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Ultra
blown into pieces Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Apr 9: While as a scooterist was blown into pieces in a grenade blast at Jawahar Nagar in the capital city here and militants eliminated three counter-insurgent helpers of security forces in Handwara, security forces claimed to have killed at least five militants in three different encounters in Kashmir valley since last evening. A scooterist was blown into pieces when a grenade exploded in his hand at Jawahar Nagar Chowk, beside Gurudwara complex, at 1a315 hours this afternoon. He was identified as Bashir Ahmed Dar S/o Baqir Dar R/o Khomeini Chowk, Bemina. While as residents of his locality described him as a tailor "known for his association with BSF", militant organisation Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen has reportedly owned him as its member. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that he got killed when he removed the pin of his grenade and tried to throw it on a BSF party. Sources said that three live ammunition rounds of pistol were recovered from his pocket. An identity card recovered from his pocket described Dar as a tailor master working with Hotel Shah Abbas. Two civilians, namely Abdur Rasheed Ahangar of Rajbagh (who is an auto-driver) and Mohammad Altaf Matoo S/o Ghulam Mohammad of Bagh-e-Mehtab, sustained injuries in the deafening blast. Militants hurled a grenade towards a BSF patrol at Bandipore in the forenoon today which missed the intended target and exploded on road, causing splinter injuries to a plumber, namely Manzoor Ahmed Wani S/o Ghulam Ahmed Wani R/o Ward No:5 Bandipore. Official sources said that this afternoon a fierce gunbattle took place between militants and security forces at Gund-e-Ibrahim village in Pattan area. Troops of Rashtriya Rifles 02 Bn and SOG Baramulla participated in the operation conducted on the basis of a specific information. Three persons died in the encounter, who, according to official sources, were all militants of Hizbul Mujahideen. However, reports from the village said that only two unidentified militants, believed to be Pakistani nationals, got killed while as the third one was a civilian who had earlier been kidnapped by militants from the same village. He has been identified as Shabir Ahmed Dar S/o Ghulam Dar R/o Zadi Mohalla Gund-e-Ibrahim. Officials said that three diaries in the name of Tilawat Khan, Abu Bakr and Bilal Qaisar were recovered from the spot. However, real identities of the militants killed were still being ascertained. Two AK-56 rifles, one wireless set and four grenades have also been recovered from the open spot of encounter inside a plantation nursery. Sources said that one Army personel, namely rifleman Sarabjit Singh, and two civilians, namely Kifayat Hussain Hajam and Mukhtar Ahmed Hajam of the same village, sustained injuries in the shootout. Official sources claimed that SOG Ganderbal reached Kawari village in Kupwara district late last night for raiding a militant hideout on the basis of a specific information. While the cordon was being laid, militant opened heavy gunfire from a house which was retaliated. During the encounter one militant got killed who was later identified as Ghulam Qadir Najar alias Mudassar Fazili of Cherkot, Kupwara. Officials claimed that he was the "district commander" of Hizbul Mujahideen for Kupwara district. One AK-56 rifle, one wireless set and two grenades were claimed to have been recovered from his possession. However, residents of the locality insisted that the prominant militant commander was killed in a "fake encounter". Sources said that in yet another encounter at Dardsun village of Kupwara, security forces eliminated an unidentified militant. One AK-56 rifle is claimed to have been recovered. 3 Army sources killed Reports from Kupwara added that during last night, militants appeared at Teernar village in Kralgund area and opened indiscriminate gunfire on the inmates of one Abdul Majeed Lone S/o Mehda Lone. Two real brothers, namely Abdur Rasheed Lone and Riyaz Ahmed Lone sons of Ali Mohammad Lone as also their cousin, Mohammad Ishaq Lone S/o Ghulam Ahmed, died on spot. Official sources described them as former militants who had been working as sources of Rashtriya Rifles 30 Bn. |
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Principal’s
