‘Financial
crunch’ Excelsior Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, Nov 10: The Union Finance Ministry has voiced displeasure at ‘‘unwarranted’’ exercise launched by the Jammu and Kashmir Government, spreading ‘‘disaffection’’ against the Centre for the prevailing financial crunch in the State. Thre Centre, it was officially argued on Tuesday, cannot be blamed in this regard. As the Government of India has no surplus money to get misused in any State, there is no logic behind the propaganda launched by some ruling politicians against the Centre on the question of making available sufficient funds for their respective States. Invariably, the Government of India has gone out of way to provide financial assistance to Jammu and Kashmir. This, however, does not prevent the Union Finance Ministry from making ‘‘relevant’’ queries about the utilisation of Central funds in the State. Sources in the Finance Ministry lamented that even as the Centre had already released security-related funds of the order of several crores of rupees in case of Jammu and Kashmir, ‘‘deliberate’’ attempts were sought to be made to create the impression that the present ruling set-up at the Centre ‘‘is not friendly’’ towards the Farooq Abdullah Government. According to these sources, the postponement of the Centre's exercise to finalise the release of several crores of rupees for various development schemes in Jammu and Kashmir has been necessitated by the lack of ‘‘convincing answers’’ from the Farooq Abdullah Government to certain ‘‘vital’’ queries in connection with the utilisation of huge sums of Central funds in the State in the past two years or so. Sources divulged that the Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, who is directly handling Jammu and Kashmir affairs, was forced, because of this development, to postpone the discussions to December, although the J&K Chief Minister had been earlier informed about the Centre's intention to hold talks on the release of Central funds in November before the commencement of winter session of Parliament. Recently, the J&K Chief Minister was reported to be unhappy over the Vajpayee Government's ‘‘reservations’’ on the question of offering increased material aid to his State to justify his alliance with the BJP led coalition. And as Mr Advani and Union Finance Minister, Mr Yash-want Singh, appeared unable to motivate bureaucrats in the two Ministries to ignore set rules and procedures in case of Jammu and Kashmir, signals were received in Delhi's north block about the J&K Chief Minister having second thoughts about his support for the BJP Government. Some higher-ups in Delhi's bureaucracy had to tell Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Mr Advani and Mr Yashwant Singh that while New Delhi was committed to ensuring ‘‘speedy’’ development in the socio-economic sphere in Jammu and Kashmir, ‘‘we cannot, at the same time, be expected to turn blind to certain bad unproductive expenditure in different sectors’’. These higher-ups, according to insiders, regretted that the Kashmir Chief Minister started sending out ‘‘wrong’’ signals only after he had been questioned about the ‘‘extra-vagant’’ spending by his establishment in the past two years. ‘‘Our Government is in the possession of sufficient documentary evidence in this regard, but it will not be proper to make it public at this stage’’, sources in the Finance Ministry told EXCELSIOR. Insiders explained that near-empty coffers in J&K cannot be the only source of provocation for the State Chief Minister. The Home Ministry, the insiders said, had already received information that a section of the ruling National Conference party has refused to endorse the stance adopted by Dr Abdullah in support of the BJP Government at the Centre. On being told that the Finance Ministry cannot afford to ignore ‘‘wasteful’’ expenditure in some areas in J&K and that much has not been done to eliminate corruption in the administration and public life, Mr Advani chose to limit his position and functioning to law and order, pro-active measures against the terrorists and cooperation with the security forces to check militancy and insurgency in the State. |
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RR guns down 2 top militants in Doda Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 10: Army killed two militants including a foreign mercenary in an encounter this morning at village Sungri, about 10 kms from Doda. Militants looted a youth after assaulting him at Malwana in Prem Nagar area last night. According to a Defence spokesman, Army personnel and a commando team of 10 Rashtriya Rifles launched a well-planned search operation in village Sungri late last night after getting a report from the local people about the presence of militants. Troops continued searches in isolated areas of the village throughout the last night . The success came in the early hours of this morning when troops noticed a group of six to seven militants coming out of their hideout and trying to move towards an adjoining forest area. Army personnel immediately took positions and challenged the militants, who also started heavy firing in a bid to escape. The spokesman said an encounter between the two sides continued for one and a half hour in which troops gunned down two militants while others managed to escape. There was no casualty on Army side