SC finds no merit in Kani’s bail plea

Finding no fault with the trial judge and the Delhi high court’s orders refusing bail to DMK MP Kanimozhi and co-accused Sharad Kumar, the head of party-sponsored Kalaignar TV, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed their pleas for bail in the 2G scam case with a rider that the trial court could consider it, but only after charges had been framed.

The order, by a bench headed by Justice G.S. Singhvi, who is monitoring the probe into the multi-crore-rupee scam, virtually blocked the chances of not only Ms Kanimozhi and Mr Kumar getting bail in the immediate future but also that of the other accused, including former communications minister A. Raja, his aide R.K. Chandolia, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura, five corporate honchos, and Shahid Balwa and his cousin, till framing of charges by the trial judge.
Since the probe agencies are yet to complete their investigations, specially with regard to the foreign transactions, and the CBI yet to file another supplementary chargesheet, the process for framing of charges might take a few months. The special bench of Justices Singhvi and B.S. Chauhan, created to hear Ms Kanimozhi and Mr Kumar’s special leave petition, said there was no “infirmity” in the impugned orders. “We have heard counsel for the parties at length and perused the record of the case. In our view, the reasons assigned by the special judge and the high court for refusing to entertain the petitioners’ prayer for bail do not suffer from any legal infirmity,” the apex court said in a brief order. Ms Kanimozhi and Mr Kumar had moved the SLPs in the top court after Justice Ajit Bharioke of the high court had dismissed their petitions on June 8 and upheld the order of special judge O.P. Saini, conducting the trial in the 2G scam case.
The apex court refused to entertain the plea of Ms Kanimozhi’s counsel, Mr Sushil Kumar, to give her special consideration as a “woman” and the mother of a child under CrPC Section 437 — which provides for certain concessions in bail to women and old and infirm persons — as the order made it clear that she could seek such relief only from the trial court after charges had been framed.
“Liberty is given to the petitioners to file fresh applications for bail before the special court after framing of charges. In her application, petitioner No. 2 (Ms Kanimozhi) shall be entitled to again invoke the provisions of Section 437 of the CrPC. The fresh applications filed by the petitioners shall be decided by the special court without being influenced by the rejection of the earlier applications,” the bench recorded.

Left parties to launch agitation against corruption

Left parties to launch agitation against corruption


NEW DELHI: The four Left parties – CPM, CPI, Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party – have decided to launch a week-long nationwide stir against corruption from July 15.

Coming ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, the proposed Left agitation will seek immediate measures to curb corruption in all spheres of public life.

Their five-fold demand against corruption includes adoption of an effective Lokpal legislation. The CPM has already steered clear of giving its views to the joint drafting committee. Instead, it has told the government that the party would articulate its views when the government introduces the bill in Parliament.

The Left parties have also demanded setting up of a National Judicial Commission to curb corruption in the higher judiciary and stringent action against rampant graft fostered by the big business-politician-bureaucratic nexus which has led to scandals such as the 2G spectrum case.

The four parties have also demanded implementation of electoral reforms including introduction of the proportional representation system to check money power in elections and concrete steps to unearth black money and repatriation of illegal money stashed abroad.

During the week-long agitation, the four parties will picket central government offices, hold demonstrations, dharnas and rallies. They would also hold a demonstration outside Parliament on these demands after the monsoon session begins. 

PM asks Chidambaram to consider Chishty case

PM asks Chidambaram to consider Chishty case

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to examine Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju's request for granting pardon to 80-year old Pakistani prisoner Khalil Chishty on "humanitarian" grounds. 

Forwarding the judge's letter of request to Chidambaram, Singh suggested that the minister explore the option of pardoning Chishty on humanitarian grounds. 

Justice Katju has made a "personal" appeal to Singh to release Chishty, an 80-year-old Pakistani virologist who is languishing in an Indian jail since 1992 on a murder charge. 

Singh has also responded to Congress MP Rajiv Shukla , through whom the judge made the appeal, and informed him about his letter to the home minister. 

Reports in a section of media indicate that the Rajasthan government is likely to sign on Chishty's release papers soon. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has cleared the convict's case and forwarded the file to governor Shivraj Patil , who is expected to consult the state home secretary on the matter.

