Relief for KSRTC as SC turns down stay plea by oil companies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Much to the relief of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) that is reeling under a financial crisis, the Supreme Court on Friday disagreed to stay the Kerala high court interim order that had directed oil companies to continue supplying subsidised diesel to the state-run transport body.

The Supreme Court turned down the plea by the oil companies for a stay on interim directive issued by the Kerala high court to not withdraw subsidy to bulk diesel consumers holding that the corporation will be on the verge of closure, if diesel was not supplied at subsidized rate. The loss of the KSRTC will directly affect the common man using the public transport system, pointed out the court citing reasons for disagreeing to stay the high court directive.

The court also criticised that operational negligence from the part of authorities as the reason for the heavy financial loss of the KSRTC and pointed out the authorities should rethink about the free journey offered to MPs, MLAs and press persons who belong to financially safe section of the society.

Court at the same time accepted the fact that supply of subsidised diesel to bulk costumers becomes a huge financial burden for the oil companies.

Talking to TOI, State Standing Council Adv. Jojy Skaria, who appeared for KSRTC, said SC suggested both the parties to attempt to come to a consensus in two weeks so as to mitigate loss to all persons involved and directed the oil companies to supply subsidised diesel till the case would be heard after two weeks.

The main argument of KSRTC before Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Lodha was that the heavy financial burden borne by the KSRTC or oil companies should not be placed on shoulders of passengers. The State Standing Council also argued that KSRTC is already suffering severe financial burden and cannot take more.

The oil companies sought a stay of the Kerala high court order on the grounds that a directive by the Tamil Nadu high court asking oil companies to supply subsidised diesel was subsequently stayed by a division bench of the Tamil Nadu court. At the same time, the interim directive by the Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand High Courts apart from kerala high court has not been stayed by any division bench.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dalit youth's murder: Parents want CBI or SIT probe

CHENNAI: The parents of dalit youth Ilavarasan, whose death continues to remain shrouded in mystery, today refused to accept the police version that he committed suicide and demanded a probe by CBI or a Special Investigation Team.

Expressing suspicion over the cause of death of their son, whose body was found along railway track in Dharmapuri, Ilavarasan's parents — T Elango and Krishnaveni, accompanied by their advocates, told reporters here that police had not investigated the various angles in the case.

They alleged that selective leaks to media were being made to show that the death was a suicide.

Elango alleged that they were lapses in the police investigation as they did not span out to nearby areas for clues and did not deploy sniffer dogs.

He also expressed doubts over police verifying the authenticity of a letter purportedly written by his son and their declaration that it was a case of suicide without referring to forensic tests.

Ilavarasan's marriage with an upper caste girl Divya in October last year triggered caste clashes in parts of Dharmapuri and the girl later chose to live with her mother as her father committed suicide over her tying the knot with a dalit boy.

A day after Divya said she would not return to her husband, Ilavarasan's body was spotted on a railway track on July four.

The first post mortem was conducted without family consent, which forced him to move the High Court, leading the court to order a second autopsy by a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The father claimed that his son did not have any suicidal tendencies and he had informed his advocate that he was proceeding to Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh to continue his studies.

Elango and senior advocates NGR Prasad, R Sankara Subbu and Rajnikanth said that police should probe certain claims that locals had heard some men arguing in the area where Ilavarasan was found dead.

"It is clear that the police has not carried out the investigation in the right manner. Also, there is no action on a petition seeking transfer of a DSP investigating the incident. Therefore we seek transfer of the probe to CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for impartial investigation," they said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

23 children fall ill after eating midday meal in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Barely four days after the tragic death of 23 students in Bihar and less than 24 hours after the Chhattisgarh government's directive to its officers to "taste" the midday meals before serving, 35 children of Primary School, Mou Village, Bemetara, were admitted to hospital after consuming contaminated food this afternoon. It's suspected that a dead lizard may have poisoned the food but an official confirmation on it is awaited.

Though the condition of most of the admitted students was stated to be "stable", one child, Poornima Nishad, was reported to be in a serious condition. According to locals 145 children who had consumed the food were taken to the hospital for check up and 35 of them, who complained of uneasiness and nausea were admitted. The school, about 45 km from here has strength of 350 students.

According to a local resident the midday meal was served at about 12 PM and a child reportedly noticed "a part" of a dead lizard in the 'dal' given to him. The child reportedly informed the teacher, who instead of taking the complaint seriously, allegedly slapped the child and asked him to go back and finish his lunch.

Within a few minutes of this incident, a couple of children, who had already consumed their lunch, started vomiting. A littler later other children also started complaining, leading to panic in the school. Being a village school, the news about the incident reportedly spread like wildfire and villagers arrived there and local doctors were also summoned.

With the school authorities willing to take no chances, all the students were taken to the Bematra district hospital, where total chaos followed. According to a local newsman, the doctors and the nursing staff present at the hospital was totally inadequate to handle the rush of the ill students and the presence of a large number of worried parents only added to the confusion. Till 2 PM there was a total chaos and things only settled after that.

Some villagers alleged that the food was served to the children without being tasted by any of the staff members. This was confirmed by Hemant Upadhyaya, District Education Officer, Bemetara, who said that the school's headmaster, Moti Lal Devangan, had been suspended for disregarding the government's explicit directions of tasting the food before serving it to the children. Devangan had reportedly signed in but had left the school before the meals were served.

