessor Narendra Modi’s era and said the curfew-free decade had helped people trust the state’s police force. She said the techno-savvy graduates and post-graduates joining the police force would help in solving cyber crimes easily. “With 26,000 educated policemen, the Gujarat police force is the most educated in India,” she said.
	BJP accuses UP govt of harassing its workers Lucknow, June 24 The BJP on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh of harassing its workers by lodging “politically motivated” cases against them and demanded to withdraw them immediately. The party said while the government was helpless before the criminals and mining mafias, it was prompt in lodging political cases. “Cases have been lodged against thousands of BJP workers across the state for torching effigy of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, but no action has been taken against Samajwadi Party workers for burning effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said while talking to reporters. — PTI
	10 BJP, Sena MPs demand rollback in rail fare hike New Delhi, June 24 The Narendra Modi government has come under pressure from its own MPs to reduce the hike in the suburban rail fare in Mumbai with 10 BJP and Shiv Sena MPs meeting Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda today to press for a rollback. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said Gowda assured them of a “positive” decision on their demand and added an announcement to this effect could be made in a few days. The recent hike in rail fares has led to a steep increase in the prices of monthly passes for Mumbai local trains. They see the heaviest rush among all suburban rail networks and are a lifeline of Maharashtra capital and India’s commercial hub. The MPs said people in their area were upset over the rise in monthly fares and Gowda “agreed” with them that the hike of over 150 per cent in some cases was not good. “The minister said Railway Board officials will meet soon and a relief will be announced,” BJP MP Kapil Patil said. The state is going to polls later this year and the leaders of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance do not want the hike to spoil their chances of winning the polls. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has publicly flayed the decision and demanded a rollback. Somiaya said Gowda has also assured them that more facilities would be provided to suburban travellers and security would be enhanced. — PTI
	Will speed up military purchases, says Jaitley Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 24 Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today said there will be no ‘full review’ of the existing weapon and equipment procurement policies of the Ministry of Defence but made it clear that there were plans to speed up acquisition process and cut red tape. Jaitley today addressed the Navy Commanders and later spoke on defence-related issues in Delhi. “Every file need not move up and down indefinite number of times,” he said in an apparent hint that the circuitous and long-winding multi-layered processes of the MoD could undergo a change. “I would not want to use the word full review. Even under present procedures, expediting process is possible”, he said in reply to question if the MoD would carry out a detailed review of the acquisition process. The key concern appears to be the slow pace of acquisitions of equipment and assets that are required, said the Defence Minister. “The Navy has highlighted that there are several decisions which are in the pipeline and there is a good case for these process to be expedited,” he said. Jaitley, who is set to present his first Union Budget on July 10, avoided questions on what could be the outlay for defence, but said: “Of the entire resources of the country, notwithstanding various pressures, a significant amount has to be for those in defence of the country...whatever our forces need will be fulfilled and processes for the same will be hastened”. On demands that the defence budget must be around 3 per cent of the GDP, Jaitley said: “Let’s not get into absolute quantum of increase. Once the base of the economy expands, a lesser percentage of GDP will increase the amount”. With a budget of Rs 2,24,000 crore for this fiscal ending March 31, 2015, the Ministry of Defence accounts for 12.70 per cent of all government spending — the highest in terms of share of the Budget. The minister side-stepped questions on increasing the FDI in defence sector.