Digvijay spokesman for those with black money: Bharti

Digvijay spokesman for those with black money: Bharti

 

 Bhopal:

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti on Sunday hit out at Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh for his remarks on the police action against Baba Ramdev, saying he had turned into a "spokesman" for those having black money.
Digvijay had called the yoga guru a "fraud" and justified the post-midnight crackdown on Ramdev and his followers at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.
She said it appeared that from being a general secretary of the Congress, Singh had turned into a "spokesman" for those having black money. "Those having black money should be happy for having Singh as their new spokesman," Bharti said here.
She also said that action against Ramdev would not end the issue of black money. "The government is living in a fool's paradise if it thinks that by arresting Baba Ramdev, it can sort out the problem of black money in the country," the former BJP leader said.

Jaya launches old age pension scheme

 

Chennai, June 6 (PTI):Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalthaa today formally launched an old age pension scheme here today as part of fulfilling the AIADMK government's poll promises. The Chief Minister presented the amount to seven beneficiaries at a function at the secretariat, an official press release here said. It said the scheme would benefit 23.65 lakh people in the state. Soon after assuming office on May 16,Jayalalithaa had issued orders to give effect to her major poll promises, including doubling old age pension from Rs 500 to Rs 1000, 20 kg of free rice to cardholders and 35 kg to BPL families,four gram gold for mangalsutra for girls getting married and increasing aid to fishermen from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 in the fishing ban period Another release said Jayalalithaa presented Rs 25000 and Rs 50000 (to those who have completed diploma or degree) and four gram gold coins each to seven girls as part of providing marriage assistance. She also presented cash prizes of Rs 14.20 lakh to 78 students who performed well in the Class Ten and Twelve board examinations, it said.

Maritime forces cautioned against lowering their guard 

 

Defence Minister A.K. Antony taking a look at the layout of the Indian Coast Guard Academy displayed at the project site at Irinavu in Kannur on Saturday.

Nations which neglect their seas and oceans come to grief: Antony

Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Saturday cautioned the country's maritime forces against lowering their guard, as nations which had neglected their seas and oceans had come to grief. As the resources of the land were getting depleted, nations were turning to the seas and oceans for sustenance, he pointed out.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Indian Coast Guard Academy (ICGA) being built on 66.36 hectares on the banks of the Valapattanam estuary here.

Mr. Antony said the prestigious academy was coming up in a part of the country known for its rich maritime history.

“For centuries the seas of Malabar were ruled by the fleet of Kunjalis fighting intruders from the West,” he said, adding that the country was now facing asymmetric threats from terrorists and other anti-social elements posing a challenge to the unity and integrity of the nation.

Stating that coastal security had assumed huge significance and concern for the government, he said there was an urgent need for the country to be vigilant against threats from the seas.

“The Coast Guard, despite its meagre strength, is discharging its multifarious roles and responsibilities with professional commitment and resolve,” Mr. Antony said.

The force was now in the process of consolidating both its manpower and resources to deal with anti-national forces.

He said the service was now inducting new ships and aircraft and setting up more stations and air enclaves across the country.

Pointing out that the economic growth witnessed by the country during the last two decades had reinforced the importance of maritime trade and commerce, the Minister said the resultant growth in maritime traffic called for an efficient framework of maritime safety, marine environment protection, disaster management and law enforcement at sea.

Stressing the role of the ICG, he said that despite force level constraints, the Coast Guard units had been involved in multifarious maritime activities such as anti-piracy, assistance to mariners and fishermen in distress, medical evacuation and handling of refugees, among others.

The Minister urged the State Fisheries Departments, Port authorities and other maritime agencies to interact with the ICG on a regular basis and synergise the efforts in meeting the country's security challenges.

He also emphasised the need to rope in fishermen to act as the country's eyes and ears.

The proposal for the ICGA was sanctioned in 2009 as part of the steps to enhance the capabilities of the ICG in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008. According to the ICG officials, the futuristic ICGA when commissioned would be able to train 500 trainees, and also cater to the trainees from friendly foreign countries, marine police and the Navy in disciplines such as search and rescue, marine oil spill response, maritime law, fisheries, and boarding and rummaging.

