Bahal arrested, released
on bail in assault case

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Tehelka investigation editor Aniruddha Bahal was today arrested and later released on bail in a case registered by Delhi Police on charges of harassing and assaulting ...more

Leader of Apna Dal
hurt in bomb attack

ALLAHABAD, Aug 7: Apna Dal leader and MLA Atiq Ahmad, accused by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of conspiring to kill her, today received minor injuries when an assailant threw a crude bomb at ...more

Pandemonium in
Karnataka Assembly

BANGALORE, Aug 7: Pandemonium prevailed in the Karnataka Assembly today over the petrol-pump allotment scandal and the house ...more

Centre releases Rs 101 cr to deal with drought in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, Aug 7: The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 101 crore out of calamity relief fund to deal with . .....more

Police filing false cases
can be prosecuted
without sanction

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Sounding a warning to the police force across the country not to harass innocent citizens by filing false cases, the Supreme Court has ruled that such police officials could be ....more

Indian spirtual colours to dominate fashion trends

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: How about a romantic look in your attire with lot of oranges and pumpkin thrown in to add colour and accentuate the Indian .....more

Vaiko’s detention under POTA extended till Sept 4

CHENNAI, Aug 7: A designated POTA court today extended the remand of MDMK leader and MP Vaiko and six others till September four. ....more

Hindujas accuse CBI of acting under influence

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: The Hinduja brothers, accused in the Rs 64 crore Bofors pay off case, today charged CBI .......more

Keoladeo National Park may lose world heritage status ...

Weapons used by outfits pouring in from neighbouring nations ....
 

Bahal arrested, released on bail in assault case

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Tehelka investigation editor Aniruddha Bahal was today arrested and later released on bail in a case registered by Delhi Police on charges of harassing and assaulting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer in the portal’s office on Monday.

Bahal, who led Tehelka’s sting operation on corruption in defence deals last year, was arrested around 1100 hrs by a police team, led by the Malaviya Nagar Station House Officer.

Bahal was later released on bail by Metropolitan Magistrate Reena Singh Nag in Patiala house court on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and surety of like amount. He was also asked to surrender his passport within a week.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Satish Chandra said that the Tehelka journalist was arrested on a complaint by CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police N S Kharayat.

He said that the arrest had no connection with the case registered against the portal last year under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for its story on foreign funding of militant groups in the north-east. Mr Kharayat is the investigation officer in the case.

In his complaint lodged with the Malaviya Nagar Police Station, Mr Kharayat alleged that Bahal assaulted and obstructed him from doing his duty when he visited the Tehelka office in Soami Nagar on Monday morning to question some portal staffers in connection with the OSA case. The official, in his complaint said that Bahal had misbehaved with him and added that the language used by Bahal was not worth repeating.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, the Malviya Nagar Police Station registered a case of misbehaviour, assault and preventing a public servant from carrying out his duty against bahal on Monday and last evening questioned two Tehelka staffers who were named as witnesses.

Bahal had denied assaulting or misbehaving with the CBI official, saying the official had no legal document with him for a raid or interrogation and was politely told to leave the Tehelka premises.

"This is scandalous and a sinister campaign against us. Even during the emergency, media were not hounded like this," said Tehelka CEO Tarun Tejpal soon after Bahal’s arrest.

Condemning the police action, the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) called upon its members to be ready for a march to Parliament next week to protest against the continued attacks on journalists under the present dispensation.

"The arrest of Bahal is only a continuation of a series of attacks on journalists and investigative scribes in particular," DUJ president S K Pande and general secretary Javed Faridi said in a statement. (UNI)

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Leader of Apna Dal hurt in bomb attack

ALLAHABAD, Aug 7: Apna Dal leader and MLA Atiq Ahmad, accused by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of conspiring to kill her, today received minor injuries when an assailant threw a crude bomb at him in the court premises here.

Ahmed received injuries in the face and body in the attack, SSP Vijay Kumar told PTI.

The assailant identified as Ekhlag was arrested soon after the incident, the SSP said.

He had confessed to the crime saying he wanted to avenge the killing of his brother, who was shot dead in the court premises in 1995, allegedly by Ahmad’s men, Kumar said.

The SSP said Ekhlag threw the crude bomb when the legislator was being taken to the district court in connection with a case.

The Apna Dal leader was admitted to hospital for treatment.

Soon after the incident, the area was cordoned off and additional police personnel deployed as a precautionary measure.

At a press conference in Lucknow on August three, Mayawati charged Ahmed with hatching a conspiracy in collusion with mafia dons and her political rivals to assassinate her. (PTI)

Pandemonium in Karnataka Assembly

BANGALORE, Aug 7: Pandemonium prevailed in the Karnataka Assembly today over the petrol-pump allotment scandal and the house was adjourned for three hours without transacting any business.