	muzaffarnagar riots 10 leaders booked for hate speech Muzaffarnagar, June 24 A case against 10 political and community leaders, including ex-BSP MP Kadir Rana and former Uttar Pradesh minister Saeeduzama of the Congress, have been registered for allegedly making inflammatory speeches. The case was filed yesterday in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Garima Choudhry in connection with the alleged hate speeches made in Khalapar locality of the city on August 30, 2013, by the accused in defiance of prohibitory orders clamped following tension in Kawal village of the district. They have been charged with violating prohibitory orders and inciting communal tension by making inflammatory speeches, Additional District Magistrate Indermani Tripathi said today. The court has fixed July 1 as the next date of hearing. The special investigation team (SIT) probing riots cases has already filed chargesheets against the 10 leaders under relevant sections of the IPC in connection with the alleged hate speeches, Tripathi said. Apart from Rana, those chargesheeted were BSP MLA from Charthawal Noor Saleem Rana, party MLA from Miranpur Maulana Jamil, Congress leader Saeeduzama, his son Salman Saeed, city board member Asad Zama Ansari, ex-member of the city board Naushad Qureshi, trader Ahsan Qureshi, Sultan Mushir and Naushad. The communal violence, which had broken out in September last year in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining towns, had left 40 dead and rendered more than 50,000 people homeless. — PTI
	Badaun case: CBI starts polygraph tests on 5 accused after court’s nod Badaun (UP), June 24 The CBI today commenced the process of conducting lie-detector tests on the five accused in the rape and murder case of two teenaged girls here. A CBI team has taken the permission of the local court for subjecting the accused to a polygraph test as it wanted to verify the statements given by them. The two girls, who were cousins aged 14 and 15, went missing from their house on the night of May 27 and their bodies were found hanging from a mango tree in the village in the Ushait area on May 28. The post-mortem report of the girls confirmed that they were raped before murder. Five accused — three brothers Pappu Yadav, Awadhesh Yadav and Urvesh Yadav and constables Chhatrapal Yadav and Sarvesh Yadav — have been arrested in the case that has sparked nation-wide outrage. A Central Forensic Science Laboratory team is carrying out the polygraph test here on the accused. The exercise is likely to be spread over three days. CBI sources, without revealing the details of the process, said several questions related to the crime and their alleged involvement were put to them during the tests. Meanwhile, a local court today granted permission to the CBI to conduct narco analysis, polygraphy and brain mapping tests of family members of two girls and witnesses in the case.— PTI
	Rare Indian art to go under hammer Bid & Hammer’s auction will feature antique works of art classified as ‘national treasure’ Girja Shankar Kaura Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 24 Rarely does the national capital see the antique works of art classified as “national treasure” go under the hammer. Come June 27 and Delhi would be abuzz with excitement as Bid & Hammer’s “Significant Indian Paintings” auction will feature works by “early masters and modernists”. The auction also celebrates “100 Years of Enterprise” by the Dadha Group, whose range of enterprises in India include an art gallery and the Bid & Hammer auction house in Bangalore. The upcoming auction, with its wide selection of artworks, offers collectors the opportunity of bidding for rare works by some of the biggest names in India’s art world. The selection of “early masters” includes works by Hemendra Mazumdar, Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy and Sailoz Mookerjea, whose works have been classified as “national treasure”. The “modernists” are represented by MF Husain, Vasudeo Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, SH Raza, FN Souza, KH Ara and others, who also represented the Bombay Progressive Artists group. It was the most influential group of modern artists in India, from its formation in 1947, who combined Indian subject matter with Post-Impressionist colours, Cubist forms and brusque, Expressionistic styles. There are also Stone Sculptures, Wooden Panels and Indian Miniature Paintings on offer. Incidentally, as is the case with such high profile auctions, a controversy has also hit the Bid & Hammer auction. This auction is offering some important works from the estate of Nandalal Bose and it is one of the works of this eminent Bengal School artist that has now become the focus of a controversy. A painting listed as being auctioned is similar to a painting which is part of the Nandalal Bose collection at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi. The only difference being that the one being auctioned is in full colour, while the painting at the NGMA is in monochrome. The auction is led by a series of works by MF Husain, the highlight being a large oil on canvas depicting “Horses against a saffron background” executed in 1977 and personally given by him to Mohamed Ali Baig along with a unique handwritten letter wherein he has passionately mentioned “this piece of art is dedicated to the art itself”. The work is estimated between Rs 1-1.5 crore. Husain had also presented filmstar Namrata Shirodkar with some paintings, which are now being sold to raise funds for the Heal-a-Child Foundation espoused by Namrata’s husband, Telegu star Mahesh Babu. However, experts pointed out that a painting by Gaitonde may be considered as leading the pack. It was almost a year ago that this artist’s abstract landscape was sold for Rs 23.7 crore at a Christie’s auction. At this, Gaitonde’s work has been estimated at modest Rs 1.8-3 crore. In this 1980 painting, the artist has chosen to use a pallate knife in preference