ICG Director General Vice Admiral Anil Chopra in his welcome address said that with the setting up of the ICGA, the country was joining the select group of nations with their own Coast Guard Academies. Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, Rural Development Minister K.C. Joseph, the former Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem, MPs K. Sudhakaran and P. Karunakaran, MLAs-elect K.M. Shaji and T.V. Rajesh were among those present.

Medha leaves, but fast on at Golibar

Medha leaves, but fast on at Golibar

Golibar's slum dwellers in favour of redevelopment continue with their fast, peeved with the government acceding to Patkar's demands for a stay on demolitions in the area

Although Medha Patkar has decided to end her eight-day hunger strike protesting the demolition of tenements in Golibar in Khar (East), slum dwellers protesting in favour of redevelopment of the area, are continuing with their fast. Residents of 46 societies, protesting just a 100 meters from the spot where Patkar conducted her strike, have decided that they won't end their fast because the government's acceptance of Patkar's stance means they will not get redeveloped houses.


Medha Patkar's supporters rejoice as she ended her fast at Golibar
on Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, government officials met Patkar at Golibar Naka where she had been on a hunger strike since May 20, and handed her a letter that consented to her demands. Patkar had demanded that a clause in the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971 that allowed the state government to takeover land without consent of the slum dwellers, be scrapped. Following this, protesters who sat in solidarity with her rejoiced.

Meanwhile, those tenants of the 46 societies that make up the Golibar slums, who have been protesting for redevelopment since May 23, claim to have the support of nearly 7,000 tenants. There are nearly 26,000 homes in the slums, of which nearly 7,000 have been demolished. "With Patkar's demand being accepted our main aim of getting a house via redevelopment fails. We won't discontinue our protest," said Kalimudin Shaikh, president of one of the housing societies.

The group claims they tried to talk to Patkar and her men on several occasions, but to no avail. "When we tried speaking to them, they never reciprocated. They have a mere 50 men to support them, whereas the majority of us are in favour of redevelopment. Since we don't have a star attraction like Patkar, no one is paying heed to our demands," he said.

Meanwhile, Simpreet Singh, coordinator of National Alliance of Peoples' Movement (NAPM), the group supporting Patkar, said, "Now that our demands have been accepted, we have asked the government to look into other cases of slum redevelopment in the city, and to stop all demolitions across Golibar." Singh is also a member of the government's recently constituted committee to look into slum affairs.

Patkar was taken to a doctor for a check up, after which she was to leave for the Narmada Valley in Gujarat on Sunday. Nikhat Parveen, a Golibar resident said, "My brother Sayed Zubair has been fasting for six days. I am very happy that we emerged victorious and our demands have been fulfilled." 

Activists lock up 8 cops at Posco site

The anti-Posco brigade on Saturday demonstrated its strength by detaining eight policemen visiting one of the villages identified for land acquisition.

BHUBANESWAR/ KENDRAPADA: After lying low for the last few days, the anti-Posco brigade on Saturday demonstrated its strength by detaining eight policemen visiting one of the villages identified for land acquisition.

Activists of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti

"We detained eight policemen for four hours as they dared to enter Patna village in Dhinkia gram panchayat (the PPSS' stronghold) in a jeep. We let them go them after they gave a written undertaking to us not to enter Dhinkia in future," said PPSS president Abhay Sahoo.

Dhinkia in Erasama block of Jagatsinghpur district is one of the three gram panchayats alongside Nuagaon and Gadakujanga where the 12 billion US dollars Posco steel project is proposed. After a nine-month gap, the state government on May 18 resumed land acquisition for the project, which is planned over 3700 acre.

"The police party had nothing to do with land acquisition," SP (Jagastinghpur) Debadutt Singh told TOI. "They were on their way to Trilochanpur (close to an oil refinery project) to deal with some labour problem. The driver took the wrong route and villagers detained them for some time," he added. Police filed a case against several anti-land acquisition villagers, including Abhay Sahoo, on charges of detaining policemen.

