All 120 MLAs with me, says Karnataka CM aspirant Siddaramaiah

BANGALORE: Pitching himself as the next chief minister of Karnataka, Congress leader Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that all 120 of the party's newly elected legislators were with him. The Congress, he added, was sending observers from Delhi to ascertain from them their choice for chief minister,

"The observers will brief the party high command (on legislators' choice) which will take the decision," Siddaramaiah, who was leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly, told reporters at his residence here.

On the support he has among the legislators to become the chief minister, he said: "All 120 MLAs (members of the legislative assembly) are with me."

He did not give details of who would be coming as observers and when the decision on chief minister was likely to be announced.

The Congress won 121 seats in the 225-member assembly on Wednesday when votes polled Sunday were counted.

"I am a strong contender," Siddaramaiah had said on Wednesday even as vote count was on and trends showed that the Congress was heading for a clear majority in the house.

Another top state Congress leader who has shown keenness to lead the party's government in the state after seven years is central labour and employment minister Mallikarjun Kharge.

He had said on Wednesday that if the high command thinks he was fit for the post, it was for it to take the decision. However, he had said he did not want to be considered because he is a Dalit.

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Cobrapost sting: Action against banks involved in wrongdoing soon, RBI says

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | May 9, 2013, 03.23PM IST

SRINAGAR: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday said it has completed investigations against banks following the Cobrapost expose and will take action if they are found guilty of violating prudential banking norms.

"We have done investigations, we have prepared an internal report. There are processes to be followed to take investigations to its logical closure...

"The first is action against individual institutions who are involved in practises which are not consistent with the banking regulation and prudential banking", he said while addressing a press conference after the RBI's central board meeting here. Web portal Cobrapost in its expose has alleged money laundering and other wrongdoing by several public and sector financial institutions ranging from the country's largest bank SBI to the youngest lender Yes Bank.

The central bank, Subbarao further said, has already taken systemic action to deal with the problem and many of them were announced in the annual policy document unveiled last week.

As far as individual banks are concerned, he said, "we got to follow procedure" before deciding on imposing penalty on them for violating the prudential banking norms.

On when the action was likely to be taken against erring banks, the RBI governor said, "not possible to indicate time frame as there are processes involved."

Subbarao further said, "if you go through policy documents that came out last Friday, there were initiatives which are by way of systemic action to address some of the deficiencies that have come to notice as a result of investigations."

Some of the public sector banks and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) have already taken action against 31 employees including suspension of 15 staff members. The investigations were still on. Certain private sector banks too have taken action against their employees.

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Bangladesh building collapse toll hits 931, hundreds of bodies still feared trapped

SAVAR, Bangladesh: The death toll in Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster on Thursday rose to 931 as rescuers overnight pulled out 97 more decomposed bodies from sandwiched floors of the ill-fated eight-storey building that collapsed last month.

"Ninety seven more bodies were retrieved since last night ... the figure now stands at 931," an official of the makeshift army control room told as the military-led salvage operation entered the 16th day on Thursday.

He said 2,443 people were rescued alive so far but 13 of them succumbed to their wounds as they were being treated at different hospitals.

Hundreds of bodies are still trapped under the debris of the illegally constructed Rana Plaza building as many have remained missing, local media reported.

The building in Savar near the capital Dhaka that housed five garment factories collapsed on April 24. It is still unclear how many people were there on that fateful day.

Police have charged the building owner Sohel Rana and five factory owners with causing deaths due to negligence and violating construction laws, charges punishable by a maximum seven years in jail.

According to police, the building owner illegally added three floors and allowed the factories to install generators.

Some of the survivors of the collapse alleged that the factory owners had forced them to work despite appearance of a huge crack on the building the day before it collapsed.

On Wednesday, Bangladesh closed down 18 garment factories temporarily as part of its efforts to allay fears of international buyers and rights groups over safety and labour standards in the country's beleaguered apparel sector.

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Former union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss released from prison in Chennai

CHENNAI: Former Union health minister and PMK youth wing president AnbumaniRamadoss was released from the Puzhal Central prison here on Thursday.