Upadhyaya said show cause notices have been also issued to three teachers, Anil Kunjam, Nagendra Patel and Pushpa Sahu, for being absent from the school without informing the authorities.

Collector, Bemetara, B Raju, told TOI that the situation was very much under control and samples of the midday meal had been sent to the laboratory for testing. Director Health Service, Dr Kamalpreet Singh said 22 children were still in hospital and all of them were "out of danger". He said their condition was being monitored closely.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

India-US naval ties have hit the "big time": US admiral

WASHINGTON: Ahead of Vice-President Joe Biden's maiden visit to India, a top US naval commander has said ties between the navies of the two countries have hit the "big time" as they are conducting coordinated operations.

Chief of naval operations Admiral Jonathan W Greenert characterised navy-to-navy ties as "solid and growing" and said bilateral wargames had progressed from "two ships going by doing flashing lights...probably about a decade ago, to coordinated operations, carrier air wing and under sea".

"And that's when you hit the big time, when you can work with a partner under the water and ensure yourself, you're not going to run into each other, and we are at that level with the Indian Navy," Greenert told reporters yesterday in response to a question about the US re-balancing its strategy in Asia Pacific.

His comments came ahead of Biden's four-day visit to India starting Monday. Biden will hold meetings with the top leadership, including President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Greenert, however, said the India-US Malabar naval exercise had been scaled down because of "issues" on both sides. He did not give details about the move.

"We had to de-scope it some, because of each of our issues ...but we've kept the exercise and we've kept it as high-end and complex," he said.

"It just may not run as long. So I'm comfortable at that level, and we try to work to the level that resonates with both our navies."

On ties between the US and Chinese navies, Greenert said, "I like the trend we're on right now and working toward and, in some cases, getting some tangible outcome of working together.

"We operated together a humanitarian assistance, disaster relief scenario, doing command-and-control together, doing the proper protocols at sea, and we agree, this needs to continue.".

He said China would also join the 'RIMPAC' or Rim of the Pacific 2014 exercise.

Greenert also spoke about increased incidents of piracy, particularly in the northwest region of the Gulf of Oman.

"I received this through conversations with my counterparts in the Gulf states, conversations with my counterparts (in the) Pakistani Navy, Indian Navy, and they're finding they have to spend more time over there," he said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Helen Thomas, long-time White House reporter, dies

WASHINGTON: Former White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who reported on every US president since John Kennedy, died on Saturday at the age of 92, The Gridiron Club and Foundation said.

Thomas, who worked the White House beat for 49 years for United Press International and Hearst newspapers, died after a long illness, Susan Hahn of the Washington journalists' organization said in a statement.

As the senior news service correspondent at the White House, Thomas ended dozens of presidential news conferences with the familiar phrase "Thank you, Mr. President."

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

FIR against suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt for allegedly slapping gunman

AHMEDABAD: An FIR has been lodged against suspended IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt for allegedly slapping his gunman outside his residence, police said on Friday.

However, Bhatt has denied the charge.

According to the complaint registered with Ghatlodia police by Bhatt's gunman Jignesh Babulal Patel (32), the suspended IPS officer asked Patel to leash his dog in the temporary shed outside his residence on Gurukul road here, last night. The commando, who was staying near the shed, refused to do the job on the ground that his duty was only to protect him. Angered by Patel's rebuttal, Bhatt allegedly slapped him, Ghatlodia police inspector P D Parmar said, adding that they were collecting evidence in the case.

Bhatt has been booked under section 332 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty.

When contacted for his comments, Bhatt said that the incident was news for him. "I learnt that Patel had registered a complaint against me last night. He was posted recently and not willing to continue here. In the past also, he would try to wriggle out from postings which he didn't like," Bhatt said, adding that he was writing a letter to city police commissioner in this regard.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kate Middleton's due date is today not last Saturday: Reports

LONDON: The world may be increasingly getting impatient for news of the royal birth, but media reports suggest that pregnant Kate Middleton's due date is on Friday and not July 13 as widely believed.

Medical staff at St Mary's Hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge is expected to give birth, were told the due date is actually on Friday, not July 13 as was claimed by a newspaper, well-placed sources were quoted by 'The Telegraph' as saying.

It raises the intriguing, and, for those camped outside the hospital, agonizing, possibility that the Duchess could give birth as late as August 2, if the baby was two weeks late.

Kensington Palace has only ever said the baby was due in "mid July", and it had been assumed that the Duchess's baby was now overdue.

But a well-placed source was quoted by the paper as saying on Thursday: "A small number of staff at St Mary's who might be called upon when the Duchess gives birth were told they had to remain teetotal for a month before the Duchess's due date."

"They were told the due date was July 19, meaning they couldn't drink from June 19 onwards," the source said.

"Only a handful of people were told, because there are very few hospital staff who might be needed in the case of an emergency," it said.

The Duchess is due to give birth in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's in Paddington, with the Queen's former gynaecologist Marcus Setchell and the Queen's current gynaecologist Alan Farthing in charge of the delivery.

A later due date would tie in with the fact that the Duchess has spent this week at her parents' home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, more than 50 miles away from St Mary's, and the Duke of Cambridge's decision to play polo last Saturday and Sunday.