The development coincided with PPSS supporters holding a public meeting at Patna and reiterating their opposition to land acquisition for the Posco project. "Majority of the villagers are opposing the state government acquiring land for Posco. Some anti-socials in a clear nexus with the police and BJD leaders are trying to enter Dhinkia to acquire betel vines and arrest those resisting their actions," said PPSS general secretary Sisir Mohapatra, who the government has suspended from the post of Dhinkia sarpanch.

The government continued with land acquisition, demolishing 32 betel vines by paying Rs 38 lakh as compensation in Nuagaon and Bhuyanpal. "We acquired betel vines of 32 people and paid them Rs 38 lakh," Erasama block development officer Muralidhar Swain said. The government had earlier this week dismantled a betel vine at Gobindapur, where the project opponents have a strong presence. "Despite opposition from few locals, we are planning to acquire land in Dhinkia gram panchayat," Swain added. (PPSS), the outfit spearheading the anti-industry movement, kept the cops hostage for around four hours before releasing them. Nobody was injured.

 

Mumbai slum row: Medha Patkar ends fast as govt relents

Social activist Medha Patkar [ Images ], who was protesting the eviction of slum-dwellers from Golibar in suburban Khar in Mumbai [ Images ] ended her fast on the ninth day on Saturday after the Maharashtra [ Images ] government agreed to her demands.

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"Medha has ended her fast after Collector Nirmal Deshmukh came up with a notification this afternoon. They have agreed to her demands," Madhuresh Kumar, a member of National Alliance of Peoples' Movement and Patkar's associate said.
She was on a fast from May 20 in Golibar slum area of Mumbai, where 140 acre of land has been handed to a private builder.
The activist claims that signatures of slum dwellers were forged on letters of consent given for a proposed slum-rehabilitation project.
Medha wants the removal of Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, clause 3K that allows the state government to take over land without requiring consent of slum dwellers, investigation into all the projects sanctioned under this section and the implementation of Rajiv Awas Yojana in Mumbai.
"The government has agreed to constitute two new joint committees with representatives of the civil society. One would look into Ganesh Kripa Housing society issue and would submit its report on June 15," Kumar said.
The second committee would investigate 15 slum areas where 3K clause of Maharashtra Slum Act has been used and submit a report in four months, he said.
On May 20, when the homes were being demolished in Ganesh Krupa Society, she was detained on her way to the site of demolition.

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BJP targets Sonia on Communal Violence Bill

NEWDELHI: Raising the pitch against the Communal Violence Bill, the BJP has targeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying, this Bill carries her imprint, as it has been drafted by the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by her. Rejecting the Communal Violence Bill outright, as it is discriminatory; the saffron party has declared that it would carry out a nationwide campaign against it. The party is peeved that the Communal Violence Bill proposed by the NAC has been drafted by persons, who opposed TADA and POTA. They have no accountability and enjoy their clout for being the ‘eyes and ears’ of Sonia Gandhi. This Bill would be debated and the party would raise it in a big way across the country, BJP general secretary and chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. “Prevention should not become worse than the disease,” was the reaction of Ravi Shankar Prasad. The party, he said, was particularly appalled by the discriminatory character of the Bill, which exclusively dealt with violence against minorities, virtually ruling out the possibility of minority violence against the majority. Prasad questioned Sonia, “Can the majority community become the victim of violence or not?” At this rate, Prasad feared that jehadis or the SIMI could easily foment communal trouble and get away with impunity, because they cannot be booked under the proposed law. The BJP leader cited Section 3C of the Communal Violence Bill, which says, “Communal and targeted violence means and includes any act or series of acts, whether spontaneous or planned, resulting in injury or harm to the person and or property, knowingly directed against any person by virtue of his or her membership of any group, which destroys the secular fabric of the nation.” Then, he went on to ask Sonia whether AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh’s visit to Azamgarh and mingling with the families of terrorists was helping the secular fabric. He askedwhether descriptions in certain quarters of the SIMI as cultural organisation also helped the secular fabric.

CWG Scam: Delhi Govt sends response to Shunglu charges

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government today sent its response to the Union Home Ministry on allegations made by the Shunglu Committee about bunglings in the Commonwealth Games projects.

"We have sent the report to the Home Ministry today," said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Directed by the Home Ministry to make its submission within stipulated time on the allegations by the Shunglu Committee, the Delhi Cabinet had on May 25 approved its final response, rejecting point-by-point the charges of the Prime Minister-appointed panel.