in the encounter. Troops continued searches in the forest areas to liquidate the absconding militants. More forces have been rushed to the village to continue the search operation, he said. Troops have recovered dead bodies of both the slain militants from the scene of encounter. The slain ultras have been identified as Mohammad Bhai, a foreign mercenary affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and Zafarullah alias Salaudin of village Sujan, near Doda, who belongs to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Troops have handed over to dead bodies of the deceased militants to local police. Two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, six grenades, 37 rounds of ammunition and 20 pencil cells were recovered from the possession of slain militants, the spokesman said, adding some more recoveries were expected from the area. The operation was still on when the reports last came in. Army officers have directed the jawans of Rashtriya Rifles to chase the militants and eliminate them. Another encounter took place between security forces and militants in a forest area of Gandoh last night. The encounter lasted about two hours after which the militants managed to escape deep into forest areas taking advantage of darkness. Reinforcement of security forces has been dispatched to the forest area to trap the militants. No further report poured in from the area so far. Meanwhile, militants attacked the house of one Brij Mohan at village Malwana in Prem Nagar area of Doda last night. Militants looted cash and other costlier goods from the house after taking the family members at gun point. Brij Mohan, who protested against the looting and tried to resist the militants, was beaten up with the rifle buts and iron rods, causing him serious injuries. Militants escaped from the village after looting the goods. Police reached the village this morning and launched search operations but no arrest has been made so far. Remnants of J-K terrorism will be wiped out soon: PM NEW DELHI, Nov 10 : Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today expressed confidence that the remnants of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir would be wiped out soon through the continued efforts of the security forces. Addressing the third conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police here, he said the problem of North East required holistic approach in consonance with "local sensiblities since it was not merely a law and order problem. What we required there was fast economic infrastructural development." He said that Pakistan, for whom focal point of India centric policies remained Jammu and Kashmir, was seeking to internationalise the issue. It even demanded a third party intervention disregarding the Shimla agreement. He accused Pakistan of trying to create a "fear psychosis" through targetted killings and propaganda. Mr Vajpayee said that Pakistan was sparing no effort to destablise the country through subversion of our polity, by jeopardising economy and through attacks on our social fabrics in the form of the unabashed terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and support to insurgent movements in the North East. The Prime Minister said that the issue of policing ought to be addressed in a broad framework which encompasses economic development, social peace and rule of law. Stressing the importance of human rights, he said this issue ought to be addressed in a harmonious manner so that no atrocities were allowed to be perpetrated against the innocent people. He called for adequate sensitisation and training of police personnel to ingrain among them a respect for human rights. Mr Vajpayee said that the decision to set up a committee under the chairmanship of former Punjab Police Chief JF Ribeiro to suggest modalities to implement the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, the National Police Commission and the Law Commission would go a long way in improving the efficiency of police. Pointing to scourage of drug trafficking, he said the fight against this menace had seriously challenged wherewithal and ingenuity of the police forces and called for serious attention to this problem. He also asked the security forces to take adequate steps for protection of weaker sections of the society.(UNI) India rejects Pak moves on Kashmir LONDON, Nov 10: India has outrightly rejected moves by Pakistan to seek Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Emeka Anyaoku’s mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue. Pakistan High Commissioner to Britain Mian Riaz Samee, breaking conventions, yesterday invited Chief Anyaoku to use his good offices to help in resolution of the Kashmir issue. Speaking at a meeting of Commonwealth senior officials held to review implementation of mandates of the last Commonwealth heads of states meeting held in Edinburgh, Samee invited Anyaoku to visit the sub-continent for exploring use of his good offices on Kashmir. The invitation was forwarded when the officials were taking up the matter of Secretary General using his good offices to resolve crises in some African states. Indian High Commissioner Lalit Mansingh promptly took the floor to categorical state that there was no scope for any third party mediation or intervention on the Kashmir issue. He reminded the gathering that it was against the Commonwealth spirit