In addition, the Duchess's mother Carole Middleton has told friends she thinks the baby could be a Leo, meaning she does not think it will be born until at least July 24.

The Duchess's sister Pippa spent last weekend at a wedding in Vienna, adding to suspicions that the Middleton family were not expecting anything to happen at that stage.

If the due date is today, it is unlikely the Duchess would give birth as late as August, as the practice of waiting until two weeks after the due date before inducing birth is now considered outmoded by most doctors, who prefer an earlier intervention.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Earthquake measuring 3.6 on Richter scale jolts Gujarat's Kutch district

AHMEDABAD: A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was felt in Gujarat's Kutch district this afternoon.

Rapar was the epicentre of the quake which was recorded at 1.50pm, said a senior official of Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) here.

Kutch district was hit by a devastating earthquake in January 2001.

"An earthquake measuring 3.6 on Richter scale was felt in remote areas of Rapar, Bhimasar and Chitrod in Kutch district," ISR director general B K Rastogi said.

"The epicentre was 16km south-east of Rapar. It can be attributed to normal background seismicity or migrated seismicity from 2001," he said.

There were no reports of any casualty or damage to property.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tamil poet and lyricist Vaali's mortal remains consigned to flames

CHENNAI: The mortal remains of Tamil poet and lyricist Vaali, who died of a respiratory illness in Chennai on Thursday, were consigned to flames at the Besant Nagar crematorium on Friday afternoon.

Politicians, film personalities and people from all walks life thronged to the poet's residence at RA Puram to pay their last respects to him. DMK chief M Karunanidhi, actors Rajnikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijaykanth, Ajith, Shalini and Dhanush, film directors K Balachander and Bharathiraja and lyricist Vairamuthu were among those who visited the poet's residence.

Governor K Rosaiah condoled the death of the poet. In his condolence message, the governor said: "The passing away of Vaali, a great legend in his field, has left a void in Tamil cinema."

Vaali wrote more than 10,000 Tamil songs in a career spanning over five decades. Some of his famous songs include 'Mukkabla' (Kadhalan), 'Maya Machindra' (Indian), 'Inji iduppazhaga' (Thevar Magan) 'Ennai Vilai Azhagae' (Kadhalar Dhinam), 'Ale Ale' (Boys) 'Oru Maalai' (Ghajini), to name a few.

He wrote a number of books including 'Naanum Indha Nootrandum,' his autobiography.

Vaali acted in movies like 'Hey Ram,' 'Sathya' and 'Paarthale Parvasam' and 'Poikal Kudhirai.'

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Make yoga compulsory in Urdu medium schools: BJP MLC Mumtaz Ali Khan

BANGALORE: BJPMLC and former minister Mumtaz Ali Khan has asked the government to draw Muslims towards yoga. According to him, yoga has been made compulsory in all the government schools. But when inquired, some of the Urdu medium schools are not following that rule.

"There is s misconception about yoga as many feel that it is for Hindus because of Suryanamaskara (postures of yoga). It is wrong to say surya (sun) is for Hindus, chandra (moon) for Muslims and nakshatra (stars) are for Christians," he said.

JD(S) member Basavaraj Horatti also supported his argument and said yoga should be made compulsory to all religions. Primary and secondary education minister Kimmane Ratnakar said a committee has been constituted to remove objectionable parts in the text books.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

US citizen asked to leave India for meeting ISI agent in Darjeeling jail

DARJEELING: A US citizen has been asked by the police here to leave India within 48 hours after she was detained by the authorities of the Darjeeling district jail where she had allegedly gone to meet an arrested ISI agent under a false identity.

Natasha Singh, a resident of California in the US, yesterday met Mesasouria, one of the four ISI agents arrested by the police at Panihati in Kurseong sub-division on May 18, the police said today.

She was detained by the jail guards during her exit after she produced someone else's voter ID card on being asked to prove her identity.

Natasha, whose parents are of Indian origin, came to the country on a tourist visa, the police said adding that she had left for Delhi last night.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Emirates cancels Mumbai-Dubai flight due to technical reasons

MUMBAI: Gulf carrier Emirates on Thursday cancelled a flight to Dubai due to technical reasons, leaving as many as 70-odd passengers stranded.

Although the airline did not specify the technical reasons behind cancelling the flight, some of the stranded passengers alleged that the move by Emirates had been due to the flight having suffered a bird hit while landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in the wee hours today.

"Emirates flight EK 501 from Mumbai to Dubai was cancelled due to technical reasons. Passengers have been accommodated on subsequent flights EK 505 and EK 507 departing to Dubai," the airline said in a statement here.

However, one of the stranded passengers said: "After waiting in the queue for almost an hour-and-a-half, we were informed that it (the flight) has been rescheduled to 5am.

"Later on, we were told that the flight had been cancelled due to the grounding of the aircraft after it suffered a bird hit while landing," Khushroo Panthaky, a passenger said.

"While most of the over 300 passengers either opted for other flights, some 70 passengers, who have connecting flights from Dubai to other destinations, are stranded as they have been put on the next day's flight," said Panthaky, who was to have taken a connecting flight to New York from Dubai.