The over 1,000 page report, prepared by a three-member committee of top officials, gives paragraph-wise response of the observation made by the Shunglu panel while trashing all its findings, arguing that they were based on "presumptions" and "assumptions".

The Home Ministry late last month had sent the report of the Shunglu Committee to Delhi government, asking it to file a detailed response to the findings within a month.

Officials said the Government has rejected the whole report as it is based on "presumptions" and "assumptions" without verification of the facts.

Besides holding various agencies, including the PWD, responsible for irregularities, the Shunglu Committee had blamed Dikshit for alleged bungling in various Games projects.

The city government, which has already rejected the findings of the panel as a "product of paranoia", had sent a brief report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month.

The Shunglu Committee has submitted six reports on broadcasting, Games Village, city infrastructure, Games venues, Organising Committee and Main Report -- Organisation and Conduct of CWG 2010.

The report on city infrastructure was referred to the Home Ministry by the PMO for appropriate action on the queries raised by the Shunglu panel in works done by the city government-controlled departments.
 

No immunity for falsely arrested Indian diplomat's daughter: US

Washington:  The US government has joined issue with an Indian diplomat's daughter who is suing New York city for a whopping $1.5 million for false arrest, saying family members don't enjoy diplomatic immunity.

Krittika Biswas, an 18-year-old student of John Bowne High School and daughter of Debashish Biswas, vice consul (administration) at the Indian Consulate General in New York, filed a notice of claim May 6.

She said her claims of diplomatic immunity were ignored when she was handcuffed and locked up for more than 24 hours Feb 8 after a shoddy probe by administrators into alleged obscene emails sent to two teachers in her school.

"My understanding is that as a family member of consular officer, rather, she does not enjoy immunity from jurisdiction or inviolability," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Wednesday.

"The Vienna Convention on Consular Affairs provides that consular officers are not liable to arrest or detention pending trial, except in the case of a felony where a court warrant is required," he said. "But that provision does not apply to family members."

Toner acknowledged that diplomats' family members carry a diplomatic passport, "but again, our understanding is that these provisions, however, don't apply to their family members and that this is different for consular officers versus those in the embassy".

The spokesman insisted that the incident would not affect US ties with New Delhi saying, "The US-Indian relationship, I would counter, has never been stronger."

"We've got a strategic partnership in place. We're cooperating at an unprecedented level on education and science and technology, as well as economics, trade, health, agriculture.

"You name it - the sector - we're cooperating with India well in it. And this is obviously to the benefit of the citizens of both our countries, rather," Toner said.

Asked if the US had received any communication from New Delhi on the New York incident, the spokesman said: "Not that I'm aware of. But again, this is a matter of ongoing litigation, so I'm limited."

 

Supreme Court refuses to direct CBSE for re-examination of AIEEE

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to direct the CBSE to conduct a fresh All India
Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), which was mired in controversy after its question papers were leaked.

A vacation bench of justices G S Singhvi and C K Prasad dismissed the petition filed by some students who approached the apex court after they couldn't appear for the
test which was rescheduled after leakage of questions.

Refusing to interfere in the examination process, the court observed that around 10 lakh students have appeared for the examination and they would suffer because of fresh

examination.

The students approached the apex court challenging a Delhi High Court order which on May 18 had refused to stay the declaration of AIEEE results.

The CBSE had submitted before the high court that, "decision taken by an examination conducting body on basis of material and information available to it is beyond the scope
of judicial review as the said body is the best judge of the situation and the manner of dealing with the same."

"If the board had decided to cancel the examination for all 97 per cent candidates (who appeared for exam on May 1), this would have caused inconvenience and hardships to vast majority of students," CBSE had said.

A group of AIEEE candidates, who had appeared for the exam after a delay of three hours due to question paper leak on May 1, had sought cancellation of both the examinations
(1st and 2nd phase) on the ground that the students were compelled to give the exam under adverse conditions and circumstances, which is a violation of fundamental rights.

On May 1, the examination, conducted by CBSE, was delayed by three hours following a paper leak. The exam was scheduled at 9.30 AM but was rescheduled to begin at 12 noon on the same day.