A local court in Villupuram district granted conditional bail to Anbumani in a case registered against him by police in Brahmadesam area for his alleged inflammatory remarks while addressing media persons in Chennai on May1. As part of the bail conditions, he has to report to the police station at T Nagar in chennai.

He was booked under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed-if not committed) and 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian penal code.

Earlier, Anbumani was arrested by Kancheepuram police on May 3 in connection with a case filed by the Mamallapuram police under sections 143, 147 and 188 of IPC read with section 7 (1) (a) of Criminal Law Amendment Act subsequent to the Vanniyar youth conference organized by the PMK and Vanniyar Sangam in Mamallapuram on May 5, 2012.

Another case was filed on April 25 this year for violating police norms during the Vanniyar Youth conference held in Mamallapuram this year. Anbumani was granted bails in both cases filed by Mamallapuram police.

PMK founder S Ramadoss and other senior leaders have been lodged in various prisons in the state following caste clashes.

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Complaint by an NGO to NHRC on Pakistan's prisoner Sanaullah's death

NEW DELHI: A NGO has complained to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the custodial death of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay demanding a judicial inquiry in the death and Rs 25 lakh as compensation for the kin.

The custodial death of Sanaullah is a shameful incident for India which had failed to ensure safety and security of Pakistani prisoners in India despite credible apprehension about the attacks on Pakistani prisons following the murderous assault on Sarabjit Singh. This incident has proven that there is no difference in the conduct of the prison officials in India and Pakistan,'' Asian Centre for Human Rights said.

ACHR demanded a judicial inquiry and make the report public within one month, register cases under the Indian Penal Code against the prison staff and prisoners who attacked Sanaullah. The NGO has also sought Rs 25 lakh as compensation to Sanaullah's next of kin.

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Andhra Pradesh CM thanks people of Karnataka for voting Congress to power

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy thanked the people of Karnataka today for voting the Congress to power in the state.

"I thank the people of Karnataka for reposing confidence in the leadership of Soniaji and Rahul Gandhi. I congratulate all Congress leaders and workers of Karnataka for the landslide victory," he said in a statement.

He also thanked Telugu-speaking people living in Karnataka for voting for the Congress.

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Arunachal Congress MLA Jomin Tayeng dies

ITANAGAR: Sitting Congress MLA Jomin Tayeng died in a hospital at Guwahati in Assam following prolonged illness last night.

Tayeng, who represented Dambuk Assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh, is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter, family sources said.

Chief minister Nabam Tuki expressed shock and grief over the death of Tayeng.

"Jomin Tayeng has left a void that would be difficult to fill in near future. He was not only an able administrator all through his life as a top bureaucrat but also a perfect people's representative after his retirement," Tuki said in a message.

The state government has declared three days state mourning from today. The national flag would fly at half-mast during the period, an official communique said.

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Kharge, Siddaramaiah in race for Karnataka chief minister's post

BANGALORE: As the Congress secured a comfortable majority in Karnataka, all eyes are now on who will become the chief minister with the race now seen as having narrowed down to veteran M Mallikarjuna Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah.

Third contender and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara defeat in Koratagere considerably weakened his claim for the top post, party sources said.

While others have also thrown their hat in the ring, Kharge, the Union labour and employment minister, and Siddaramaiah are seen as front-runners.

"I don't want the post because of my caste (Dalit). I am not interested because of long-standing service to the party. If they think that I am fit for the post, then it is up to them to take a decision. I will abide by any decision the high command takes," Kharge said.

He was answering questions on whether he is in the race for the chief minister's post.

Siddaramaiah was more forthright. "I am one of the strong contenders," he told reporters here.

A backward class leader who joined the Congress six years ago, Siddaramaiah said the decision on chief ministership was, however, left to the Congress high command and the legislature party.

On the electoral outcome, he said the people had given mandate to the Congress as they wanted a "stable and clean" government and were not in favour of a coalition.

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Govt proposes written exam for state services officers to get into elite IAS and IPS

NEW DELHI: Impressive annual confidential reports (ACRs) of the state civil\police services officers will not be enough for them to get inducted into the elite All India Services like IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service.