to brushes in his earlier paintings. One of the more important and interesting works being offered is Ram Kumar’s sublime 1963 oil-on-canvas from his Varanasi series, which has been estimated at a price between Rs.45-75 lakh. “The importance of this work in the trajectory of his career, combined with the attention on the city of Varanasi in the just-concluded Indian elections, is the reason I wish to pick this work out,” says Maher Dadha, Chairman and Managing Director of Bid & Hammer. A show of early masters and modernists The auction, scheduled for June 27, also celebrates "100 Years of Enterprise" by the Dadha Group, whose range of enterprises in India include an art gallery and the Bid & Hammer auction house in Bangalore The selection of "early masters" includes works by Hemendra Mazumdar, Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy and Sailoz Mookerjea The "modernists" are represented by MF Husain, Vasudeo Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, SH Raza, FN Souza, KH Ara and others, who also represented the Bombay Progressive Artists group
	Preity visits Wankhede, cops record her statement Mumbai, June 24 The Mumbai Police on Tuesday recorded the statement of Bollywood actress Preity Zinta in connection with the molestation case she has registered against her former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia. The actress accompanied by her lawyer reached the Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai at 6.40pm, where tight security arrangements were made by the police to handle the media and the crowd of onlookers. The Marine Drive police recorded her statement, for more than one-and-half hours, with regard to the case while the Crime Branch recorded her statement in connection with the threat calls received by Wadia's secretaries, allegedly from gangster Ravi Pujari. She recorded the statement at BCCI office on the stadium premises till 8.20pm. Later, for about 20 minutes, she also helped the police to reconstruct the sequence of events inside the stadium that led to the alleged incident. Investigators sought to know from the 39-year-old co-owner of Kings XI Punjab the exact spot where the alleged incident took place, and who were around at the time. In her written complaint to police, Zinta has claimed that "I left for my seat, but he (Ness) came up to me at my seat and started screaming and abusing me in front of everyone". "We want to know where she was sitting and who were these 'everyone' she is referring to," the officer said. According to police, Preity had mentioned three arguments with Wadia in her complaint at three different places inside the Wankhede Stadium on May 30. — PTI
	Shankaracharya ‘hurts’ religious feelings, booked Shirdi, June 24 A case of hurting religious sentiments was today registered against the Shankaracharya of Dwaraka Peeth Swaroopananda Saraswati for his alleged remarks against Saibaba, a 20th century saint whose shrine here attracts lakhs of devotees every year. Police inspector Ram Suryavanshi said the offence was registered under section 295 (a) (malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) and 298 (hurting religious sentiments) of the IPC. The complaint was filed by a local, Nitin Kote, he added. Meanwhile, a protest march against the Shankaracharya’s statement was also taken out in the town today. — PTI
	Witness turns hostile in Salman’s hit-and-run case Mumbai, June 24 A witness in the 2002 hit-and-run case involving Salman Khan on Tuesday retracted his police statement in a court, saying he had not said that the actor had got down from the driver’s seat of his vehicle and ran away after the accident occurred in suburban Bandra. “My statement recorded by the police that I saw Salman coming out from the driver’s seat and running away from the spot is incorrect,” the witness, Sachin Kadam, a security guard of NeelSagar Hotel, told Judge DW Deshpande. Earlier, the witness had told police that he had seen the actor getting down from the driver’s seat of his car and going away from the mishap spot. Kadam said he had only told the police that a big car came and rammed into the shutter of a shop. Kadam was on Tuesday confronted with his police statement but he went back on his own words saying he had not told the police about this. However, the witness was unable to say why the police had recorded a “false version” in his statement. Public prosecutor Jagannath Kenjralkar told the court that Kadam should be declared as a hostile witness as he had not supported the prosecution. However, the court has yet to pass order on this plea. During cross-examination, the witness told Salman’s lawyer Srikant Shivade that he had not seen the accident as he was on duty on that day at the gate of the restaurant. “I heard a loud noise and only then I went there to see that a car had rammed into a shop,” he said. NeelSagar Hotel, where he works, is just opposite to the bakery and laundry where Salman’s car had met with an accident on September 28, 2002, in which one person was killed and four others injured. Another witness, Mohammed Shaikh, who was one of those injured, however, supported the prosecution saying he had seen Salman standing at the spot after he was rescued from underneath the car. “I saw Salman after I was rescued. There were two more people but I did not recognise them. It was a big white car,” said the witness. — PTI
	Pak envoy gets threat to life New Delhi, June 24 Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit has received a fresh threat to his life. Sources said a threat letter had been received by the mission from an organisation—Shri Hanuman Sena. Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan today took up the matter with officials of the External Affairs Ministry. MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said the Pakistani diplomat was told that no effort would be spared to ensure the safety and security of foreign diplomats in India. The government had recently conducted a review of the security of the Pakistan envoy and other members of the mission along with the High Commission officials after a threat letter was received in May. — TNS