The next day the government came with a notification that the AIEEE exam will be re-conducted on May 11, only for candidates who could not appear for the exam on May 1.

The question paper was reportedly being sold in the open market in Lucknow and a man was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force.

 

2G scam: Morani bail plea order reserved till May 30

New Delhi:  The bail plea hearing of Cineyug promoter Karim Morani, an accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, has been reserved till May 30.

Morani had earlier appeared in court on Wednesday after his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed a day before.

Morani had been seeking exemptions from court appearances citing medical grounds.On Monday too Morani came to court wearing a neck brace. His lawyers say he's undergone an angioplasty and has been in hospital for many days.

CBI, in its second charge sheet in 2G case, had alleged that Swan Telecom and Dynamix Realty Promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka channeled Rs. 200 crore to DMK family-run Kalaignar TV, through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd and Morani's Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd.

 

Plotters shifted Mumbai targets: Headley

Plotters shifted Mumbai targets: Headley
The star witness in the US case against the accused planners of the 2008 attacks on Mumbai said on Tuesday that the list of targets changed as the raids grew near, irritating his Pakistani intelligence contact. David Headley, who has pleaded guilty to scouting in Mumbai for the militant group Lashk

ar-e-Taiba, testified that his handler with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, "Major Iqbal," told him to check out all the targets carefully. "He told me to do detailed surveillance and he seemed upset that (Mumbai's) airport was not on the list," said Headley, an American who grew up in Pakistan.
Iqbal had remarked that a targeted Jewish community center was a haven for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Headley said, adding that other potential targets were Mumbai's police headquarters and an Indian naval station.
Headley was testifying about his knowledge of the Mumbai plot and his use of a Chicago-based immigration business, owned by his Pakistan-born friend Tahawwur Rana, as a cover story while he did his surveillance work.
Rana, 50, a Canadian citizen living in Chicago, is the only person on trial for plotting the November 2008 attacks, which killed more than 160 people including six Americans.
Six Pakistanis have been charged as co-conspirators but are not in custody.
The trial follows the US killing Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 2, which raised questions about Pakistan's knowledge of the al Qaeda leader's whereabouts and the country's commitment to fight militant groups.
Headley described separate meetings with his Lashkar handler, Sajid Mir, with Iqbal and with a retired Pakistan military officer named Abdur Rehman, known as "Pasha."
Initially the Mumbai train station was to be used as a means for the attackers to escape, but it became a target when Sajid Mir decided the militants would fight to the death.
"Sajid wanted them to fight well and said they wouldn't if they were thinking about leaving," Headley said.
Headley said "Pasha" was anxious to launch the attacks, which ultimately targeted luxury hotels, Mumbai's main railway station, a cafe popular with tourists, the Jewish community center and other sites.
"For all the actions against Muslims, this would be revenge for that," Headley said Pasha told him.
Watched assault on TV
Headley said he was in Lahore, Pakistan, when his handler sent him a text message that the Mumbai attack had begun.
"I was pleased," Headley said he felt as he watched the three-day assault unfold on television. "But I was concerned that the whole plan had been leaked out."
When Lashkar leaders, under pressure after the Mumbai attack, backed off pursuing a plot to attack a Danish newspaper to retaliate for publishing cartoons that offended many Muslims, Pasha told Headley they would do it themselves.
Pasha introduced Headley to Muslim militant leader Ilyas Kashmiri, who is also charged in the case and who Pasha said had ties to al Qaeda.
Kashmiri suggested using a truck bomb in the Danish attack and indicated his men would behead hostages and throw their heads out office windows. Danish police would be less "timid" than Indian forces in the face of an assault, Kashmiri told Headley, who was readying the plan when he was arrested.
Headley struck a plea deal that allows him to avoid the death penalty and extradition to India or Denmark.

Kalmadi disregarded Centre's direction for transparency: CBI

sacked OC chairman and seven-time MP Suresh Kalmadi disregarded the directions of the Centre for transparency, CBI has said in its chargesheet. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: In awarding TSR contract for CWG 2010 to his favoured company, sacked OC chairman and seven-time MP Suresh Kalmadi disregarded the directions of the Centre for transparency, CBI has said in its chargesheet.