They will now have to appear in a competitive written examination which is to be conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

After deciding the change in the scheme of the selection process for appointment by promotion\selection to various cadres of All India Service, the Centre on Tuesday wrote to all states asking them to give their opinion on the proposed changes on or before May 31.

Ministry of personnel, however, appears determined to allow the UPSC to conduct the competition examination for this purpose from this year onward as its 'note' to chief secretaries of states says that if the states fail to give their comments, ""it will be presumed that they don't have any comment to offer in this regard and further necessary action will be taken accordingly"".

The proposed competitive examination will be open for those state civil\police services officers who complete minimum eight years in their respective services.

The examination will test the aptitude test, general awareness and state\service specific knowledge of officers before preparing a merit list for their promotion and induction into elite central services.

The examination, carrying 1000 marks, will have weight-age of 25% in terms of their service records.

At present, induction of state civil\police service officers into the IAS\IPS\IFoS is made on the basis of review of their ACRs by the departmental promotion committee.

"Government may in future also go for the same method of promotions within the central services," said an official.

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Parliamentary panel seeks lowering of juvenile age at 16 years

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended reduction in the age of male juvenile from 18 to 16 years observing that there had been a 10.5% increase in crimes against women committed by juveniles in a year alone. It has also asked the government to draw up a unified strategy on the creating a national database for offenders and strengthening the criminal justice system including establishment of fast track courts, augmenting helplines, improving rehabilitation processes for women of sexual violence, abandoned and vulnerable women.

Describing the increasing number of juveniles involved in various crimes against women as a dangerous trend'' the Committee on the empowerment of women on the issue of victims of sexual abuse and trafficking and their rehabilitation'' said that the Juvenile Justice act was amended in 2000 to bring the age of men and women at par to 18 years but that had not produced the desired result.''

The number of crimes in violation of the Indian Penal Code committed by juveniles in 2010 was 22,740 that had registered a 10.5% increase with the total crimes registered in 2011 going up to 25,125. The crimes against women committed by juveniles have also increased the, panel found. For instance in 2010, juveniles were involved in 858 cases of rape, 391 cases of kidnapping and abduction of women and 536 cases of molestation which rose to 1149 cases of rape, 600 of kidnapping and abduction and 573 cases of molestation in 2011. Most of these crimes had been committed by male juveniles in the age group of 16-18 years.

The reasons for juveniles getting in to various forms of crime vary from impulsive disorder, peer pressure, disturbed environment to broken families, aggression, lavish lifestyle and uncontrolled freedom from parents. The Committee would like to caution on the dangerous trend of increased involvement of juveniles in various crimes against women,'' the report said. Citing the recent cases of the December 16 gang rape and the rape of 5 year old minor, the panel said that the government must take stringent measures.

The panel acknowledged vociferous demand from various social organizations, women's groups, academicians and large body of experts seeking lowering of age for male juvenile to 16 years.

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12 killed as suicide bomber targets election rally in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber blew himself up near the car of a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader while he was campaigning for the upcoming elections in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 40 others.

The attacker targeted JUI leader Mufti Syed Janan, who is contesting polls to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly, in a market at Doaba in Hangu district.

Janan, who was meeting traders as part of his campaign, escaped unhurt.

At least a dozen people were killed and some 40 others injured by the powerful explosion, officials and witnesses said.

Witnesses said they had seen several bodies and injured persons lying at the site. The injured were taken to hospitals at Doaba, Hangu and Thal.

Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after 24 people were killed in a bombing at an election meeting organised by JUI leader Munir Orakzai in Kurram tribal region.

The banned Pakistani Taliban claimed that attack.

Pakistan has witnessed a spike in violence ahead of the May 11 general election.

The Tehrik-e-Taliban has vowed to target secular parties like the Pakistan People's Party and Awami National Party.

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Delhi court orders attachment of NDMC commissioner's office property

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has directed that the car and other articles in the office of the commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation be attached and auctioned to realise the money which the civic agency has failed to pay to a registered government contractor.

