Excelsior... Nation

Shahabuddin’s bail plea rejected

SIWAN (BIHAR), Dec 9: In a setback to controversial RJD Lok Sabha member Mohd Shahabuddin, a Siwan court today rejected his application for bail in a case of recovery of foreign-make arms and Pakistan-marked ammunition from his Pratappur house during raids on April 24.

Additional District and Sessions Judge of Siwan B N Mishra turned down the bail prayer of Shahabuddin in the case under the Arms Act, lodged with Hussainganj police station.

Shahabuddin’s counsel Ishtdeo Tiwari and Bengali Singh told the court that the MP had bought the firearm and ammunition from a Delhi arms dealer.

Government Advocate Zulfikar Ali objected the bail plea of the MP and said there was sufficient evidence against the accused in the case.

The judge dismissed the application after hearing the two sides.

Shahabuddin, who was arrested from his residence in Delhi in the first week of November, is lodged at Bhagalpur Central Jail in connection with 10 cases of kidnapping, murder and possession of illegal firearms.(PTI)

Karvaan-e-Aman has earned Rs 8.50 lakh in
revenue till date

SRINAGAR, Dec 9: The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service has earned a revenue of nearly Rs 8.50 lakh till date for the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation, an official statement said today.

Inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 7, the historic bus service Karvaan-e-Aman (caravan of peace) ferried 707 passengers from Srinagar to Kaman Post, the last on the Line of Control, during the period, the statement said.

The revenue could have been much higher but for the October 8 earthquake which damaged the road on both sides of the Line of Control rendering it unsafe for travel for over a month, it said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Transport Corporation, which runs the Delhi-Lahore bus service, earned a revenue of nearly Rs 2.40 crore between July, 2003 and October, 2005 ferrying 17,740 passengers.

So far only one point-to-point bus service between India and Pakistan - the Delhi-Lahore bus service - is under operation, it added. (PTI)

RIL demerger scheme approved by Bombay High Court

MUMBAI, Dec 9: The Bombay High Court today put its stamp of approval on Reliance Industries Ltd’s much-publicised demerger scheme, which seeks to hive off the company’s power, telecom and energy businesses as part of a settlement reached between Ambani Siblings, Mukesh and Anil.

Rejecting objections raised by a minority shareholder, Justice Nishita Mhatre approved the Demerger scheme and asked RIL to move the matter before the registrar of companies within 30 days.

The shareholder, Kalpesh Bharatkumar Mankad, sought a stay for six weeks on the High Court order to enable him to file an appeal to the Higher Court, but Justice Mhatre refused to grant his prayers.

The shareholder, an Ahmedabad-based chartered accountant, raised objections, saying he was not opposed to the scheme per se but was only against the manner in which it was sought to be implemented. (PTI)

Female foeticide: Child sex-ratio declines

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Sex selective abortions or female foetcides have contributed to the current low in the girl hild sex-ratio which declined over the years from 964 in 1971 to 927 in 2001, the Government informed the Rajya Sabha today.

The decline is particularly prominent in the northern and western states of Punjab (875 to 798), Haryana (879 to 819), Himachal (951 to 896), Gujarat (928 to 883), Maharashtra (946 to 913) and Chandigarh (899 to 845).

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that as female foeticides take place secretely, no authentic figures are available.

As per reports received on 31st October 2005 from states and UTs , 27399 units /clinics using ultrasound, image scanners etc have been registered under pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PC and PNDT) Act 1994. (UNI)

Tibetans to take out candle rally today

NASHIK, Dec 9: Tibetans residing in this district will take out a candle light vigil tomorrow evening on the occasion of World Human Rights Day.

The candle light vigil will be hosted under the aegis of the Nashik Tibetan Welfare Association, a press release issued by the association said here today.

December 10 marks the proclamation of the universal declaration of human rights, yet the world is plagued by persistent human rights problems and collective failure of the free world to realise the legitimate and fundamental rights of the human beings, the release said.

The tragedy of tibet is a crisis of the whole humanity and the defeat of the Tibetan People’s struggle for Independence is a defeat of the principles equality, justice, freedom and truth the world over, the release said. (UNI)

SC to hear Salem’s plea on June 2

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: The Supreme Court today fixed January 2 for hearing a plea by underworld Don Abu Salem, who has challenged the December 2 Bombay High Court directive setting aside a TADA Court order restricting interrogation of the gangster to two officers of the anti-terrorist squad of the Mumbai Police.

A bench comprising Mr Justice K G Balakrishnan and Mr Justice P P Naolekar fixed the hearing after the filing of the petition was mentioned before the court by Salem’s lawyer.