In its first chargesheet filed against Kalmadi, 67, and ten others, CBI has said OC former Secretary General Lalit Bhanot, Kalmadi's confidant and co-accused had in pursuance of the Centre's direction for transparency directed issuance of a note with an Expression of Interest for TSR suggesting that the eligibility criteria for the TSR bidders was approved by the ministry of sports.

The Centre had sanctioned a grant of Rs 45 crore for the TSR system and directed for transparency in its contract.

"Investigation has revealed that there was no approval of the government in respect of criteria/contents for eligibility criteria," the chargesheet said.

Investigation shows that disregarding the directions of the government for transparency and in furtherance of the conspiracy to favour Swiss Timing, on the directions of Lalit Bhanot, a note was initiated on March 21, 2009, enclosing an EoI for TSR.

"This note stated ... the contents to be placed on the website as approved by the ministry of sports are enclosed. It is for approval and instruction to the concerned officer to place the matter on the website of OC," CBI said in its chargesheet.

"The government nominees raised the issue of lack of clarity regarding the criteria adopted by the expert committee in short listing only certain brands. Investigation has revealed that Kalmadi fraudulently stated that the recommendations were finalised in consultation with the international federations," the probe agency said.

 

African countries support India's bid for permanent UN Security Council seat

ADDIS ABABA: African countries today came out in support of India becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council and appreciated its unstinted assistance towards their all round developmental programmes.

The backing for India's aspirations for a Security Council permanent seat came during the retreat chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the Second Africa India Forum Summit here.

The discussions centred on the need to take effective steps to ensure that decisions taken were implemented in an efficient and result-oriented manner, Vivek Katju, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, told reporters after the retreat which lasted for about two hours over lunch.

The Prime Minister, who is here on a three-day visit, has held a series of meetings with African leaders who included the African Commission Chairperson Jean Ping. He has also met leaders from Ethiopia, Equitorial Guinea and Burundi.

Singh told Ping that India supported efforts of the African Union with regard to the situation prevailing in North Africa, said Katju.

 

West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee in office on weekend too

Trinamool chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

She is a workaholic. That was the common reaction in the Writers' Buildings on Saturday.

Mamata Banerjee, the new chief minister of West Bengal, left her office early Saturday morning at 12.25 am, and was back in the secretariat at 11.50 am.

Within hours of taking over as the first woman chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata on Friday afternoon walked from the Raj Bhavan to the Writers' Buildings to take over the reigns of the state.

For the next few hours, she presided over the first cabinet meeting and addressed the media.

Then, the CM held a detailed meeting with finance minister Amit Mitra on the financial health of the state, and finalised the portfolios of the new ministers.

After the portfolios were announced at 12.15 am on Saturday morning, she left her office at 12.25 am. But she took everyone by surprise by returning to the office at 11:50 am.

The new CM had directed all the ministers and senior officials of all the departments to attend office on Saturday, which otherwise is a holiday.

"I am back in office because I wanted to understand the intricacies of the state administration," she said. However, for Mitra the day started on a rather inauspicious note.

The new finance minister was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata around 1.30 am after he complained of acute abdominal pain.

The doctors have advised him a week's rest.

Mamata started her day with meeting higher education minister Bratya Basu and technical education minister Rabiranjan Chatterjee.

The CM told them that education is one of the sectors that need immediate attention of the government.

She also met ministers and senior bureaucrats of the departments of health, land reforms, power and agriculture.

She went around the Writers' Buildings on Saturday and spoke to the employees, assuring them all support.

Later, she announced that she would have a meeting with the senior police officers on Monday.

The CM would also meet all the superintendents of police and district magistrates of the state on Tuesday.

Though Mamata, just like her Tamil Nadu counterpart J.

Jayalalithaa, announced fulfilment of key electoral promises just after taking over the reigns of the state, she surprised her supporters by inducting a mammoth cabinet.

After the landslide victory in the assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress chief had claimed that the size of the ministry would be kept small to minimise the financial burden on the state exchequer, which is now reeling under acute financial burden.

However, 33 cabinet ministers and four ministers of state were sworn in on Friday along with her.