to raise bilateral issues of differences. Pakistan used similar tactics at the UN General Assembly meeting when it invited the intervention of Secretary General Kofi Annan on Kashmir. Annan is to make a visit to sub-continent in the near future. Asserting that Kashmir was a legal and an inalienable part of India, Mansingh drew the attention of the Commonwealth gathering to Simla agreement of 1972, where both India and Pakistan had committed to settle all outstanding issues, bilaterally. He said India was strictly abiding by the agreement. The Indian High Commissioner said Pakistani move was unfortunate, particularly as it came at a time when senior-most officials from the two countries were meeting in New Delhi to iron out differences on bilateral issues. Calling for Commonwealth support to India’s efforts to resolve all differences with its neighbours through bilateral talks, he asked Commonwealth to take more vibrant action to implement the Edinburgh Chogam call for international action to combat the menace of terrorism. Mansingh said all Commonwealth member states should support measures to curb international terrorism including an end to funding, protecting, sheltering and giving encouragement to terrorists and condemn the member states violating these international norms. He also drew the attention of the gathering to recent letter by the Commonwealth Secretary General to all member states pressing them to ratify all 11 international conventions on terrorism. He said India had already ratified eight of them, and the rest being under active consideration of the Government. (PTI) Militants’ attack on Reasi picket repulsed Excelsior Correspondent REASI, Nov 10: Extending their area of operation, militants last night attacked a police post with rockets and automatic weapons at village Jakhaini, about 30 kms from Pouni in this tehsil. The attack, carried out by the militants with a view to blast the picket, was repulsed by the police and Indian Reserve Police (IRP) personnel. This was second major offensive by the militants on a police picket in Reasi tehsil during the period of about one month. Previous attack of the militants had also been repulsed by the police. A police spokesman said militants started heavy firing from automatic weapons and launched rocket and grenade attacks aiming Jakhaini picket of police at about 2145 hours last night. Police and IRP personnel deployed at the picket retaliated. A fierce exchange of firing continued for over four hours, the spokesman said, adding the militants, who were firing from atop a hill, failed to hit the intended target. The rockets and grenades fired by them on the police picket either exploded mid air or fell at the isolated place and exploded harmlessly. Faced with stiff retaliation from the police personnel, militants deserted the hill and fled towards their hideout in far off forest areas. There was no report of any casualty on either side during the gun-battle. Re-inforcement of police and security forces was rushed to Jakhaini this morning to launch search and combing operation in the higher reaches to eliminate the militants. Senior officers of police and security forces have also rushed to the spot from Reasi for supervising the search operation. About a month back, militants had carried out a similar attack on a police picket in the higher reaches of Reasi but the attack was repulsed by the police. Sources said the attack shows that militants have extended their area and took Reasi tehsil into their grip. Major catastrophe
averted Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Nov 10: Troops today recovered a large quantity of RDX and other explosives from Gandola forests in Gambhir area of this district and foiled militants’ plot to attack defence installations. A Defence spokesman said a routine patrol party of Army, which had been conducting searches in Gandola forests, sighted three large bags lying in a dense forest and became suspicious. Army personnel immediately sounded an alert and requisitioned re-enforcement and bomb disposal squads. Army officers and squads rushed to the forest areas and opened the bags. The seizure made from the bags include 55 packets of RDX weighing 28 kgs, five remote control devices, one Japanese radio set, eight Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), six detonators, eight meters electric wire and 16 pencil cells. This was for the first time in the recent past that 28 kgs RDX has been seized in a single instance. Other recovery made from the spot was also significant, the spokesman said. He said some literature recovered from the spot showed that consignment was meant for a militant group affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba. The consignment, especially the deadly RDX, was to be used by the militants to target security and police installations in this border district. A major tragedy has been foiled with the recovery of consignment, he said, adding a massive operation continued in Gandola forests to effect more recoveries. Search was also going on for the militants responsible for smuggling the weaponry to Indian territory from across the border but no arrest has been made so far. Senior Army and police officers have also rushed to the spot to supervise the search operations. EC removes two returning officers in Delhi, MP NEW DELHI, Nov 10: Election Commission tonight removed