	Paper leak: UP Govt orders probe Tribune News Service Lucknow, June 24 The Akhilesh Yadav government today constituted a three-member committee to probe into the alleged question paper leak of the UP Combined Pre-Medical Test (CPMT), which led to its cancellation on June 22. Following instructions by the CM, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has constituted the committee to be headed by Principal Secretary (IT) Jeevesh Nandan. The committee also includes Director General, Medical Education, KP Gupta and Special Secretary Arindam Bhattacharya as its members. Meanwhile, the Ghaziabad DM, SVS Ranga Rao, was today removed from his post along with 10 other IAS officers. Rao’s shifting is being linked to his decision of cancelling the CPMT. After an on-the-spot inspection, he and Ghaziabad SSP Dharmendra Yadav on Sunday found the boxes containing the question papers damaged. The DM and ordered the cancellation of the test at the last minute affecting 1.9 lakh students who had already reached the 213 centres across the state. Yesterday, the preliminary probe undertaken by the Special Task Force found the examination papers stored safely in lockers of two nationalised banks. The SP (STF) said some boxes had been damaged in transition which perhaps gave rise to the suspicion of paper leak.
	Revoke decision to increase height of Sardar Sarovar: Narmada oustees New Delhi, June 24 Hundreds of oustees from Sardar Sarovar Dam-affected villages in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat reached New Delhi today to challenge the ‘illegal and undemocratic’ decision of the NDA government to raise the height of the dam from 122 mts to 138.68 mts. They accused the government of consigning 2.5 lakh people, including tribals, farmers, fish workers, potters and landless, to a watery grave, without ensuing land and livelihood-based rehabilitation as per the Narmada Tribunal Award, state policies, action plans , judgments of the Supreme Court and Orders of the Grievance Redressal Authorities. People from the oldest civilisation of the world gathered at the protest site on Tuesday morning and denounced the outrageous manner in which the new government had, within just three weeks of assuming power, chosen to disregard the legitimate questions and concerns raised by a three-decades-old social movement. This hasty decision has actually raised questions on the ‘statesmanship of the Prime Minister’, the political and economic motives and the sheer insensitivity of the BJP-led government towards farmers and the entire rural landscape. — ANI Ignored and dejected The oustees have accused the government of consigning 2.5 lakh people, including tribals, farmers, fish workers, potters and landless, to a watery grave, without ensuing them land and livelihood-based rehabilitation as per the Narmada Tribunal Award, state policies, action plans , judgments of the Supreme Court and Orders of the Grievance Redressal Authorities.
	Ex-servicemen dept takes six months to act on Cab Sectt order Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 24 Six months after the Cabinet Secretariat sent the “most immediate” memorandum to the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare (DOEW) for monitoring the implementation of the job reservation policy for ex-servicemen in the Central government departments, the department has finally got into action. The Cabinet Secretariat had, in December 2013, written to the DOEW Secretary, asking the department to collect and compile information regarding implementation of the reservation policy for ex-servicemen in Central Government ministries and departments, banks, public sector undertakings, paramilitary forces and other implementing agencies. It had also asked the departments to send copies of the quarterly information to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for regular monitoring of the policy. The DOEW, which is part of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), had sent a circular earlier this month to all Central ministries and departments, asking all establishments concerned to furnish the data to the Directorate General of Resettlement in the MoD, which has been made the nodal agency for the purpose. In accordance with the DoPT’s notification, 10 per cent vacancies in posts up to the rank of Assistant Commandant in all paramilitary forces, 10 per cent of vacancies in Group-C posts and 20 per cent in Group-D posts in the Central Government are reserved for ex-servicemen. Similarly, 14.5 per cent vacancies in Group-C and 24.5 per cent in Group-D are reserved for ex-servicemen in nationalised banks and Central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Referring to the Cabinet Secretariat’s memorandum of December 2013, the DOEW has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue suitable instructions to paramilitary forces to furnish the required information. It has also asked the Department of Public Enterprises and the Department of Financial Services to issue similar directions to all PSUs and national banks, respectively. The DOEW was set up to deal with issues concerning the welfare of retired soldiers, but has often been in the ex-servicemen’s line of fire for being another redundant bureaucratic establishment and its inability to effectively look after the interests of the service community. Jobs reserved for ex-servicemen In accordance with the DoPT’s notification, 10% of the vacancies in posts up to the rank of Assistant Commandant in all paramilitary forces, 10% of the vacancies in Group-C posts and 20% in Group-D posts in the Central Government are reserved for ex-servicemen Similarly, 14.5% vacancies in Group-C and 24.5% in Group-D are reserved for ex-servicemen in nationalised banks and Central Public Sector Undertakings.