Five more ministers of state from the Congress, and one from the Trinamool Congress are likely to be picked up soon.

With the expansion of the council of ministers, the Trinamool Congress-led government will have 43 ministers (excluding the CM).

The Left Front government under Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had 42 ministers, including 32 cabinet ministers.

As per the Supreme Court's directive on the maximum size of governments, there can be 44 ministers in West Bengal, which is 15 per cent of the total 294 seats. Interestingly, Mamata has exhausted the quota.

THE West Bengal CM said "practically no work had been done by the previous Left Front rule in West Bengal", while taking stock of the situation in the state by consulting various departments, which she kept to herself in the new government.

"I called all the departments, particularly those of health, land and land reforms, power, agriculture and education," she said.

Stressing on the need for good governance, she said: "Political affiliations are a major stumbling block. It delays implementation of government orders. Mere issue of orders is not going to get results. Implementation of them is more important."

 

Kerala: 'Tainted' ministers in UDF Govt?

Thiruvananthapuram:  Muslim League strongman P K Kunhalikutty recently took oath as a minister in Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's Cabinet.

The 60-year-old was embroiled in a sex scandal in the 90s when there were allegations that an ice cream parlour in Kozhikode was being used to lure young women into prostitution.

Kunhalikutty was never made an accused in the case, but was forced to quit as Industries minister in 2005 after protests by the Opposition Left Front.

Now back as a minister, he remains unfazed.

"It's all a political propaganda," said Mr Kunhalikutty.

Months before the recent Assembly polls, the Left ordered a fresh probe into the scandal. In the recent election the Left used the sex scandal as its main campaign weapon against the UDF.

"If the Congress leadership has any respect towards moral values, they should reflect upon their actions," said MA Baby, CPM Central Committee member.

Former Chief Minister Achuthanandan has warned the government against having any tainted minister, but acting against Kunhalikutty will be tough.

The UDF has a thin majority in the 140-member Assembly and it wouldn't want to antagonise its biggest ally that won 20 of the 24 seats it contested.

Apart from Kunhalikutty, two other ministers in the UDF Cabinet - K M Mani and TM Jacob - both Congress allies are accused in corruption cases. The Opposition Left says these leaders may now exert pressure on the Congress to scuttle investigations.

UPA-II government completes 2 years in office today

NEW DELHI: Dogged by scams and unable to move ahead on economic reforms in a big way, the UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh steps into the third year of its second term on Sunday, hoping to come out of its shackles.

For 79-year old Singh, who got to the Prime Minister's seat after Sonia Gandhi refused to assume the office in the summer of 2004, it has been hopping from one problem to another in the last over eight months.

The only relief that came for the party heading the ruling coalition at the Centre was the recent results of the Assembly elections. The party retained its government in Assam convincingly, managed to wrest one in Kerala and was in a happy position in West Bengal where the ally knocked the Left front out of power after 34 years.

The coalition has arranged some celebrations at the Prime Minister's residence tomorrow evening to mark the oocasion.

From 2G scam, the Commonwealth Games scandal, the Adarsh Housing row and the P J Thomas affair, the Prime Minister may not not have had such a harrowing time in the last few months than when his government was surviving on the support of the Left parties during the first term.

In the 2G spectrum allocation scam case even the Supreme Court was prompted to pull up the Prime Minister asking him why no action was taken against the then Telecom Minister A Raja despite several indicators pointing to a looming scam ahead.

Similar was the predicament of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is also the UPA Chairperson , as she faced tough days requiring continuous firefighting operations.

The issue of price rise continued to confront the economist-turned-politician Prime Minister with the government appearing helpless and the unprecedented rise in fuel prices that could have a cascading effect.

Apart from Raja landing himself in Tihar jail, the other bigwigs to give him company there are Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi , charged with irregularities in the conduct of the Commonweath Games, and DMK MP Kanimozhi, not a good advertisement for the government at celebrations time.

The Niira Radia tapes had their own story to tell on the matters of governance.

With egg on its face, Government had to eat a humble pie on the appointment of P J Thomas as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner .

Topping all these was the controversy over the "most wanted" list of fugitives sent to Pakistan adding further embarrassment to the government.