Additional District Judge Ajay Goel passed the order after Rajesh Gupta, a registered government contractor, approached the court seeking payment of nearly Rs 1.68 lakh for his work and informed it that the civic agency has not paid him despite a decree by another court in 2011.

Earlier, the court had ordered attachment of bank accounts of an executive engineer of the agency but the warrant was received back with a "strange report" that only Rs 57 is outstanding in the account.

"Government agency is openly disobeying the dictate of the decree and it is to be executed simultaneously against commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation to the tune of Rs 1,68,109 along with interest. The attachment of bank account has also yielded no result.

"Accordingly, the car as well as the articles in the office of Commissioner, NDMC, Chandni Chowk/Minto Road be attached and thereafter, amount be realised by selling them in auction," Goel said. Gupta told the court that he was awarded the work of construction of 20 seats 'Jan Suvidha' complex in an area in northwest Delhi pursuant to tenders floated by then Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

He said for the work, only cement and steel was to be provided by the civic agency while he would ensure all other material as well as labourers.

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Number of displaced inside Syria hits 4.25 million: UN

GENEVA: The number of Syrians displaced within their homeland by the vicious civil war has reached 4.25 million, the UN humanitarian office said today.

"Movement by internally displaced persons continues to be large-scale and fluid, as many Syrians are displaced multiple times," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"Over the past months, the number has more than doubled, from an estimated two million to 4.25 million people," he told reporters.

The figures -- combined with more than 1.4 million Syrians who have fled abroad -- mean that more than a quarter of Syria's pre-war population of 22.5 million have been forced to quit their homes since the conflict erupted in March 2011.

The highest concentration of internally-displaced Syrians is in the flashpoint northern city of Aleppo, where the figure is 1.25 million, followed by the rural area around the capital Damascus, with 705,200, Laerke said.

Laerke said that despite the risks, aid agencies were still managing to cross the often fluid front-lines to reach those in need.

"Overall, from January to April, some 764,000 people have been reached through UN-led relief convoys to hard-to-access areas," he said.

"Out of 10 convoys which crossed conflict lines, five targeted opposition-controlled areas, while another five went to contested areas."

The United Nations has urged Syria to allow the delivery of aid via Turkey to people in dire need in the north of the country.

"So far, however, the Syrian government has said no to cross-border operations," Laerke said.

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Corruption charges levelled against Rajnath Singh's close aide

GHAZIABAD: A close aide of BJP president Rajnath Singh allegedly misappropriated funds of a cremation ground committee, the committee members said today.

While the aide, who is an office bearer in the Ghaziabad unit of the party, refused to comment on the charge, a representative of Singh in his Ghaziabad constituency dismissed the charges as "baseless".

"He embezzled money from the cremation ground committee and was involved in irregularities in selling wood from the cremation ground," the committee members told a press conference here.

Rajnath Singh's representative in Ghaziabad constituency, Baldev Raj Sharma said the charges were "baseless".

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Raman Singh promoted 'crony capitalism' in Chhattisgarh, says Digvijaya Singh

RAIPUR: Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday alleged that Raman Singh government had promoted 'crony capitalism' in Chhattisgarh during the nearly 10 yearlong BJP rule in the state.

Talking to newsmen here at the state Congress headquarters, he said the case of Pushp Steel, which is now being investigated by the CBI, was a classic case of how a company with a nominal paid up capital was allotted iron ore mines and later coal mines on the recommendations of the state government.

Accusing the state government of wasting peoples' money for propaganda and other extravaganza, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said the BJP government had alienated from the masses and a wave of change was sweeping across the state.

Singh, who was here to participate in the 'Parivartan yatra' being organised by the state Congress, referred to the logjam in Parliament saying that the opposition BJP was stalling fearing that a debate on issues would also lead to discussion on decisions taken during the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.

The AICC general secretary said the BJP was trying to kick up controversies over 2G and Coalgate reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) which, he said had portrayed unrealistic figures about the potential loss. On the other hand, the BJP is silent on the CAG report that exposed mining deals, involving people close to them BJP president Nitin Gadkari, in Chhattisgarh.