	Goa Governor offers to quit New Delhi, June 24 Goa Governor BV Wanchoo is understood to have offered to quit as government is reportedly considering appointing some BJP veterans in the vacancies arising out of resignations of incumbents. Wanchoo is said to have conveyed his desire during a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh today. While governors of Chhattisgarh and UP have already quit, sources said that many others have been sounded out.— PTI
	Dissidence against Assam CM Kharge meets MLAs; high command to have last word Bijay Sankar Bora Tribune News Service Guwahati, June 24 All-India Congress Committee (AICC) observer Mallikarjun Kharge said today that it was the party high command whcih would take the final call on the fate of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, whose ouster had been demanded by a group of dissident Congress MLAs headed by Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Kharge today left for New Delhi after having several rounds of discussions with different levels of Congress leaders, MLAs and office bearers of Assam. “I have met a lot of people, including MLAs, MPs, former MPs, DCC presidents and APCC office bearers. They have given me their opinions which I will place before the party high command. It is for the high command to take a decision in this regard,” Kharge said before leaving. Emerging from an hour-long meeting with Kharge, Chief Minister Gogoi earlier said a section of Congress workers had demanded his removal. “Yes, some people want the leadership changed. But ultimately, the decision will be taken by the high command,” said Gogoi. He said he had no idea as to what report Kharge would submit. “I cannot say, I cannot predict. All I can say is that the AICC high command will take the final decision after his report,” Gogoi said. Regarding his one-to-one with the AICC leader, Gogoi said he discussed, among other issues, reasons behind the Congress’ poor show in Assam in the Lok Sabha elections. “Our poll performance was not good. We discussed the post-election scenario as well as strategy to be adopted for the 2016 Assembly elections. There is discontent within the party and some have demanded a change in leadership. It is for the high command to decide,” he said. Meanwhile, the dissident group of MLAs has by and large remained tight-lipped following their discussions with the AICC observer. Sarma, who met Kharge late last evening, has maintained silence. Two senior dissident party MLAs – Sarat Barkataki and Rameswar Dhanwar – however, candidly stated that they had opined for removing Gogoi. The Congress now has 77 legislators in Assam, of which the anti-Gogoi camp claims to have 46 on its side. Senior legislator Anjan Dutta, who is part of a pro-Gogoi group, said while “some MLAs” demanded ouster of Tarun Gogoi, others spoke in his favour. Kharge has obviously returned to New Delhi after gathering divergent views from the Congress MLAs and party leaders here and the party high command is likely to take a decision on the basis of his report. Anjan Dutta predicted that high command’s decision was likely by June 30. Gathering opinion I have met a lot of people, including MLAs, MPs, ex-MPs, DCC presidents and APCC office bearers. They have given me their individual opinions which I will place before the party high command. It is for the high command to take a decision in this regard —Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC observer
	Bihar police officer gets death penalty for fake gunbattle Patna, June 24 A Bihar police officer was today sentenced to death for murdering three teenage students in a fake gun battle 12 years ago in Patna, a lawyer said. Shamse Alam was sentenced to death, while constable Arun Kumar Singh and six others were given life imprisonment. The fast-track court, headed by Judge Ravi Shankar Sinha, had reserved its judgment after completing the hearing last week. According to the chargesheet, three students- Vikash Ranjan, Prashant Singh and Himanshu Shekhar- were killed in a fake shootout at a market near the Ashiyana Nagar area on December 28, 2002, in Patna. The six who were found guilty of attempt to murder were shopkeepers of Sammelan market. They had brutally beaten up the three students following a scuffle over paying an STD bill. The shopkeepers then called the police and handed over the three students to them saying they were thieves and involved in crimes. The two policemen later shot the students and dubbed them as robbers in police records. However, after a hue and cry by the opposition parties, the case was first handed over to the local police, then to the CID and subsequently to the CBI. - IANS
	Sri Lankan navy arrests 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen Rameswaram, June 24 In continuing instances of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan naval personnel, 11 fishermen fishing in the sea between Katchatheevu and Neduntheevu were arrested on Tuesday. The fishermen belonged to Kottaipattinam in Pudukottai district, according to Tirunageswaram, joint director of fisheries, Kottaipattinam. The fishermen were taken to Kankensanthurai port by the navy personnel and produced before a local court, which remanded them in judicial custody. The fishermen claimed they were fishing in the area, Tirunageswaram said. With many instances of Tamil Nadu fishermen being arrested, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had last week written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their release . —TNS