two returning officers in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh for failure to apply electoral laws in a proper fashion while dealing with nomination papers of Congress candidates for the November 25 Assembly polls. While ordered re-scrutiny of nominations in Seemapuri (SC) constituency in Delhi and Nepanagar seat in Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh, the Commission appointed new returning officers for the two constituencies. Sources said the Commission felt that the election process has become vitiated on account of wrong application of electoral laws by the concerned returning officers while scrutinising the nomination papers and that they had shown traits of inadequacy in applying the statute in a proper fashion. In Seemapuri constituency, the returning officer had rejected the nomination papers of Congress candidate Veer Singh on the ground that he was an employee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and was thus holding an office of profit despite the fact that the candidate had resigned from his post. The Commission observed that as per a 1985 Supreme Court judgement, a person holding office under a local Government is not to be disqualified for the purposes of candidature in an Assembly election on the ground that he is holding an office of profit under the Government. In Nepanagar Assembly constituency, the returning officer accepted the nomination papers of main Congress candidate Raghunath Chaudhary as well as the party’s substitute candidate Inder Kaur. The sources said that under electoral law, a single party cannot put up two candidates for the same constituency. To add to the complications, the officer later accepted the withdrawal of candidature of Chaudhary, the regular candidate, although the substitute candidate should not have been in the field. (PTI) Talks end on
optimistic note NEW DELHI, Nov 10 : In what is being considered a success for Indian diplomacy, Pakistan today promised to accord the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India in "due course"and also expressed its desire to sell power to New Delhi as the talks between the two countries on economic and commercial cooperation ended on an optimistic note. The two countries decided to discuss the existing difficulties in the railway sector at the technical level so that the movement of freight by rail was speeded up. This is the only issue out of the eight identified by the two countries for discussions on which progress has so far been reported. Their talks in Islamabad on Jammu and Kashmir and peace and security last month and on the Tulbul Navigation Project,Siachen and Sir Creek in New Delhi over the past few days had not made much headway. Briefing reporters at the end of today’s talks, Commerce Secretary P P Prabhu, who led the Indian delegation, said New Delhi had also proposed to Pakistan to consider an agreement on avoidance of double taxation. The Pakistani side, however, did not appear much enthusiastic after today’s talks though it confirmed that India would be accorded the MFN status in due course. While seeking to link the Economic and Commercial Cooperation issue with Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tariq Altaf said "it is very difficult to try and conduct unfettered or unreserved trade with India until an environment of peace and security is created in the region". Pakistan for a change did not link Kashmir issue to granting Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India during the talks, Prabhu said. He said Islamabad has assured that it would grant MFN status to India in due course. India had accorded the status to Pakistan unilaterally in the seventies but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate as per its obligations under World Trade Organisation (WTO). Asked why India was not moving the WTO’s dispute settlement body in this regard, Prabhu said India would decide on the matter after Pakistan’s response over the issue of preferential trade treatment during the third round of SAPTA negotiations to be held in two weeks in Kathmandu. Prabhu said the two countries decided that the existing difficulties in railway sector should be discussed at the technical level so that the movement of freight by rail was speeded up. A joint statement was issued after the talks with the Pakistani delegation headed by new Commerce Secretary Mohammad Sulaiman, held in a "frank and cordial" atmosphere during which the two sides decided to continue discussions at the next round of dialogue process. Pakistani officials said a positive step forward in furthering tradonomic cooperation could be realised only if durable peace and security was established in the region. "There is unlimited possibilities of bilateral cooperation, provided an environment of durable peace and security can be created. Sky is the limit for such a cooperation," Pakistani spokesman Tariq Altar told reporters. Harping that Kashmir remained the "core issue", Pakistani officials said unless this was resolved the climate could not be conducive for significant progress in Indo-Pak talks including trade and commerce. India proposed that the possibility of agreement on avoidance of double taxation could be considered, Prabhu said. New Delhi agreed to Pakistans suggestion for establishing a mechanism for quick transmission of information and other developments on