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Saradha scam: Father of chit fund agent commits suicide

KOLKATA: As the multi-crore-rupee Saradha chit fund scam rages on, the related loss of life continued in West Bengal with three more people linked to ponzi firms committing suicide, taking the death count to nine.

The body of Jagdish Roy, whose son Bidhan used to operate a chit fund firm and owed over Rs.1 crore to investors, was found hanging at his house in North 24 Parganas district's Sodepur on Sunday night.

His family alleged that angry investors had ransacked his house a few days ago and assaulted him.

"He was deeply shocked by the assault and could not bear the humiliation," Roy's daughter Dola said.

In Hooghly district's Chinsurah, Jayanta Sarkar, who used to run a small deposit- seeking firm, hanged himself Sunday night. Police said that over the last few days, Sarkar was hounded by angry investors demanding their money back.

In another case of distressed agents and collective scheme operators committing suicide, 30-year-old Sanjay Sarkar, an agent with a chit fund company, ended his life.

Police have found suicide notes from both Jayanta and Sanjay Sarkar.

Shyamsundar Mukherjee, a retired school teacher who worked as an agent of the tainted Saradha Group, died following cerebral attack in Birbhum district's Nalhati. His family blamed stress and humiliation caused due to the collapse of the company.

His family said the 64-year-old was under stress and felt humiliated to have joined a company whose promoter Sudipta Sen was arrested and is being prosecuted for cheating.

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Ex-Premier Giulio Andreotti dies, Italy state TV says

ROME: Italian state television says Giulio Andreotti, Italy's former seven-time premier, has died at age 94.

Andreotti was hospitalised last year with heart problems stemming from a respiratory infection.

At his prime, Andreotti was one of Italy's most powerful men: He helped draft the country's constitution after World War II, sat in parliament for 60 years and served as premier seven times. He remained a senator-for-life.

The Christian Democrat was accused of exchanging a "kiss of honour" with the Mafia's longtime No 1 boss and indicted in what was called "the trial of the century" in Palermo in the mid-1990s.

He denied any wrongdoing and was eventually cleared by Italy's highest court.

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Russian helicopter with nine aboard crashes in Siberia

MOSCOW: A helicopter with nine people aboard including Russian emergency ministry officials crashed in eastern Siberia on Monday, the ministry said, and Itar-Tass reported it was also carrying two tonnes of explosives used to blow up ice on frozen rivers.

Debris from the Mi-8 helicopter was spotted in Russia's Irkutsk province later in the day. Interfax reported that search and rescue teams had found human remains and that it was unclear whether there were any survivors.

Accidents involving Mi-8 aircraft are frequent in Russia, which has been criticised for its poor air safety record. The Soviet-designed helicopter is widely used for ferrying people and cargo to remote areas of the world's largest country.

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Complaint against BJP alleging false election promises

BANGALORE: In an interesting development, a city civil court in Bangalore has ordered suit summons (notice) to BJP national president Rajnath Singh, Karnataka state unit president Prahlad Joshi, former party chief ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, B S Yeddyurappa and the incumbent chief minister Jagadish Shettar.

The court has posted the case further proceedings on June 26, 2013. About 13 Bangalore voters have filed this suit seeking damages for what they claimed as 'misrepresentation' by BJP in its election manifesto in 2008 assembly elections.

The petitioners had also sought stay on making fresh set of 'false promises' by the party.

Entitled for damages claiming that they all voted in favour of the candidates put up by the BJP believing the promises made by the party in the 2008 election manifesto, the petitioners have stated that the party failed to honour the same and they are entitled for damages.

"The breach of the said contractual promises by the BJP has invited a liability for compensatory damages and these plaintiffs seek compensatory damages to the extent they have suffered economic injury due to a breach by the BJP of its contractual promise to perform its election premises," the petitioners have stated.

Induced to vote for BJP, the petitioners have claimed that did not have any means of discovering if the promises made by the BJP in its promise sheet were in any manner dishonest.