	First indigenous anti-submarine warfare ship ready Kolkata, June 24 India’s first indigenously-built anti submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta is ready to be commissioned into the Indian Navy next month, defence officials said here today. Built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata, it will be the first warship armed with an indigenous rocket launcher for anti submarine warfare, they said. The corvette is readying to sail out from GRSE’s fitting-out jetty in Kolkata to join the Navy’s eastern fleet at Vishakhapatnam in July, officials said. The sophisticated front line warship with stealth features will also be the first warship armed with the new trainable chaff launcher — Kavach. With an approximate displacement of 3400 tonnes, it can achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots. It is powered by four indigenously designed 3888 KW diesel engines at 1050 rpm and can cover nearly 3,500 nautical miles at 18 knots. The overall length of the ship is 109 metre and is nearly 13 metre wide at its maximum bulge. — PTI
	Warrant against Dhoni for posing in ‘Vishnu avatar’3 Tribune News Service Hyderabad, June 24 A local court in Andhra Pradesh today issued an arrest warrant against Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus. The bailable arrest warrant was issued by the Court of District Principal Sessions Judge of Anantapur after Dhoni failed to appear before the court despite three summons. The next date of hearing has been set for July 16. The court’s directive was based on a complaint filed by activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Gopal Rao and Shyam Sundar who alleged that the popular cricketer was portrayed as Hindu God Vishnu on the cover of a business magazine. This amounted to hurting the sentiments of Hindus, they contended. The case was filed last year. Dhoni is currently touring with the Indian squad in England, where the team will play five tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 international. The case was filed after “Business Today”, in its April 2013 edition, carried the picture of Dhoni portrayed as Hindu God Vishnu with a subtitle “God of Big Deals” and holding products of several companies including a shoe in his hand. The summons issued by the court to Dhoni on three occasions was returned. The court, which took up the hearing today, issued the arrest warrant. The representatives of the magazine appeared before court today.
	J&K to get new tunnel, HP, U’khand better roads Syed Ali Ahmed Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 24 Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today announced to have approved projects to construct a tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir and roads in Leh and Ladakh. It has also been decided to construct new roads in Himachal Pradesh and new road network in Uttarakhand, particularly in Badrinath and Kedarnath where roads were damaged during floods last year. He said all projects would be undertaken under the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) Model in place of the PPP (Public Private Partnership). The minister said after a review meeting with senior officials of the National Highway Authority of India and officials of the state governments, he approved a project of Rs 10,000 crore to construct a tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, the exact location of which will be announced later, and a project of Rs 20,000 crore to construct roads in Leh and Ladakh with an idea to promote tourism besides infrastructure. Gadkari said the Himachal Pradesh Government had decided to construct separate roads for entry and exit as the present roads could not be widened. In Uttarakhand, he said the government had decided to construct roads at a distance from rivers. The government has approved a project of Rs 5,000 crore for the purpose. He said the government had approved a project of Rs 15,000 crore for road construction in North-East states. Pointing out the difficulties faced by the government while acquiring the land for new roads, Gadkari said he would write a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, appealing her to get cleared the land acquired for construction of roads. Encroachment on government lands is a major problem faced by the department concerned while constructing roads. The government faces problems in land acquisition, laying railway lines, environmental and forest clearances and cash crunch at contractors' end in speedy completion of the highways. Gadkari said it was now proposed that all problems in the infrastructure sector would be resolved at monthly meetings to be attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the PM and representatives of various ministries and departments, including Railways, Defence, Environment, Forests etc. He hoped that the state governments would cooperate in developing infrastructure.