negligence leads to embezzlement Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 9: The Jammu office of Accountant General (AG) had detected the embezzlement of Rs nine lakh in Police Technical Training Institute (PTTI), Vijaypur during enumeration of the salary bills of State Government employees. Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR today that AG office had in a written complaint written to IGP Jammu R V Raju pointing out a fraud of Rs eight lakhs in the salary bills of PTTI Vijaypur during the last eight months. Shiv Ram, a head constable-cum-cashier in the police training school had committed the fraud of Rs one lakh every months (for the last nine months) by over-writing in the salary bills and adding ‘1’ to the overall total in the bills. The AG office detected the fraud in March and subsequently wrote a letter to IGP Jammu on March 19 requesting him to seize the record and take action against the erring official. By March, the cashier had committed a fraud of Rs eight lakh when it was detected by the AG office. However, another Rs one lakh was added to the embezzlement by the cashier in April this year taking the total amount of fraud to Rs nine lakh, the sources said. As already reported, police have already arrested the accused cashier Shiv Ram and recovered cash, bank certificates, Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) and bank pass books worth Rs nine lakh from his house on Nagrota Gujroo in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. Accused had also confessed his involvement in committing irregularities in the pay bills. Elaborating on the modus operandi used by the cashier, the sources said the fraudulent drawal seems to have been made by adding ‘1’ to the overall total of salary bills by over-writing the gross totals and net totals in the bills. This resulted in excess drawal of Rs 1 lakh than actually due to withdrawal as per the total of the details in the bills. For instance, the cashier made the total of Rs 1,79,000 to a bills as against the total of Rs 79,000. Sources didn’t rule out the involvement of some Treasury officials in clearing the bills on the ground that over-writing could have been detected very easily. The AG office has also requested the IGP Jammu to take effective steps and evolve an inbuilt mechanism so that recurrence of such instances was avoided in future. The office also requested for a thorough review of all drawal in respect of the accused Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) for the last three years to find out similar over drawals. Sources said the AG office had detected a similar embezzlement of Rs 4 lakhs by a cashier of Industries Department. However, before the authorities could initiate action against the official, he committed suicide. Sources said the AG office had started computerised enumeration of State Government employees for the last four years, which has helped the office in getting a total figures of Government employees. This figure wasn’t available even with the State Government. |
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Senior State, Central
officials involved Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 9: In a major development, the Vigilance Organisation, Kashmir today arrested senior Hurriyat Conference leader Moulvi Abbas Ansari’s son Nasir Abbas Ansari and his business partner Wasim Ahmed Chisti in connection with Rs 2.5 crore computers scam. Highly placed official sources told EXCELSIOR tonight that Nasir Ansari and Chisti were taken into custody by the Vigilance Organisation during the course of investigations this evening and detained in Srinagar police station. According to sources, Nasir and Chisti had supplied computers worth Rs 2.5 crores to Revenue Department through their business concern ‘Computer Tech’. All the computers supplied by them and installed at Revenue Department’s offices at tehsil and district headquarters had failed in less than one year as they were of extremely sub standard quality. Sources said Administrative Officer to the then Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Ms Sushma Chowdhary, Mr Shafaat Noor son of former Chief Secretary Noor Mohd, who had placed orders for computers purchase was arrested last month by a team of Vigilance Organisation, which was investigating the scandal. Shafaat Noor reportedly disclosed during investigations that he gave orders at the behest of Sushma Chowdhary. Ms Chowdhary had, in turn, alleged that she was pressurised by a senior functionary of the Government to give sanction to computers purchase in favour of Hurriyat leader’s son. This senior functionary of the Government had reportedly been asked by 'senior bureaucrats' of New Delhi for giving an undue benefit to Ansari, the sources said, adding Ms Chowdhary had earlier written ‘not approved’ on the file but she had to change her wording to ‘approved’ under pressure from the 'senior functionary. The Revenue Department staff had lodged a written complaint with Vigilance Organisation alleging failure of all computers in less than a year’s time after their installation. The Vigilance Organisation conducted a preliminary inquiry in which the scandal was unearthed and it was established that computers were of sub standard quality and were installed only to give benefit to Hurriyat leader’s business concern. A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged by the Organisation in January this year while Shafaat Noor was arrested last month. Sources said Nasir Ansari’s firm had been given a contract of computers installation in Civil Secretariat and other Government offices worth Rs two crores during the Governor’s rule. The contract was given to Ansari’s son under instructions from Delhi buraucrats during Governor's rule. |
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Complete bandh for second
day Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Apr 9: A complete bandh was observed in Basantgarh town for the second day today in protest against alleged atrocities on local people by a special mobile party of police. People have refused to lift their dharna and bandh demanding a visit to the area by SSP or DIG Udhampur. Reports reaching here said that a mobile party of police allegedly went on rampage while carrying out searches in Basantgarh last week end. The police party entered into the house of people of both communities and gave them severe thrashing. Even young girls and women were not spared by the cops and were assaulted while the youths were queued up and beaten in the Main Bazaar. Goods in some houses were also damaged by the police personnel. Reports said that cops went berserk while carrying out searches for some suspects in connection with an explosion that rocked a Basantgarh village few days back causing injuries to a jawan. This act of cops irked the people who took to streets shouting slogans against police officers and demanding stern action against the accused. Shopkeepers also downed their shutters yesterday and went on an indefinite strike. A dharna was also being staged by the people in Basantgarh, which was attended by activists of all political parties. People have decided to continue dharna and bandh till a senior police officer visited there for an inquiry. Meanwhile, Panthers Party MLA from Ramnagar, Harshdev Singh has taken up the issue of atrocities on innocent people by police party with IGP Jammu Zone R V Raju. Singh said the IGP had deputed DySP Udhampur for an inquiry. However, the MLA insisted on a visit by DIG or SSP Udhampur to set the things right. Harshdev Singh said that Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Basantgarh hardly visits his office, which has resulted into a virtual chaos in the civil administration giving the lower staff a free hand to do whatever they want. Taking strong exception to brutal use of force on innocent people including young girls and women by the police personnel, the Panthers Party MLA threatened that people would be forced to intensify their agitation if stern action wasn’t taken immediately against the accused cops. A local Sarpanch Santokh Ram has strongly denounced the police brutalities on local civilians, who had nothing to do with militancy, and criticised SSP Udhampur Deepak Kumar for his failure to visit the spot even after two days of bandh. Reports said a strong resentment was prevailing among the people of Basantgarh, who had always supported security forces and police in anti-militancy operations, over the manner in which the local people were assaulted by the cops. |
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Centre’s offer for
talks NEW DELHI, Apr 9: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, especially some separatist groups, have responded positively to the Centre’s offer of talks for resolution of the Kashmir problem. The favourable response started trickling in as political entities conveyed their willingness to participate in the dialogue through emissaries. Infact, some of the leaders are in constant touch with the emissaries to get further details of the Government’s proposal. These leaders are closetted with their aides and party functionaries to chalk out detailed strategy in the near future. The first to jump into the dialogue process is the Awami National Conference, which is sending a high level delegation here this week for talks with Mr K C Pant, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission and the Government’s representative to negotiate with the political and separatist groups. The delegation will also meet Home Minister L K Advani and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr Brajesh Mishra. Shabir Shah, senior separatist leader, who parted company with the Hurriyat some time back, appears inclined to join talks with the Centre on finding a political solution to the Kashmir problem. Mr Shah was here two weeks back and is understood to have met some intermediaries to convey his views. He may wait for the response of the Hurriyat and other seccessionist groups before making a formal announcement. Hurriyat chief Prof Abdul Gani Bhat will arrive here this evening ostensibly to probe the Centre’s mind on this crucial issue. He is likely to get feed back from various quarters. Prof Bhat has rejected the Centre’s offer of talks, describing it as an eyewash. However, senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, seems to be in favour of a dialogue with the Centre. Mr Lone has termed the Hurriyat chief’s comment on talks as his personal view and said the final decision will be taken at the executive meeting of the 23-party conglomerate. Mr Lone is of the view that the talks are the only way to find purposeful and meaningful solution to the Kashmir problem. Mr Pant was given detailed brief on the talks before his appointment as a chief negotiator. He held several rounds of talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Home Minister Mr Advani. Infact a lot of spadework was done by the Government before making an offer of unconditional talks with the separatists. The track II diplomacy played a crucial role in this respect. Prominent personalities involved in the track II diplomacy held several rounds of informal talks with various Kashmir groups to gauge their mood. It is learnt that nationalist parties may also meet various central leaders to apprise them of their views on the dialogue. (UNI) |