Salem has contended that High Courts had no jurisdiction to hear appeals against TADA Court orders which could be challenged only before the Apex Court.

On an appeal by the Mumbai Police, the High Court had set aside the November 29 TADA Court order permitting not more than two police officers to interrogate Salem in connection with a 1995 murder case.

It said the TADA Court could not direct the police on how to conduct the investigation.

The gangster, who has been extradited from Portugal along with his companion wife Monica Bedi, had alleged before the TADA Court that he was being tortured by the anti-terrorist squad officers in the name of interrogation. (UNI)

India, US to conduct biggest ever army level exercise

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: In a step up of service-to-service engagement, India and US will conduct the biggest-ever army level exercises near Ranikhet in Uttaranchal in January as American officials today indicated that Washington was working to open doors to high-technology transfers.

A company force of the US army will conduct joint exercises with a thrust towards anti-insurgency operations in the mountainous terrain near Choubhatia, US officials said adding that in the coming year, armed forces of the two countries would participate in "more complex, patterned" war games.

"US Pacific command wants to expand its military-level interaction with India over a broad front to enable the two armed forces to share experience in doctrines and higher formation-level exercises", officials said.

Officials said though Indo-US defence trade stood at USD 287 million, they expected a big jump in arms sales through major deals with navy, special forces and air force in the offing.

They said American armament giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin were in the reckoning for India’s plan to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, spy planes and mine-hunter ships and Sea Hawk helicopters for the Navy.

India will also buy specialised armaments worth Rs 202 crores (29 million USD) for special forces to enhance its counter-terrorism capabilities.(PTI)

Togadia for encouraging Hindusto increase population

BHAGALPUR, Dec 9: Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia today made a strong plea to the Hindus to increase their population in view of the demographic changes taking place in the country and slammed both the UPA and erstwhile NDA Governments at the Centre for their alleged failure to check Bangladeshi infiltration.

"The Hindus should encourage growth in their population in the light of the demographic changes taking place in the country", Togadia, international general secretary of VHP,told reporters after a meeting of VHP workers here in the course of his "Jan Chetna Jagriti Abhiyan".

Stating that the purpose of his campaign was to make the Hindus take pride in their identity, he assailed the Congress-led UPA Government and the previous NDA regime for "having failed in checking Bangladeshi infiltration".

"There is the need to put pressure on the Government to check infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals," he said and suggested economic boycott of the infiltrators to discourage them from illegally migrating to India.

Togadia, however, refused to comment on the expulsion of Uma Bharti from BJP and bickerings in various state units of the saffron party saying "these are BJP’s internal matters".

On the Nitish Kumar-led NDA Government in Bihar, he said it was too early to evaluate its performance and it should be given at least six months to show results.(PTI)

Women taxi drivers, guides for foreign tourists

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: In a bid to involve more women in core tourism sector, Ministry of Tourism today launched a novel project under which women taxi drivers and guides knowing foreign languages would be engaged to facilitate foreign tourists.

The project christened "Priyadarshini" envisaging women cab drivers and trained guides knowing foreign language was launched by Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury here under the "Incredible India" campaign to further promote the tourism sector already experiencing an unprecedented boom.

Flagging off nine tourism taxis, she said the project is a step forward in the direction of empowering women by making them aware of the avenues for growth and equipping them through vocational training.

Trained in self-defence and repair of vehicles, the women would initially run their taxis between important tourism destinations in Delhi.

The ministry has prepared a three-month schedule of training women taxi drivers which include training in driving commercial vehicles, self defence, vehicle repairs and knowledge of important tourism destinations.

The ministry would also facilitate loan from banks for taxis besides training. All the 23 women selected initially for driving taxis are graduate and some of them knowing one or two foreign languages. The project would be extended to Mumbai and Hyderabad, she said.(PTI)

SC notice to UP Govt, Police on Miss Agra's father's plea

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Government and some of its senior police officials on a petition by the father of Miss Agra that his daughter was allegedly kidnapped and forcibly married to a man in connivance with the police.

A Bench of Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P P Naolekar sought response from the police officials of the rank of IGP, SSP and SSP of Reserve Police Line, Agra on a Habeas Corpus petition filed by R S Chaudhary, father of the girl.

He has sought CBI probe into the whole incident that started from December 1, 2003.

The father had alleged that his daughter Kamna Chaudhary was abducted by a man named Hemant, claiming to be her husband and has been kept in illegal confinement.

He also claimed that some media persons of local TV channel, who had taken "obscene photographs" of the girl, in connivance with the city police and others had been blackmailing the family.