As soon as the house assembled, ruling Congress member B R Neelakantappa and others wanted to raise the allotment issue through an adjournment motion notice. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members protested and tried to stall the issue from being taken up by staging a dharna in the well of the house after their attempts to raise a point of order yielded no result. The house witnessed noisy scenes and angry exchanges between the members of the ruling party and the opposition. Speaker M V Venkatappa adjourned the house for 15 minutes.

When the house reassembled after, the same situation prevailed. Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar suggested that the opposition would cooperate with the Government only if the agenda slated for the day was taken up.

His suggestion angered Urban Development Minister D K Shivakumar who said the BJP had made a minor issue a contentious one yesterday and had stalled the day’s proceedings. In a raised voice, he charged that they (BJP) had looted the country shamelessly and now wanted to talk. At this stage, the speaker said he would allow Congress member Y K Ramaiah to raise the same issue as he had given notice in the form of calling-attention motion yesterday itself.

Opposing this, Mr Shettar said since it was not in the agenda, the speaker could not allow it. Deputy leader Sandananda Gowda’s efforts to raise a point of order was shouted down by the ruling party members, who went on raising slogans against the BJP throughout.

Janata Dal (United) floor leader P G R Sindhia said though the member could raise the issue, it was not possible for the Government to reply. If the house could not continue with the proceedings scheduled for the day, he said his party would not be a party to noisy scenes and led his party members in a walk out.

Mr Venkatappa adjourned the house again for three hours in an effort to resolve the tangle. (UNI)
Centre releases Rs 101 cr to deal with drought in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, Aug 7: The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 101 crore out of calamity relief fund to deal with drought-like situation facing Punjab, State Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said today.

Presiding over a meeting of state level committee on drought and power situation in Punjab, Bhattal said that every effort was being put to manage power and water supply for agriculture sector to meet the "drought-situation" in the state.

"Present disparity between power cuts imposed in domestic urban supply and domestic rural supply will be removed soon," she said, adding Rs five crore had already been released to the districts to supply drinking water to rural and urban areas affected by drought.

"The Government is also aware about the plight of agricultural labour. Foodgrains and funds sanctioned by the centre under SGRY will be utilised for their welfare," she said, an official release here today quoted her as having said.

She said that all the Deputy Commissioners would be instructed to supply foodgrains and funds for gainful employment for agricultural labour who had been rendered jobless because of drought situation.

"A sum of Rs 3.25 crore and 23951 tonne of foodgrains were available with Rural Development Department for the purpose," she said.

Saying that the State Government was according top priority to the problems facing the residents of border areas, Bhattal said that farmers whose tubewells had been deprived of power supply because of the transformers’ location falling in the mine fields (laid by the Army), would be compensated.

Meanwhile, addressing a gathering of farmers affected by drought situation, in Muktsar district today, Bhattal said the State Government had immediately released Rs 229 crore to compensate the affected farmers.

Bhattal along with Local Bodies Minister Jagjit Singh and MLA Kamaljit Singh Lal visited many affected villages of Muktsar district facing drought situation. (PTI)

Police filing false cases can be prosecuted without sanction

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: Sounding a warning to the police force across the country not to harass innocent citizens by filing false cases, the Supreme Court has ruled that such police officials could be prosecuted without the sanction of higher authorities.

A bench comprising Justice S S M Quadri and Justice S N Variava said that Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code requiring prior sanction for prosecution of a public servant gave no protection to him if the act complained of was not in connection with the discharge of his official duty.

In the case in hand, a police official allegedly demanded bribe from a local businessman in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and when the same was refused, the police official filed a case of recovery of illegal arms from the businessman.

The businessman filed a complaint before the Bahgalpur Magistrate, who after being satisfied that a prima facie case had been made out issued summons to the police officer.

The officer challenged the issuance of summons before the Patna high court on the ground that the Magistrate could not have issued summons to him as no prior sanction of higher authorities was taken for his prosecution.

Quashing the summons, the High Court held that even if the facts narrated in the complaint are taken to be true, they would have come within the pruview of Section 197 of the code.

Justice Variava, writing the judgement for the bench, said the apex court had held that for the purpose of prior sanction the offence alleged to have been committed by the public servant must have something to do with the discharge of his official duty.

"It has been held that for invoking protection under Section 197 of the code, the acts of the accused, complained of, must be such that the same cannot be separated from the discharge of the official duty, but if there was no reasonable connection between them and the performance of those duties, and the official status furnishes only the occasion or opportunity for the acts, then no sanction would be required," he said.