trade and business. The two sides exchanged views on outstanding issues to be settled between India and Pakistan in different sectors including telecom, railways and mints and coins. Recognising the importance of coordinated approach by both sides in areas like social clause and environmental issues in international fora, the two sides noted with satisfaction the ongoing bilateral cooperation while underlining the need to strengthen coordination in removing barriers which thwart market access to developing countries. (PTI) NC Block President, pro-India activist killed Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov. 10: While as militants today eliminated yet another Block President of the ruling National Conference in Sopore, a pro-India activist was gunned down at Karan Nagar in the capital city here this evening. Official sources said that at 0900 hours, militants intruded into the house of a prominent worker and Block president of National Conference (NC) Mohammad Subhan Dar at Seerdhara village in Khoi locality of Sopore and shot him dead. Known for his mainstream political activity and effective contact with the establishment, Dar had preferred stay at home without any official security. His assassination came as part of militants' offensive to eliminate the ground level leadership of the ruling party in Kashmir Valley. Over a dozen Block presidents of NC have been gunned down by separatist militants in Baramulla district alone during the last one year. At 1835 hours this evening, militants appeared at Karan Nagar and gunned down one Shafeeq Ahmed Qureshi son of Deen Mohammad Qureshi, resident of Baran Pathar, Batmaloo. Sources said that having remained a pro-India activist and suspected informer of Security Forces, Qureshi had been driving a three-wheeler for the last few months to eke out his sustenance. Earlier, last evening militants had lobbed two hand grenades on Police Division Noorbagh. Only one grenade exploded wide enough from the intended target but failed to cause any damage. Another grenade was removed and defused by experts. Unconfirmed reports said that in a shoot-out near Boys High School Soura, a 6-year-old student namely Jameel Shah son of Manzoor Shah got injured at 1500 hours today. However, reponsible Police sources maintained that no such incident had taken place. Official sources said that a Hizbul Mujahideen militant surrendered before the J&K Police at Gund-e-Razak, Handwara with one AK-56 rifle and three loaded magazines while as Harkat-ul-Ansaar militant surrendered before security forces at Salar in Pahalgam area. Police apprehended two suspects from Shivapora, Larkipora and seized three stick grenades. Sources said that security forces recovered one wireless set, one grenade launcher, one binocular and one diary from Ajas, Sonawari. Meanwhile, Speaker of Legislative Assembly Abdul Ahad Vakil and Minister for Irrigation and PHE Ali Mohammad Sagar have condemned the assassination of NC Block president Mohammad Subhan Dar by militants in Khoi area of Sopore and extended their sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family. BJP activist and the head of south Kashmir Ikwhan Liaqat Ali alias Hilal Hyder has paid tributes to the slain pro-India activist Abdur Rehman Wani of Yaar Khashipora who was shot dead by militants near Qazigund, the other day. Liaqat has extended his condolences to the bereaved family. Police used mild force this afternoon at Batmaloo when a group of Hurriyat leaders tried to take out a procession after attending the last rites of Harkat-ul-Ansaar's 'divisional commander' Shariq Bakshi who got killed alongwith three other militants at Pirbagh on Monday. Police used baton charge and tear-smoke to disperse the processionists who raised pro-Azadi slogans. Separatist activists Javed Mir and Nayeem Khan were taken into custody. Killing of Dr
Wani condemned Holland, Nov 10: The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Liberation Party (JKDLP) has strongly condemned the dastardly assassination of Dr. Ghulam Qadir Wani, in his home in Bandipora, Kashmir. His murder is yet one more proof of a deep -rooted conspiracy of our enemies to liquidate the ideologues of the freedom movement so that Kashmiris are coerced into abandoning the cause for which they have made tremendous sacrifices during past decades, the JKDLP chairman, Mr Hashim Qureshi said in an e-mail to EXCELSIOR. He said that the murder of Dr. Wani, a pioneer among the Kashmiri ideologues, and the foremost in the vanguard of freedom struggle, is not an isolated event. It is in line with the murder of a number of other outstanding Kashmiri intellectuals and ideologues among whom are included stalwarts like Molvi Farooq, Dr. Guroo, Qazi Nisar, Mir Mustafa, Maulana Masudi, Maqbul Malik, Abdus Sattar Ranjoor, H.N. Wanchoo, Lassa Koul and others. His assassination is another moment of deep introspection for the people of Kashmir. They should have no difficulty in understanding that a welcome call given to the "guest mujahideen", mercenaries and the Taliban militiamen by some leaders is nothing but to invite the destruction of our motherland and liquidation of the leading lights of our struggle. It should be remembered that those who promote or spread violence, will be consumed by violence, sooner or later. Kashmir has always suffered at the hands of outsiders who have engineered their