Emirates, in its statement, apologised for any inconvenience, adding that the passengers have been accommodated in other flights, although it did not specify the departure times for those.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kashmir's top cardiologist injured, 2 policemen killed in militant attack

SRINAGAR: Kashmir's top cardiologist Dr Sheikh Jalal-ud-din was critically injured on Thursday in a militant attack which left two of his police guards dead in the highway township of Pampore in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

Jalal (64), former director of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, and his security guards were targeted by militants near his residence at Namblabal in Pampore, 16 kms from here, on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, police said.

While Jalal's two police guards died on the spot, the cardiologist was hit by a bullet in the left eye and was rushed to Soura medical institute in a critical condition, they said.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Police, assisted by security forces, have cordoned off the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the assailants, police said.

The attack comes a day after a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in a grenade explosion at Batmaloo in central Srinagar while he was being shifted to Baramulla district jail in a police vehicle.

Police blamed militants for the attack, but Hizbul Mujahideen accused the cops of stage managing the attack to eliminate Shakeel Ahmad Kasana, who was arrested last year.

Hizbul spokesman Baliguddin told a local news gathering agency that the outfit will carry out attacks to avenge Kasana's death.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Curfew imposed in J&K's Ramban district after violent protests

JAMMU: Curfew was imposed tonight in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir following violent protests and resultant firing in which 4 persons were killed and 44 injured after a mob attacked a BSF camp.

"We have imposed curfew in Ramban district as a precautionary measure around 5.30pm today", district development commissioner (DDC), Ramban, Shan Vinood Meena said.

Curfew will be strictly enforced, he said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tension prevails in Ramban after death of locals in firing by BSF

NEW DELHI: As tension gripped Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir following the death of locals in firing by BSF and state police, Pakistan-based Lashker founder and Jamaat ud Dawah boss Hafiz Muhammad Saeed tried to fan passions further, using Twitter to condemn the "killing of innocent civilians in J&K by the Indian forces".

Giving credence to unverified claims by a local religious leader that the Holy Quran had been desecrated - already dismissed as "false and baseless" by BSF - Saeed said "this terrorism further proves that there can be no friendship, trade whatsoever until Kashmir issue is resolved".

"These atrocities on Kashmiris in this sacred month of Ramadan should immediately stop. World community should not remain oblivious," he noted in another tweet. However, Hafiz's tweets could not reach his target audience in J&K as internet services were suspended in the state.

Exhorting Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to take a strong stance on J&K, Saeed on Thursday tweeted that Kashmiris had always looked upon Pakistan to represent their case in the world.

Saeed was the prime mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks and many other LeT strikes. He figures high on India's most-wanted list, but Pakistan has refused to act against him saying that the evidence submitted on his role in 26/11 attacks is not "credible". Pakistan has also declined to ban Jamaat ud Dawah, saying it is a charitable organisation engaged in "social work". Saeed, thus, not only remains a free man but regularly spews venom against India from public platforms in Pakistan and on social media.

As if Saeed's anti-India propaganda was not enough, even the JuD joined him on Thursday in condemning the "Indian forces" over today's incident. "India at utter mistake in hoping to suppress Kashmiris...as world sleeps, they continue to 'kill' innocents," JuD tweeted.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pro-Maoist literature seized from coaching centre in Tamil Nadu

TIRUNELVELI: Pro-Maoist literature was seized from a coaching centre for competitive examinations at a remote village in the district, police said on Wednesday.

A police team, investigating a cheating complaint by some students, stumbled on the incriminating documents including pro-Maoist CDs, pamphlets and 52 passports when they opened a locker at the centre in Karivalamvanthanallur last evening.

The students had complained that the centre's owner Gangadharan had cheated them after taking money ranging from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3 lakh on the promise of getting overseas jobs.

Police after investigations found that the complaints were true and got the locker at the centre opened after obtaining permission from a local court.

No arrests have been made so far, police said adding that further probe was on to unearth the activities of Gangadharan and two other top officials of the coaching centre.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snowden does not rule out applying for Russian citizenship: Lawyer

Post your comment

We encourage you to register/login and proceed.
However, if you choose to remain non-loggedin, you are required to fill up the form below and verify your email address before we can publish your comment.
That way, we can verify that the email address doesn't belong to someone else.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death for war crimes

DHAKA: A special tribunal sentenced a senior leader of an Islamic political party to death on Wednesday for his role in the kidnapping and killing of people involving Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971.

The verdict came in a packed courtroom in the capital, Dhaka, in the presence of defendant Ali Ahsan Mojaheed, the secretary-general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. The tribunal found him guilty of kidnapping and killing a journalist, a music director and a number of other people.

Mojaheed faces seven charges, including genocide, murder, conspiracy and complicity in atrocities during the war. He is accused of leading a notorious group that during the war kidnapped and killed many teachers, journalists and writers who supported the cause for independence.

But the court said five charges were proven beyond doubt, while the prosecution failed to prove two other charges.

The defense attorneys said they would appeal the verdict.

Two tribunals dealing with the war crimes have already delivered five verdicts against three incumbent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and a former chief and another expelled man of the party. Jamaat-e-Islami and its leaders had openly campaigned against the creation of Bangladesh and are accused of forming citizens' brigades to aid Pakistani army in the battle against the fighters who fought for independence. Bangladesh became independent with the help of India on December 16, 1971, when Pakistani army surrendered in Dhaka.

Bangladesh says the Pakistani army killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women, while about 10 million people took shelter across the border in India during the war.