Justice Variava said the apex court had also held that the question of sanction under Section 197 of the code could be raised anytime after the cognisance - may be immediately after cognisance or framing of charge or even at the time of conclusion of trial and after conviction as well.

He said in the case in hand the question was whether the police official acted in the course of performance of duties and/or whether the defence was pretended or fanciful could only be examined during the course of trial.

"In our view the question of sanction should be left open to be decided in the main judgement which may be delivered upon conclusion of trial," the bench said setting aside the High Court order. (PTI)

Indian spirtual colours to dominate fashion trends

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: How about a romantic look in your attire with lot of oranges and pumpkin thrown in to add colour and accentuate the Indian spiritual element?

Well, if one is to go by fashion forecasts, this is going to be the trend of the next season, pointing to the fact that trends in India are no different from international ones, where the target consumer is exposed to global influences and yet wants to preserve cultural and traditional aspects of fashion.

Trends India Winter 2002-03, India’s first formal trend forecast, unveiled at the ongoing Lakme India Fashion Week by the the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) suggests just that.

"Trends are the central nervous system that link mills, designers and consumers in a workable sort of group," says Vinod Kaul, Executive Director of FDCI, noting this is the first attempt at bringing out a booklet specifically for the Indian market.

The book is a reference point - what to expect this season and how to implement trends. It is also an attempt to give the fashion industry the depth it requires, and visibility to Indian fashion, besides unveiling the concept of trends in India and its applications, he says.

It aims to give direction to Indian designers what to expect in the coming season and what the domestic consumer and the international buyer wants, says Rajeev Goel, a trend analyst who has put the booklet in order.

For the trend book, samples were taken from 53 fashion designers and based on them "we came to the conclusion as to what the new season would herald," he says.

This is thus an Indian interpretation of an international look. "The western tunic currently in vogue is still worn as a Kurta by the Indian women, never as a tunic and this is an indication that tradition is still in fashion enhanced with the modern contemporary look, never passe and hence this intermingling is a beautiful amalgamation of the east and the west," he says.

The booklet is like a ready reckoner and heralds the movement towards a more organised fashion industry, organised fashion selling, a study into what the consumer wants and relate it to the manufacturer, an attempt to make the business of fashion more easier to understand and relate.

Gujarat is a major trend for this season. There is also a lot of Gujarati influence this season. Indian traditional handicrafts are presently the toast of the international market.

The season heralds the Advent of colours such as turquoise blues, chocolate browns, beige and white for winters and pumpkin associated with Indian spirituality. Black is being represented with deep colours of grey this season.

The texture of fabrics is soft and shear, layering of double fabric and the look romantic and feminine. Islet embroidery is frightfully in and so is the looser, frocky and softer look. Fringes are in with varying lengths, military ribbons and insignia with lace, fish scale fabric textures, points out Goyal. (PTI)

Vaiko’s detention under POTA extended till Sept 4

CHENNAI, Aug 7: A designated POTA court today extended the remand of MDMK leader and MP Vaiko and six others till September four, but Vaiko alleged that his detention itself was illegal as the Judicial Magistrate who had remanded him did not have the jurisdiction to do so.

Vaiko and others were arrested here on July 11 for allegedly making speeches in favour of the banned LTTE outfit at a public meeting at Tirumangalam on June 29.

Special Judge L Rajendran, appointed to try cases under POTA, extended the remand after public prosecutor S Jayakumar had sought further remand of 30 days on the ground that this was necessitated as interrogation of several witnesses had led to "improvement" in the investigation.

Two other MDMK activists Madurai Ganasen and Nagarajan were remanded to three days police custody by the judge following a request by the prosecution that they were required by the police.

Objecting to his remand, Vaiko told the court that the question of its extension did not arise as his detention itself was illegal. According to the provisions of the POTA, only a Sessions Judge could remand an accused under the act in the absence of a designated court, he contended.

The Judicial Magistrate of Madurai district, who had remanded him, did not have the jurisdiction to do so, he said.

Intervening, the public prosecutor said the question of jurisdiction could be raised elsewhere and not the designated court.

Objecting the to public prosecutor’s request for remand extension of other detainees, their counsel devadoss contended that there was no need for further remand as the investigating officer himself had said visual and audio evidence containing the objectionable speeches by the accused were in the custody of the police.

Hence, there was no likelihood of the evidence being tampered with, he said.

Later, Vaiko was taken back to the Vellore Prison where he is being held and Veera Elavarasan and Bhoominathan to Salem Jail while Alagu Sundaram and P S Manian (former MLA) were taken back to Tiruchirappalli prison and Ganesha Murthy (former MP) and Sivandiappan to Madurai jail. The remaining two have been remanded to police custody.