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Mine explosion in Akhnoor Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 9: An army jawan was killed and two others were seriously injured in a landmine explosion in forward village of Garkhal in Akhnoor tehsil this evening while BSF jawans gunned down a suspected Pakistani intruder in RS Pura sector today. Official sources said an explosion occurred when a patrol party of army walked over a mine planted by the militants in forward village of Garkhal. The explosion killed one army jawan identified as Kunwar Singh and wounded two others. Injured jawans have been shifted to a hospital. Troops have cordoned off the area. Sources said that militants involved in planting the landmine might have escaped back to Pakistan through the International Border. A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was injured in Pakistan firing at NS Pur post in Kanachak sector late last night. Identified as Mohd Qayoom, the jawan was manning a BSF picket in the forward post when he was hit by Pak army bullets. The injured jawan was evacuated from the firing site by his colleagues and hospitalised in serious condition. BSF jawans returned the firing, the sources said, adding that exchange of small arms firing continued for about half an hour. Pakistan army had resumed firing in Kanachak and Pallanwalla sector on Saturday night after a lull of couple of months. Sources said that Pakistan firing was aimed at pushing trained militants into Indian territory through Kanachak sector, which had been activated by the ISI. In another incident, the BSF jawans of 120 battalion noticed movement of an intruder in Jugnu Chak area of RS Pura sector last mid-night. BSF men opened firing when the intruder tried to escape back to Pakistan after being challenged and asked to surrender. Intruder was killed on the spot. One bag carrying clothes, eatables and Pak currency worth Rs 423 was recovered from his possession. Sources said the intruder appeared to be a guide of Pakistani militants and was sent to this side to watch the alertness of BSF. Slain intruder, whose identity couldn’t be established immediately, had been launched from Pakistani post of Umranwali. Meanwhile, a flag meeting was held between BSF and Pakistan army in Akhnoor sector today. The meeting was organised to handover nine cattle of Pakistani people, which had strayed into Indian side while grazing. Pak army also returned one cattle to BSF. |
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Pressure cooker IED
seized Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 9: Army gunned down a hardcore Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) militant Shamsher Khan alias Shamsheera in a fierce encounter at village Tajebal in Banihal tehsil of Doda district and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition in separate operations across Poonch and Rajouri districts. Army also averted a major tragedy by detecting and defusing a five kg RDX filled pressure cooker IED in Mehrot area of Surankote this afternoon. Defence sources said an encounter took place between army and militants in Tajebal area of Doda this evening. The gun-fight started after militants attacked an army patrol party in the village and troops retaliated. In the exchange of firing, army personnel succeeded in eliminating a dreaded ultra Shamsher Khan, who was leading the militant group. No casualty was reported on army side in the encounter. Shamsher Khan, hailing from Peshawar, Pakistan, was affiliated with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and was a front ranking militant of pro-Pakistan outfit. One AK-47 rifle with four magazines and 14 rounds were recovered from his possession. Only yesterday, police and STF in Doda had eliminated three militants in two separate encounters across the district. Our Rajouri correspondent adds: Militants ambushed a patrol party of army in Tota Gali of Poonch district this afternoon causing injuries to two army jawans. One of the injured jawans later succumbed to his injuries. Troops replied the firing and repulsed the militants’ attack on their patrol party. The injured jawans have been hospitalised. An army patrol party detected a powerful IED, planted by the militants in a pressure cooker, at village Mehrot in Suranthal area of Surankote at 1630 hours today. A Bomb Disposal Squad of army cordoned off the area and defused the IED safely after half an hour long operation. The five litre pressure cooker contained five kg RDX and had been connected to a 82 mm mortar bomb. It would have caused huge devastation had it not been detected in time and defused, the sources said. Troops of Thanna Mandi Brigade recovered 12 kg RDX and two solar rockets from Lohra Kha area of Manjakote police station this morning. Yesterday, army had recovered a huge consignment of arms and ammunition from the same area. Another consignment of arms and ammunition was recovered by army from Khanetar area of Poonch. It included one AK rifle, one RPG with sight, three RPG rounds, four RPG boosters, two rifle grenades, 122 plastic explosive sticks and 126 duracell batteries. The consignment belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and had been dumped in a forest area. No arrest has so far been made in connection with the recovery. |