Further, they have stated that the repeated and recurring assurances that were made by the BJP, its agents and candidates in regard to the solemn nature of its promises and stress on the same by them compelled them to vote for BJP as they got induced by such promises.

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No conclusive proof chemical weapons used in Syria: United Nations

GENEVA: UN investigators into rights abuses in Syria stressed today they had no conclusive proof that either side in the conflict has used chemical weapons, after a team member cited "concrete suspicions" that rebels have used sarin gas.

"The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic wishes to clarify that it has not reached conclusive findings as to the use of chemical weapons in Syria by any parties to the conflict," the commission said in a statement.

Late on Sunday, Carla del Ponte, a former war crimes prosecutor and a member of the commission, told Swiss public broadcaster RSI that "according to the testimonies we have gathered, the rebels have used chemical weapons, making use of sarin gas."

She acknowledged there was "still not irrefutable proof, (but) very strong suspicions, concrete suspicions that sarin gas has been used... by opponents, by rebels, not by government authorities."

Her comments come amid growing Western suspicions that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons in the 26-month conflict and follow Israeli raids on military sites near Damascus over the weekend.

The commission of inquiry did not mention del Ponte's comments specifically, only stressing that it was "not in a position to further comment on the allegations at this time".

The commission's Brazilian chief Paulo Sergio Pinheiro reminded "all parties to the conflict that the use of chemical weapons is prohibited in all circumstances under customary international humanitarian law".

Set up two years ago at the behest of the UN Human Rights Council, the commission has so far been unable to gain access to Syria as Damascus has ignored repeated requests for entry.

Instead, it has interviewed over 1,500 refugees and exiles as a basis for its reports and its charges that both the government forces and their allies and opposition forces have committed war crimes in Syria, where more than 70,000 people have been killed since the violence exploded in March 2011.

The commission is set to publish its next report on the situation in Syria at the end of May and will present its findings to the Human Rights Council during its next session in June.

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Verdict on Nirbhaya case expected by May end, Delhi Police commissioner says

NEW DELHI: With the trial in the Delhi gang rape case "almost 90 percent complete", the court verdict is expected to come by the end of May, Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar said.

In an interview to a news channel, Neeraj Kumar said: "The trial of December 16 (2012) case is almost 90 per cent complete and judgment is expected by the end of May."

On December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old woman was brutally raped and tortured by a gang of six people on a moving bus. She died a few days later of grievous injuries.

The male friend of the victim, who too was attacked and severely injured, in an interview had criticised the police for their "inaction" in the case.

The police commissioner dismissed allegations that policemen had offered a bribe of Rs 2,000 to the parents of a five-year-old-girl in east Delhi, another rape victim in the city, in April to hush up the matter.

"A report was promptly registered by the women help desk after which a case was lodged. I admit the follow-up action was not up to the mark for which we suspended the SHO (station house officer) and IO (investigative officer) in the case," he said.

There was no question of hushing up the case as NGOs were informed about the incident and media was also present there, he added.

Speaking of capital punishment for rapists, Neeraj Kumar said: "Many criminals have been hanged for murders and terrorism but has this brought an end to such crimes? The law punishes criminals but if we start assuming that this will stop crimes, this will not be correct."

The commissioner again said that his stepping down would not serve any purpose.

"I am not among those who run away. I am the leader of the force and till the time the government has trust in me, I shall continue to lead," he said.

According to Neeraj Kumar, in the wake of the recent crimes against women, the police have taken a slew of measures to make women feel safe in the capital.

"One such step is setting up of women help desks at police stations which are functional round the clock where females can register their complaints," he said.

"There is a 158 percent increase in rape case registration, 600 percent in molestation cases and 700 percent in eve-teasing cases. These are not indicative of a rise in crimes but it shows women are now confident about going to police stations where a woman officer hears them and registers their complaints."

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Hindutva leaders can guarantee Muslim security, Uma Bharti says

NEW DELHI: Only right-wing Hindutva leaders can guarantee the security of Muslims in India, BJP leader Uma Bharti said on Sunday, as she defended Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, facing fire over handling of 2002 riots in his state.