To denounce the verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami enforced a daylong general strike across the country on Wednesday. No major violence was reported. The party indicated that it might extend the general strike to Thursday if Mojaheed was sentenced to death.

Protests over previous verdicts have turned deadly.

The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed the tribunal in 2010 amid criticism from the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party, led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Zia has said the tribunal is meant to weaken the opposition. Jamaat-e-Islami is the main political ally of Zia's party, and shared two posts in the cabinet during Zia's latest premiership in 2001-2006.

Hasina's government says it had pledged before the 2008 election to prosecute those responsible for war crimes. A political alliance led by Hasina's Awami League party won the election with a two-thirds majority.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Karnataka may order CBI probe into Rs 10 crore scam involving nationalized banks

BANGALORE: The state government is likely to order CBI probe into alleged fake bonds issued by Ramanagara-Channapatana development authority through three nationalized banks.

The quantum of fake bond scam is estimated to be nearly Rs 10 crore. Urban development minister Vinay Kumar Sorake and home minister K J George told legislative council and assembly on Wednesday that CBI probe may be ordered after discussing with chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The allegation is that the authority commissioner in collusion with three nationalized banks in few middlemen have allegedly misappropriated Rs 9.9 crore by issuing fake bonds in the authority regions. Similar scam had surfaced

Opposition leader H D Kumaraswamy in assembly and C Puttanna (JDS) in legislative council, who raised the issue, said the authority had kept funds of Rs 9.5 crore in a public sector bank and Rs 40 lakh in a private bank but transferred the amount to another public sector bank which offered a better interest rate but now says it has no such deposits.

Since the alleged embezzlement is to the tune of more than Rs two crore, a probe into it should be handed over to the CBI as per RBI norms, the JD(S) leaders argued.
"As the issue involved different nationalized banks, government was considering a CBI than CID probe," Sorake said.

The government on Tuesday announced a probe by CID into alleged misappropriation of Rs 5 crore of Mandya Urban Development Authority. Sorake said MUDA Commissioner H S Shivaram has been arrested in connection with the case. The police have also arrested Congress functionary Kebbahalli Anand and his accomplice Nagalingaswamy. District police chief Bhushan G Borase said efforts are on to nab another prime accused, Hemmanahalli Chandrashekar.

Meanwhile, at least five persons, belonging to a pro-Kannada organizations, who damaged the office furniture and notice boards at Ramanagaram, Chennapatna development authority on Wednesday morning were arrested.
Ramanagaram police have registered a case of rioting and damage to public property after a group of over 25 activists barged into the office and created a scene. "We had booked a case against the Authority Chairman for misappropriation of funds and are in the process of investigation, when the incident happened," a police officer said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Notice over poll expenditure: Gopinath Munde seeks time, documents from EC

NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission slapping a showcause notice on him for his poll expense remark, BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Wednesday sought four more weeks' time along with reports of returning officer on expenditure incurred by him during 2009 parliamentary poll.

The EC had served a notice on Munde on June 29, asking him why he should not be disqualified for "suppressing and undervaluing" his poll campaign expenditure with his public admission of having spent Rs 8 crore over it.

Sources said the poll panel is likely to take a call in its meeting on Thursday, when the period of its notice is set to end, on whether to grant more time to Munde.

The EC had asked Munde to explain within 20 days why action should not be initiated against him under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and why he should not be disqualified under the Representation of People Act for his "failure" to maintain a correct account of his election expenses.

The prescribed limit of poll campaign expenditure during the 2009 parliamentary election was Rs 25 lakh.

Munde, who is an MP from Beed and BJP's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, had on June 27 said during a book launch function in Mumbai that he had spent a whopping Rs 8 crore during his 2009 Lok Sabha election campaign in the presence of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.

The EC notice said, "The reasons for the said default should be explained by you in writing and your explanation should reach the commission within 20 days from the date of receipt of this notice.

"ln case, you fail to do so, within the time stipulated above, you will render yourself liable, without any further reference to you in the matter, for disqualification under section 10 A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951....for a period of 3 years from the date of order of the Commission...," the EC notice to him said.

The EC said that the election expenditure shown by Munde in the 2009 elections was only Rs 19,36,922.

Munde, who claimed he spent over Rs 8 crore in the 2009 polls, has sought details alongwith copies of documents filed by the returning officer on his poll expenses.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bomb explosions at Hajipur civil court to free dacoit in Bihar

HAJIPUR: Armed criminals on Tuesday exploded two bombs inside the civil court premises to free a dacoit, who had been brought to the court for production, police said.

As soon as the police van carrying the prisoners reached the civil court premises, two crude bombs exploded, Superintendent of Police Suresh Chaudhary said.

One live bomb was recovered from the spot, he said.

Taking advantage of the commotion after the explosion, the dacoit Sant Lal Sah started to run but was caught by the police, the SP said.

A woman has been taken into custody in this connection, the SP said. Later, additional police force was rushed to the civil court and the prisoners were produced before the court, the SP said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Delhi court gives nod to prosecute govt doctor in molestation case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has ordered initiation of criminal prosecution against a government doctor for allegedly molesting a woman patient while examining her.

District Judge J R Aryan allowed the revision petition of the Delhi Police, while setting aside the order of a magistrate who had discharged doctor Rajesh Kumar due to the absence of sanction to prosecute him.