Talking to media persons before being taken back to prison, Vaiko said POTA was enacted to foil the threat of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence and other terrorist groups supported by it to the country.

"I did defend POTA. It was unavoidable. In the NDA meeting I spoke in detail, and had expressed my reservations regarding provisions concerning the press and the public meetings. But I did not speak on the bill in the Lok Sabha and in the joint session of the Parliament", he said.

Alleging that it was the Congress Government in the past that had used MISA and TADA for political vendetta, he said the NDA would not invoke the act for political purposes. (PTI)

Hindujas accuse CBI of acting under influence

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: The Hinduja brothers, accused in the Rs 64 crore Bofors pay off case, today charged CBI with acting against them under the influence of some strong and vested hands and said the evidence to support the chargesheet was inadmissible.

"This is not a case of honesty and fair trial, but a strong and unseen vested hand, best known to CBI, is behind the whole case," Hindujas Counsel Amit Desai told the Special Judge Prem Kumar.

He said the entire evidence to support the chargesheet against the Hindujas are inadmissible.

The counsel submitted that first CBI supported their chargsheet based on the newspaper clippings and later procured the unauthenticated documents from Sweden to support their case, both of which cannot be admitted as evidence.

"There is no witness to say anything about the documents procured from sweden in September 2001," he said.

Arguing for Hinduja brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakash Chand — on quashing of CBI chargesheet on the ground of inordinate delay in probe and trial, Desai said despite enormous contribution made by the brothers for national interest, they have been harassed at every stage in the investigation of the case. (PTI)

 

Keoladeo National Park may lose world heritage status

BHARATPUR, Aug 7: The world famous Keoladeo National Park, that houses unique birds, here may lose the status of world heritage site if the degradation of environment and disturbing of ecological balance continues unabated, according to experts.

Accute shortage of water in the marshy land, lack of proper maintenance and increase in non-forest activities had shrunk the wet land in the park area from 11 sq. kilometres to eight or nine sq. kilometres, honorary wild life warden Krishna Kumar told PTI, here today.

Shrinking of the marshy lake is leading to reduced availability of grass feed for vegetarian birds and fishes for other birds, he said.

The artificial lake in the park that require 550 million cubic feet water every year had received less than half the amount required in the last five years.

Despite complete ban, ordered by the Supreme Court, the park administration was not taking any step to check non-forest activities that were disturbing the ecological balance in the park, he said adding recently the administration allowed an Australian multinational company that manufacures cameras and binoculars to construct a building inside the park area.

Old trees have been cut off to make pucca roads for the amusement of visitors disturning the environment, he added. The Keoladeo National Park, once the shooting reserve for former Maharajas, was declared a wild life sanctuary in 1956. It was upgraded as a national park in 1981 and the sanctuary was included in the list of world heritage site in 1985 by the UNESCO.

If the natural character of the park is disturbed the heritage site may not confirm to the UNESCO standards and lose its precious status, he said.

Kumar said besides the rare Siberian cranes that arrive for their winter sojourn here every year, 400 other species of birds have been identified inside the park which is also the habitat of 15 species of mammals, a dozen species of reptiles and 18 species of fish. (PTI)

 

Weapons used by outfits pouring in from neighbouring nations

IMPHAL, Aug 7: Most of the weapons used by underground outfits in north-east India are pouring in from neighbouring countries like China, Myanmar and Bangladesh, a top BSF official said today.

P K Misra, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Border Security Force (BSF), Nagaland and Manipur told reporters there is a new trend of regrouping of militant outfits in N E States where United Liberatiion Front of Assom (ULFA) of Assam and United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur are going hand in glove. Also Zomi Revolutionary Army , Kanglei Yaon Kanna Lup (KYKL) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN I-M) were joining hands, the DIG said.

Militant outfits of Manipur People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and UNLF are getting support from their own foreign based camps. Some militant outfits are purchasing land in Myanmar to run their camps. PLA is running bus services from Tamu to Kalemyo in Mynmar, the DIG disclosed.

Misra said BSF apprehended 14 militants belonging to different outfits during the last 15 days. Out of them four were from UNLF, two PLA, three KYKL, four KUKI National Front (KNF-MC) and one Kuki National Army (KNA).

BSF also seized huge number of arms and ammunition, combat dresses and other documents from the militants, the DIG added.

Misra further said one UNLF cadre Md. Azam Khan of Terakhongshangbi village of Manipur’s Bishnupur district surrendered along with one M-21 rifle and one 9 mm pistol before the Commandant 128th battalion, BSF on July 9 last.(PTI)

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