destruction in the guise of sympathizers or co-religionists, the JKDLP said. Mr Qureshi said that Kashmiris have to learn a lesson from their past history. The motive of the mercenaries in liquidating the intellectuals and ideologues is to create a situation in which Kashmiris become helpless and succumb to intimidation. Kashmiris must put a question to themselves whether these mercenaries are their saviours or destroyers? A nation that depends on others, particularly the mercenaries, must know that all that they do is helping themselves pass from slavery to slavery and not from slavery to freedom. JKDLP appealed to the people of Kashmir to reject the mercenaries, reject the leadership that persuades them to welcome the mercenaries, and their sponsors, and thus save their intellectual community to guide them in their struggle. It appeals to them to shun violence and fratricide and think of positive but non-violent ways of achieving their objectives.This will be the best tribute they can pay to their martyrs and their ideologues like Dr. Ghulam Qadir Wani. Mr Qureshi said that Dr. Ghulam Qadir Wani was one of the pioneers of armed struggle in Kashmir. He recalled when he had met him for the first time in Washington towards the end of 1992 in the chamber of Mr. Ghulam Nabi Fai. "I argued with him against the taking up of the gun by our militants but he did not agree with me just because at that point of time, he was under the influence of Pakistani agencies. Prior to his visit to Washington, he had issued a press statement in Srinagar against me for preaching non-violence.The same Dr. Ghulam Qadir Wani wrote to me in March 1995 saying that I was right in what I had told him in 1992. He has since returned to Srinagar," Mr Qureshi recalled. The letter was written by Dr Wani to Mr Qureshi on March 13, 1995 from Muzaffarabad (PoK). Excerpts from the letter: "Dear Brother Hashim Qureshi Sahib: Hope you are fine along with your family members. With the growth of experience, I find the increasing truth and weight in your words. I have come to the conclusion that mere bookish knowledge is not enough: real importance rests with the experiences gained in the field of action. Here, a weekly Jamaat-e-Islami paper called Zindagi of Lahore published an interview with Amanullah Khan. The interviewer, Mr. Najmul Hasan Arif is the same journalist who has written a lot against Yasin Malik and Shabbir Ahmad Shah describing them illiterates and immature. He also wrote many things against Kashmir's freedom. Now he has brought out an interview with Amanullah Khan only to counter Azam Inquilabi. Amanullah Khan has gone down to such depths of levity that he has called an old friend and a highly dedicated activist of freedom movement and an able leader, Muhammad Azam Inquilabi as a 'mental case'. In the course of four years, he has changed a number of parties.If by joining JKLF and APHC, Amanullah Khan has not become an accessionist, how come that Azam Inquilabi becomes an accessionist by joining Tehreek-e-Hurriyat-e-Kashmir? You must have a look at this interview in order to understand to what extent shamelessness and levity one can fall. Today, I am reminded of each word you had spoken and each assertion is vindicated by circumstances. You may send a copy of this letter to Shakeel Sahib and to Shabbir Sahib. In the public meeting of March 11 at Muzaffarabad (held in connection with late Khurshid), I made a strong protest against and I exposed Amanullah Khan. Kindly let me know your reaction. In conclusion, I am sorry that I always differed with you but after having gone through the experience I find you were right. Yours sincerely: Ghulam Qadir Wani" HC rejects bail pleas of Laloo, four others PATNA, Nov 10: The Patna High Court today rejected bail applications of former Bihar Chief Ministers, Laloo Prasad Yadav and Jagannath Mishra and three others in a conspiracy angle case of the fodder scam in view of the gravity of the charges and documentary evidence against them. Justice M Y Eqbal while turning down their plea for regular bail, said that prima facie involvement of the accused had been made out in the conspiracy that resulted in irregular withdrawals from the treasury by the state Animal Husbandry Department (AHD). Justice Eqbal said for judicial consistency and uniformity it was not proper to allow pleas of the accused or bail as his court had earlier rejected similar applications of other two co-accused in the case. Others whose bail pleas were rejected by the court were former Ministers Vidya Sagar Nishad and C P Verma and controversial RJD MLA R K Rana. The case RC 64(A)/96 deals with fraudulent withdrawals of more than Rs 97 lakh from the Deoghar treasury by the state AHD officials through "forged and fake" bills between 1991-92. (PTI) Civilian killed, another injured in border firing Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 10: Pakistani troops continued heavy firing on Indian positions on the International Border in Jammu sector. The BSF jawans retaliated firing at all the places. A civilian was killed and another seriously injured in a forward village of Sialkot bordering RS Pura sector when BSF personnel retaliated the Pak firing. However, there was no report of any casualty on Indian side. The exchange of firing
continued till this morning. Firing was intense in
forward areas of Khour, official reports said. |