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Pay order scam MUMBAI, Apr 9: Leading stock broker Ketan Parekh, his relative, Kartik Parekh, chairman of Madhavpura Mercantile Cooperative Bank Ramesh Parikh and the manager of Madhavpura bank’s Mandvi branch J B Pandya were today further remanded to CBI custody till April 12 for allegedly defrauding Bank of India of Rs 136 crore in a pay order scam. Ketan and Ramesh were remanded to CBI custody while the other two were remanded to judicial custody till the same period by designated judge A R Joshi. All the four filed bail petitions through their lawyers I P Bagadia, Avinash Rasal and Vijay Garg. The CBI prosecutors Bharat Kumar Raghuvanshi and Gul Asnani sought time to reply on April 12. CBI prosecutors submitted that Madhavpura Bank had issued 13 pay orders on March 8 and 9 which were purchased by Bank of India’s stock exchange branch and credited in the accounts of firms belonging to Ketan Parekh (Rs 65 crores in M/s Classic Credit Ltd, Rs 52 crores in M/s Panther Fin Cap Management and Rs 20 crores in M/s Panther Investrade). When pay orders were sent for clearance, RBI returned them because Madhavpura bank failed to meet the liability and also did not participate in the clearing on that day, CBI alleged. On the other hand, after getting immediate credit, the funds so generated were transferred by accused to Chitrakoot Computers, Goldfish Computer and Nakshatra Software in which Ketan and his family had controlling interest, CBI submitted. The CBI submitted that pay orders were like cash transactions which were backed by guarantees and they could not be returned unpaid. But in the instant case of 13 pay orders issued by Madhavpura Bank on March 8 and 9, they were returned unpaid because of insufficient funds. During investigations it was found that all the pay orders had been issued fraudulently and unauthorisedly by J B Pandya (bank’s manager) without sufficient funds to favour Ketan Parekh at the instance of co-accused Ramesh Parikh, the CBI contended. However, during interrogations both (Ramesh and Pandya) were blaming each other, CBI submitted. Cbi told the court that Ketan had confirmed talking to Ramesh and the bank’s managing director Devendra Pandya (reportedly missing) for fraudulently accommodating him to come out of the payment crisis. Ramesh, however, denied having approved Ketan’s request and has put the blame on Devendra Pandya. At the same time he has said that J B Pandya (bank’s manager) had no power of accommodating any parties to the extent of Rs 137 crore. There was a nexus between Ketan, Ramesh and Pandya which needed to be probed into, CBI alleged. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Apr 9: Ignoring the reservations of the State unit, the BJP today went ahead and reached an understanding with the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for the coming Assembly elections in the state, and brought the regional outfit into the NDA fold. Under the seat sharing arrangement arrived at after prolonged parleys between the two parties, BJP will contest 44 out of the 126 seats in the State Assembly and leave the rest for AGP and other allies, Assam Chief Minister P K Mahanta and BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy announced here. "Keeping the larger interests of Assam from the point of view of security, economic progress and prosperity, it was decided by AGP, BJP and allies that elections should be fought together so that Assam can have a stable, enduring and purposeful Government," Krishnamurthi said. "AGP has decided to fight the poll in alliance with a national political party, BJP, and other like-minded regional parties, who are responsive to the problems of the State in view of the changing economic, socio-political scenario. ..The alliance will fight the elections for continued unity, peace and progress of the State," Mahanta said. Asked who would be projected as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate he said, "after results are announced, it will be seen." On the reservations within the party over the alliance, he retorted, "I know the party cadres better than you." Home Minister L K Advani, who was present on the occasion announced AGP’s entry into the ruling NDA at the Centre. The details regarding the 44 seats including identification of constituencies and selection of candidates would be finalised in the next few days, Krishnamurthy said. Of the 108 seats for which AGP-BJP had held discussions with 18 being left for Bodo (13) and hill areas (5), AGP and allies would contest 64 seats. State BJP leaders, who were in the capital for consultations, expressed