The sessions court said sanction for prosecution of the accused doctor was not required as the act (of molestation) attributed to him was "prima facie" not part of discharge of his duty as a public servant.

"I do agree with the arguments of the prosecutor that present is a case where act attributed to accused prima facie is not falling within the ambit of discharge of duty as a public servant by accused Dr Rajesh Kumar then sanction for his prosecution was not required," the judge said.

While setting aside the magistrate's order that absence of sanction for prosecution vitiated the proceeding, the court said it was "illegal and against the provision of law".

According to the police, Kumar had allegedly molested an 18-year-old girl, who was suffering from tuberculosis, in August 2006 when she had gone to get herself medically examined in Delhi government's dispensary in west Jyoti Nagar in east Delhi here.

When the victim's turn came, the accused took her on a stretcher for examination in a room and after putting a curtain, he started misbehaving with her on the pretext of examining her, the police said.

It said the girl found the doctor, resident of Vaishali in Ghaziabad, had consumed liquor and after pushing him back, she came out of the dispensary room.

The police had challenged the trial court's order, saying the act attributed to the accused as an offence was not connected even remotely with the discharge of his duties as a public servant and no sanction was required to prosecute him under the provisions of the CrPC.

Counsel for the accused had argued that when Kumar had taken up examination of the patient by touching her abdomen, his act would fall within the scope of discharge of his duty as public servant even if he was alleged to have exceeded his duty and sanction for prosecution was required.

The court, however, rejected the arguments of defence counsel, saying that "prima facie the misconduct alleged by the victim to the doctor cannot by any interpretation and reasoning be brought within the parameters of an act done and committed by a public servant in the discharge of his duty as a public servant".

The court said it is a matter of fact that Dr Kumar, when examined on the date of incident from a Delhi government hospital, was found to be under the influence of alcohol.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police fire on protesters in Bangladesh, two Islamist demonstrators killed

DHAKA: Two Islamist demonstrators, including a minor, were killed in police firing when machete-wielding protesters went on a rampage on Tuesday against the conviction of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami's 91-year-old supremo Ghulam Azam.

Acting on a tip-off that protesters had blocked a road at Kaliganj in Satkhira during the countrywide daylong strike, a team of around 35 policemen rushed to the scene to remove the blockade, the Daily Star reported, quoting Tajul Islam, assistant superintendent of police of the area.

As soon as police started to remove the barricades, the country's largest Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir protesters suddenly swooped on them with sticks, Islam said.

At one stage, the Jamaat-Shibir men also opened fire on them, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate with fire, he said.

The protesters also attacked the police with machetes and homemade bombs.

A 15-year-old boy and a middle-aged man were killed in the firing.

Nine policemen and three Jamaat-Shibir activists also sustained injuries during the clash early on Tuesday morning, the report said.

Of them, the condition of a policeman was stated to be critical.

Gonojagoron Mancha and Jamaat have separately called the strike for Tuesday, protesting the verdict in the war crimes case against Azam who was sentenced to 90 years in jail yesterday by a special Bangladeshi tribunal for masterminding atrocities during the country's 1971 war of independence.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Maharashtra to form panel to study SC ruling on dance bars

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has announced the formation of a legal panel to study the Supreme Court ruling striking down its decision to ban dance bars.

"We have not yet received a copy of the Supreme Court ruling. A panel comprising lawyers, legal consultants and legislators will study it and submit a report to the state government," Maharashtra home minister RR Patil said, reacting to the apex court ruling.

Making a statement in the legislative council, the minister said the panel would suggest whether to approach a full bench, file a review petition or change existing laws in the state against dance bars.

Meanwhile, political parties in Maharashtra reacted strongly to the Supreme Court verdict.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre said there should be a strong law to ban dance bars, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state chief Bhaskar Jadhav said that "people of the state" support the ban on dance bars.

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi said the government had failed to do its "homework" in court which led to today's ruling.

Terming the Supreme Court ruling as "unfortunate", state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra government remained careless on the issue."

Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe said there was no need for dance bars and women are exploited in such bars.

Earlier on Tuesday, in a major decision that will impact hundreds of dance bars and thousands of women who worked in them, the Supreme Court struck down Maharashtra government's decision to ban dance bars.

The ban, enforced by the Maharashtra government in August 2005, was struck down by the Bombay high court in 2006, but the state government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Maharashtra govt to form panel to study SC ruling on dance bars

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has announced the formation of a legal panel to study the Supreme Court ruling striking down its decision to ban dance bars.

"We have not yet received a copy of the Supreme Court ruling. A panel comprising lawyers, legal consultants and legislators will study it and submit a report to the state government," Maharashtra home minister RR Patil said, reacting to the apex court ruling.

Making a statement in the legislative council, the minister said the panel would suggest whether to approach a full bench, file a review petition or change existing laws in the state against dance bars.

Meanwhile, political parties in Maharashtra reacted strongly to the Supreme Court verdict.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre said there should be a strong law to ban dance bars, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state chief Bhaskar Jadhav said that "people of the state" support the ban on dance bars.

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi said the government had failed to do its "homework" in court which led to today's ruling.

Terming the Supreme Court ruling as "unfortunate", state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra government remained careless on the issue."

Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe said there was no need for dance bars and women are exploited in such bars.