"Only right-wing Hindutva leaders can be the saviour of Muslims and guarantee their security. Only we can instill confidence and erode fear from the Muslim psyche," Uma Bharti said a news channel. "The so-called secular brigade has failed to secure the community. It's important to win their trust, if not their votes," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

Uma Bharti, the firebrand "sanyasin" and a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, who recently returned to the team of central office-bearers of the BJP, defended Modi, saying there has been no exodus from Gujarat post-2002 riots.

"There was no Muslim exodus from Gujarat after the riots. People are at peace with themselves and enjoying the fruits of development. Let's not do a body count of riot victims on basis of religion. Hundreds of Hindus died in police firing during the post-Godhra riots. This negates allegations about Modi's complicity in the violence," she claimed.

Her full-throttle support can also be gauged from the fact that she even couched then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's much-publicised admonition of Modi to follow 'raj dharma' as a spur-of-the-moment reaction to a journalist's query.

"Atalji is a spontaneous speaker. I was with him in Gujarat in the tense weeks following the riots. Vajpayee's call for morality was no criticism of Modi. It was no advice, no call to Modi to redeem himself. He just blurted it out," she said.

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One killed, five sustain injuries in explosion at house in West Bengal

RISHRA, West Bengal: A 20-year-old youth was killed and five others of his family, including three children, were injured in an explosion in a house at the industrial town of Rishra in Hoogly district on Sunday.

The sudden blast in the house at Liluah Bagan area of the town this morning also damaged the building and sent locals rushing out of their homes, police said.

Hoogly superintendent of police Tanmoy Raychowdhury said the tragedy was caused when a bag, which got exchanged in the train when the youth's family was returning from a trip to Gaya three days ago, suddenly exploded.

The family had gone to Gaya to attend a wedding but they had not complained either with the railway police or the local police about the exchange of the bag, the SP said.

Bomb squad personnel have rushed to the spot and investigations are on to ascertain what kind of explosives were kept in the bag, he added.

The house had been rented out to the family, which hails from Bihar, about four months ago. The youth worked at a clothes store in Kolkata, the houseowner said.

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BJP holds protest at Indo-Pak border over Sarabjit Singh's death

AMRITSAR: BJP activists today held a protest demonstration at Attari along the Indo-Pak border here, against the Pakistani government, over the death of Sarabjit Singh in a Lahore hospital following a murderous assault on him.

The party activists, led by its state unit chief Kamal Sharma, raised anti-Pak slogans and protested against the "brutal killing" of Sarabjit.

"Pakistan's action is devoid of any respect for basic human rights and we have asked the neighbouring country to stop giving shelter to the terrorists who work against India," party vice-president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, who was also present on the occasion, said.

He also blamed the UPA government for its "weakness" to deal with hostile neighbours, and asked the Centre to show that it has strong will to protect its citizens from such brutalities.

Meanwhile, police used mild force and water canons against the agitating workers as they broke the barricades and tried to run towards international border with Pakistan.

Later, over 200 workers and leaders were detained at Gharinda police station but were later released by the authorities.

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Tanzanian catholic church blast kills one, wounds 57 according to police

DAR ES SALAAM: A suspected bomb attack on a new Catholic church in the northern Tanzanian town of Arusha killed at least one person and wounded dozens of others on Sunday, police said.

The Vatican's ambassador to Tanzania, Archbishop Francisco Montecillo Padilla, was attending the official opening of the church when the explosion occurred, but escaped unharmed.

If a bomb blast is proven, it will mark an escalation in sectarian tensions in east Africa's second biggest economy.

"Some kind of explosion went off at the church. It is believed to have been a bomb but we don't know what type of bomb it was," police spokesperson Advera Senso said.

One person was arrested after the blast, which killed a woman and wounded 57 other people, Senso said.

A Vatican embassy official said he had been in contact with Padilla. "He is personally fine," the official said.

Two Christian leaders were killed in Tanzania's semi-autonomous, predominantly Muslim islands of Zanzibar earlier this year and there have been attacks on Muslim leaders and mosques. Arusha lies near the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in a part of Tanzania that is predominantly Christian.

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