reservations over the alliance but said they would abide by the decision of the central leadership. There has been a series of protests in the State against the alliance. The BJP had earlier announced that it would go it alone in the assembly elections accusing AGP of aligning with SULFA and Congress of backing ULFA. Advani said that in the last three years even when AGP was not member of NDA "there was perfect coordination and cooperation with NDA Government at the Centre and had also effectively dealt with militancy in the State as also its economic development." (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 9: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mufi Mohd Sayeed has welcomed the Centre’s announcement to hold talks with all parties of the State to solve the long pending Kashmir problem. Addressing the meeting of the office bearers of District Committee Doda and zonal presidents at Batote, the former Union Home Minister appealed to all parties of the State to come forward and participate in the talks so that a permanent and peaceful solution of this problem could be evolved. Mufti Sayeed stressed that gun was no solution to any problem and the disputes can only be solved through dialogues amongst the concerned parties. He also appealed Pakistan- based militant groups to respond positively to the peace initiative taken by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and join the talks. The other participants of the meeting highlighted the problems being faced by Doda people, particularly due to the drought in the area for the last three years. The party leaders alleged that ration under Below Poverty Line (BPL) scheme was not being provided to the needy and poor despite Government announcement in this connection. The PDP leaders demanded immediate release of the ration under BPL and asked the Government to make arrangements for providing drinking water in the areas, for which they were facing terrible scarcity. Some PDP leaders, during the meeting suggested that Badsa and Pakhal Power Projects be undertaken by NHPC for speedy work on both these projects. They also demanded the employment of the local labourers in Baghliar Power Project where " outsiders" have been given preference. A PDP release issued here said that on the occasion Congress leaders Attaullah Khan, Bhagat Chaman Lal and Thakur Karnail Singh, besides Suram Singh of BJP alongwith their supporters joined PDP. They expressed their faith in the leadership of Mufti Mohd Sayeed and pledged to work for the party. Prominent among those who attended the meeting included Ved Mahajan, general secretary, Attaullah Khan, district president Doda and Ashiq Hussain Khan, secretary J&K PDP. |
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ATTARI (AMRITSAR), Apr: 9 About 2400 Sikh pilgrims today left on a pilgrimage to the Sikh holy shrines in Pakistan and for participating in the ‘Baisakhi’ festival at Nankana Sahib, the birth-place of Guru Nanak Dev. The ‘Jatha’ crossed over to Pakistan in three special trains after immigration and customs clearance at this border station. Amongst the pilgrims, 1500 pilgrims are undertaking the pilgrimage under the banner of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The rest of the Jatha comprises of pilgrims who are undertaking this holy journey in their own individual capacity. The Jatha leader is the SGPC executive member Shingara Singh Lohiana while its deputy leader is Kirpal Singh Keernia. The pilgrims boarded the three special trains at Amritsar and the SGPC president Jagdev Singh Talwandi flagged off the Jatha. The SGPC secretary Gurbachan Singh Bachan too is accompanying the Jatha. This was the first SGPC Jatha to leave for Pakistan after the former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur put a ban on the Pakistan pilgrimage in November 1999 in protest against the formation of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). Bibi Jagir Kaur maintained that the formation of the PSGPC was violative of the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925, as only the SGPC was entitled to the management of the shrines across the border and not any other body or organisation. Before flagging off the Jatha, Mr Talwandi told reporters at Amritsar that Dr G S Bachan was going with the Jatha to get a first hand account of the management of Sikh holy and historical shrines. As per the programme the Jatha would observe Baisakhi from April 11 to 13 at Nanakana Sahib and would also visit the holy places of Panja Sahib, Sacha Sauda and Dera Sahib at Lahore. The SGPC has also sent 120 employees with the Jatha. (UNI) |