Earlier on Tuesday, in a major decision that will impact hundreds of dance bars and thousands of women who worked in them, the Supreme Court struck down Maharashtra government's decision to ban dance bars.

The ban, enforced by the Maharashtra government in August 2005, was struck down by the Bombay high court in 2006, but the state government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Centre, SEBI have approved divestment of NLC shares to state PSUs: Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Union government on Monday approved the Tamil Nadu government's request to divest 3.56% shares of Neyveli Lignite Corporation to the state public sector undertakings to meet the regulatory norm of 10% public holding, chief minister J Jayalalithaa said.

In a press statement, Jayalalithaa said the decision to divest the shares was approved at a high-level meeting held in Mumbai, which saw a participation of secretaries of the finance department, planning and development, and joint secretary, industries. "With this, my government has prevented the divestment of NLC shares to private parties," Jayalalithaa said, adding that it was a victory of her government's continuous efforts.

Jayalalithaa said the shares, which would cost Rs 500 crore, would be purchased by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation ( TIDCO), Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC), State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TUFIDCO) and Tamil Nadu Power Finance & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (Powerfin) which come within the definition of qualified institutional buyers.

"I request the workers to accept this and withdraw the strike to resume duty," the chief minister said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Will not contest Lok Sabha polls, will help Narendra Modi become PM: Ramdev

HAMIRPUR( HIMACHAL PRADESH) : Yoga Guru Ramdev on Monday said he would not contest the general elections scheduled next year but would help Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister.

"I will not contest the Lok Sabha elections nor will I hold any top post," Ramdev, who was here to address the youth wing of his organisation, told reporters here.

"But I will help Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister of the country," he said.

Ramdev criticised Congress and its leaders for "rampant corruption" in the country, and called party vice general secretary Rahul Gandhi an "innocent guy" with no clue about the country and its people.

"Congress is the den of corruption... Rahul Gandhi is an innocent guy who has no knowledge about India and its people."

He claimed that corruption had reached such a level that Indian officials were illegally brokering deals to allow FDI in the country and warned that unbridled flow of FDI in India would ruin the country's social and economic system.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Noose protest against Italy's first black minister Cecile Kyenge

ROME: Italian police on Monday were investigating far-right militants suspected of hanging nooses to protest Italy's first black minister Cecile Kyenge, two days after a senator compared her to an orangutan.

The nooses appeared on lampposts with posters signed by far-right group Forza Nuova in the city of Pescara, where the minister for integration was visiting for a conference on immigration and citizenship.

"Immigration, the noose of the people!" read one of the slogans on the posters. Another said: "Everyone should live in their own country".

Kyenge, who is of Congolese origin, has called for a reform of Italian law to make it easier for children born to immigrant parents to acquire citizenship.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta called for an end to the insults against Kyenge, saying this was a "shameful chapter" for Italy and could lead to a "major clash".

Ever since being named to the cabinet in April, Kyenge has faced a barrage of abuse -- particularly from members of the anti-immigration Northern League party.

Northern League MEP Mario Borghezio said her nomination was "bloody stupid" and that she had "a face like a housewife", while one local party activist said the minister should be raped in a vicious Facebook rant about crimes committed by immigrants.

Northern League senator Roberto Calderoli, who has courted controversy for years with a series of racist, sexist and Islamophobic jibes, on Saturday said: "When I see pictures of Kyenge, I cannot help thinking of similarities with an orangutan".

In an interview with La Repubblica daily out on Monday, Calderoli then claimed that he had animalistic comparisons for all the ministers, including ones who looked like a frog, a peacock and a St Bernard dog.

Letta on Monday said Calderoli's remarks were "unacceptable" and called on Northern League leader Roberto Maroni to put an end to the attacks by his party members "as quickly as possible".

Calderoli is deputy speaker of the senate and there have been calls for his resignation from centre-left lawmakers and anti-racism campaigners.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Over 20,000 telegrams booked on last day of 163-year-old 'Taar'

NEW DELHI: It has been estimated that more than 20,000 telegrams had been booked on the day the country bid adieu to the 163-year-old telegram service, with one of the last messages booked being for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

A telegram was booked for the young Gandhi just before the computer closed at around 11.45pm on Sunday at Central Telegraph Office (CTO) in Delhi.

Gandhi was wished "success and happiness in life" and "glories of greatman of the past".

Hundreds crammed into 75 telegram offices in the country yesterday to send souvenir messages before the service was shutdown after 162 years.

Known popularly as 'Taar' or wire, the telegram service, which provided millions with a fast and reliable mode of communication, closed because of mounting financial losses and becoming redundant in an era of mobile phones and internet.

"Around 20,000 telegrams are estimated to have been booked and 12,568 were dispatched by afternoon. The last telegram was for Rahul Gandhi before the computer finally shut down. Maximum bookings amounting to over 11,000 have been done in Mumbai alone," a spokesperson for state-owned BSNL said.

On average, 5,000 telegrams were sent daily.

BSNL, which has given the charge of telegraph after the latter was separated from department of posts in 2002, cancelled leaves and increased staff at all telegram offices over the weekend to cater to the last-day rush.

He added that there was a huge crowd bidding farewell to the telegraph. Officials had to collect all entries manually as there was paucity of time.

"We decided not to disappoint any customer. Hence, we collected forms manually. Our telegraph office staff had to stay overnight, prepare receipt and book messages manually after closing computers," he said.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Monsoon session of Parliament to begin from August 5

NEW DELHI: The Monsoon session of Parliament will be held from August 5 to 30 during which the ordinance on Food Security Bill will come up for ratification and other import economic legislations like the Land Acquisition and Insurance Bills are expected to be taken up for consideration.

A decision on the 26-day session was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Paliamentary Affairs headed by defence minister A K Antony on Monday.

The ordinance promulgated recently on the Food Security Bill will be coming up for ratification at the session, which has been delayed this time. The Monsoon session normally starts in the second half of July.

During the session, government plans to bring forward a number of important legislations including the Land Acquisition Bill, Insurance Bill, Pension Bill, Companies Bill and the Direct Taxes Code Bill to give a boost to the sluggish economy.

Congress has been accusing the Opposition of blocking the Food Security Bill during the last Parliament session whose major portion was washed away by repeated disruptions over a variety of issues including the demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the wake of the coal scam.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Six fishermen injured in attack by Sri Lankan naval personnel

RAMESWARAM: Six fishermen were injured, two of them seriously, when they were allegedly attacked by Sri Lankan naval personnel, near Katchathivu islet, early this morning.

Officials said Lankan naval personnel beat them with pipes, beer bottles and thick ropes and also cut the nets in several boats. The injured fishermen have been hospitalised.

Union Minister for road transport and highways Oscar Fernandes had stated at Vailankanni yesterday that he would take up the issue of incidents involving repeated attacks on fishermen from Tamil Nadu, with external affairs minister.

About 30 fishermen of this district had lodged a complaint with fisheries department officials on July 13 stating they had been attacked by Lankan naval personnel while fishing off Nagapattinam coast on Friday and that they had taken away fishing nets worth Rs 40 lakh.

The incident had sparked protests by fishermen of over 10 hamlets in the district, who launched an indefinite fast, demanding concrete action from both central and state governments to put a stop to such incidents.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Belfast police attacked with petrol bombs in second night of riots

BELFAST: Seven police officers were injured in Belfast after being attacked with petrol bombs in the second consecutive night of violence by Protestant rioters in the Northern Irish capital, a spokeswoman said Sunday.

Bricks, bottles, furniture and other missiles were also hurled on Saturday night by hooded youths, some with British flags covering their faces.

The seven injured officers did not require hospital treatment and remained on duty, a spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.

Police used water cannon and fired baton rounds, although the unrest was not as intense as on Friday night, when 32 officers were injured and a leading politician was knocked unconscious by a brick.

22 people were arrested on Friday after crowds attacked police with petrol bombs, sticks, fireworks, bricks, bottles, masonry and even a sword. Another 11 arrests were made overnight on Saturday.

About 1,000 police officers from mainland Britain were sent to Northern Ireland in anticipation of tensions over the traditional Twelfth of July parades, the pinnacle of the Protestant Orange Order's marching season.

Trouble flared on Friday after police tried to enforce a decision by an adjudication body banning the Orange Order from marching through a Catholic republican area of Belfast.

"The scenes were both shameful and disgraceful," chief constable Matt Baggott of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told reporters on Saturday.

He criticised leaders of the Orange Order who had called for protests against the decision to block their march through the republican Ardoyne area, saying they had been "reckless".

Nigel Dodds, the member of parliament for North Belfast, was taken to hospital after being hit on the head with a brick while trying to calm the crowds down on Friday night. He was later discharged.

The July 12 parade marks the victory of Protestant king William III of Orange over the deposed Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

It is a flashpoint for tensions between the Protestant and Catholic communities in the province, which was devastated by three decades of sectarian violence in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

The 1998 Good Friday peace accords largely brought an end to the unrest, known as 'The Troubles', although sporadic violence and bomb threats continue.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Former Egyptian ambassador to US named foreign minister

Post your comment

We encourage you to register/login and proceed.
However, if you choose to remain non-loggedin, you are required to fill up the form below and verify your email address before we can publish your comment.
That way, we can verify that the email address doesn't belong to someone else.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hollande says France must do 'more' to maintain train lines

PARIS: President Francois Hollande said on Sunday that France needed to do "much more" to ensure the upkeep of regional rail lines, after a derailment near Paris left six people dead.

"We must do much more to maintain traditional lines, existing lines," Hollande said during a Bastille Day interview with top television channels.

The SNCF state rail company said the accident at Bretigny-sur-Orge on Friday was the result of a faulty track and the transport minister complained of under-funding for outdated regional train lines as France made its high-speed TGV lines a priority.

"The first conclusion we will draw (from the accident) is to ensure that, in the significant investments being made in the coming years, the priority is on traditional intercity lines ," Hollande said.

He said there were no indications that the derailment, caused by a metal connector bar that had come loose and lodged itself in the middle of the track, was anything but an accident.

"We cannot rule anything out, but... I think this was a technical failure," he said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Slight intensity quake in Arunachal Pradesh, no casualties

NEW DELHI: An earthquake of slight intensity jolted parts of Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday.

The quake measuring 3.5 of the Richter Scale occurred in the West Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh at 12:57am.

It was epicentered at 28.3 degrees North latitude and 94.9 degrees East longitude, the Meteorological Department said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More