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Petrol pump allotment to Lily George stayed MUMBAI, Apr 9: Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik today said that the processing of petrol pump allotment to Lily George, wife of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s personal secretary Vincent George, has been stayed. Talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan press room, Mr Naik said that further processing of the offer has been stayed till a satisfactory explanation about the compassionate grounds on which Ms George was given a petrol pump in 1991 is received. The Minister informed that the file regarding the allotment was missing and added that he came to know about the matter when he was pursuing the issue of making available land to relative of Kargil martyrs, who have been allotted petrol pumps or gas agencies, with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Mr Naik said that the petrol pump was alloted to Lily George in 1991 by the then Petroleum Minister Satish Sharma. When he sought to know the details concerning the allotment, he was told the file regarding the matter was missing. "Efforts are being made to trace the file", he said. The Minister said that the Ministry has sought an explanation from Hindustan Petroleum as well as from Lily George in the matter. The department officials were also studying whether the compassionate grounds on which Lily alloted a petrol pump in 1991 still exists. Similarly, he also said that allotment of a petrol pump to a relative of former Union Minister S B Chavan was also under scrutiny. (UNI) |
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Lone gets independent charge of Law Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, Apr 9: The Government have ordered that Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Minister of State, shall now hold Independent charge of department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, besides assisting the Chief Minister in discharge of his duties as Minister Incharge, Home Department. An official order issued today said in pursuance of Rule 5 of Jammu and Kashmir Government Buisness Rules, and in partial modification of all relevant orders on the subject, the Chief Minister has been pleased to direct Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, the Minister of State shall now hold the independent charge of Department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs. It further said that the Chief Minister has also been pleased to direct Mr. Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Minister of state for law and Parliamentary Affairs (Independent charge) shall continue to assist him in the discharge of duties as Minister-Incharge, Home Department. |
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Pant to work out talks mdalities NEW DELHI, Apr 9: K C Pant, nominated by the Centre for a dialogue with various militant, seccessionist and other groups in Jammu and Kashmir, will be holding talks with some State and Central Government officials to work out modalities for the process, sources said here today. These meetings will precede Pant’s dialogue with the militants and seccessionist outfits of the State, the sources said. In a major peace initiative in Kashmir, Government on April five announced its decision to embark on a political dialogue without any pre-conditions. Pant, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, will represent the Centre in the dialogue. The Centre’s invitation for the dialogue covers a broad spectrum—the State Government, all political parties, NGOs, trade unions, social and religious bodies as also Kashmiri militant organisations desirous of peace. Replying to media queries here today on talks, Pant said "the dialogue is only a process and not an event in itself." On the past experience when talks between Hizbul Muhahideen and the Centre had failed last year because of an apparent media hype, Pant said he would prefer to remain silent on the issue. "Several newspapers have commented in their editorials that I should remain silent on the issue and I am a good citizen to follow the words of the press, which is an important institution of our country," he said. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Apr 9: In a damage control exercise, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has dropped Pradeep Narayan Mathur, a trustee of its Lucknow based Vishwa Samvad Kendra (VSK), for his alleged involvement in the Century Consultants scam. "As soon as the board of trustees came to know about the alleged involvement of Pradeep Narayan Mathur in the shady transactions of the Century Consultants, an emergency meeting of trustees was convened and Mathur was rempoved from the board," RSS media incharge Kishore Kant said here today. Century Consultants, a Lucknow-based finance firm, duped unsuspecting small investors of crore of rupees in the name of various schemes before its proprietors Johri brothers went missing recently. In a statement, Mr Kant also sought to clarify that Mathur was one of the 90 employees of the Century Consultants and was never a director or a promotor of the firm. In his clarification given to the RSS leadership, Mathur had contended that he was never involved in the financial affairs of the company nor was its authorised bank signatory. Mr Kishore Kant also denied that VSK was anyway connected with the Century Consultants. "Mathur is connected with several other social institutions including an elite club named Mohd Bagh Club which has a number of retired civil and military officers," he added. (UNI) |
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