The father had submitted that a forged certificate of marriage was prepared and even a CD cover of nude photographs was sent by courier to him.

In the petition, it was alleged that the family failed to get justice even after approaching the Allahabad High Court and that the Women Cell of Agra Police forced her to give statements in favour of the accused persons.

Altogether there are 16 respondents in the case and the petitioner said the facts of the case since May 1, 2004 establishes the collusion and connivance of accused persons with police. (PTI)

Host of Bollywood celebrities descend on Capitals

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: December is the month when several Bollywood starrers face their ultimate test: at the Box office.

So it is not surprising to find a host of people from 'Tinselville' head for the Capital for the 'last minute' promotion of their upcoming ventures.

While the previous week saw actors Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan and Bipasha Basu, along with filmmakers Prakash Jha and Feroz Nadiadwala, descend in Delhi to promote their latest ventures 'Deewane Huye Paagal'(which released on November 25) and 'Apharan' (which released on December 2), this week saw the arrival of renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt in the Capital to promote his new film 'Kalyug-To Hell

And Back', dealing with the menace of 'Hidden cameras peeping into private lives of People'.

Accompanying Bhatt for the promotional trip were the cast of the film (scheduled for release on December 9), which included Emran Hashmi, Deepal Shaw (of the 'Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar' remix fame), the Chocolate faced Kunal Khemu (who played child artist in films like 'Zakhm' and 'Hum hain Rahi Pyar Ke') and debutante actress Smilie Suri. While Kunal and Smilie, who is the sister of film’s director Mohit Suri, play the male and female leads, Emran and Deepal play key supporting roles in 'Kalyug'.

After a hectic schedule of interviews with the print and the electronic media at Delhi’s Ashoka Hotel, the entire team of 'Kalyug' "let their hair down" at a party at Ashoka's Russian restaurant 'Rose'.

Also present at the party, hosted by renowned businessman V K Srivastava and Mrs Kallpana Srivastava were Pakistani actress Meera, businessman and producer Rajbir and his wife Meenu and Manoj Raghuvanshi.

During the party, V K Srivastava invited the stars to cut the cake to cheer for their upcoming film.

Bhatt shared with the guests, as well as mediapersons present, some thoughts about the film.

"Our society is a society where one's pain is someone else's excitement and enjoyment. In 'Kalyug' we have tried to convey the same to our viewers. This film is based on the world of pornography, where pornography mafia is the main villain. It's all about the feelings and pain of people who are victims of pornography frauds and cheating. Their have been cases where married couples have been shot in their intimate moments, by hidden cameras and then sold to various porn sites. How one becomes a victim and fights it to prove his innocence is what we try to show in our movie,"Bhatt said.
Conspicuous by her absence was 80s star Amrita Singh, who makes a comeback in Bollywood with this film, playing the negative role of woman who runs the porn film racket.

This week also saw film stars Amisha Patel, Pooja Batra, Gulshan Grover, Suneil Shetty and actor-turned MP Govinda pay a visit to Delhi in connection with a friendly cricket match between Bollywood stars and Cricketers, organised in the memory of the late Sunil Dutt.

Adding glitter to the occasion were film stars Karan Nath, Rageshwari, singer Lucky Ali, cricketers Kapil Dev and Atul Waasan.

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Lacklustre advance bookings

for the Big b-starrer 'Ek Ajnabee'

NEW DELHI, Dec 9:

The year 1983; Riding on a sympathy wave for Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who had just come out of a long illness, Manmohan Desai’s 'Coolie' witnesses a stupendous opening at the box office, opening to either 100 per cent or near full houses in cinema halls in most parts of the country!

Switch to the year 2005 when the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 'Ek Ajnabee' is the first film to release at the theatres after the recent illness of Big B, who underwent surgery for an intestinal disorder at Mumbai’s Lilawati hospital.

Naturally, expectations have been sky high with almost all trade observers predicting an excellent opening for the film, given the huge sympathy wave for the Big b in the country, and abroad!

The film pundits may, however, be proved wrong this time round specially the advance booking reports of the Big B-starrer are anything to go by.

Contrary to expectations, Trade sources say there was no early rush for advance bookings for 'Ek Ajnabee' in the major cities of the country. In Mumbai, the advance bookings were only about 20-30 per cent.

Infact, as of Tuesday, Yashraj Films' 'Neal and Nikki', which is also releasing on the same day, registered a higher level of advance bookings in many of the metros.

Trade analysts attribute the lacklustre advance bookings for 'Ek Ajnabee' to a lack of buzz around the film, which could have been due to the fact that 'Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost, the last film of Apurva Lakhia, 'Ek Ajbanee's director, was a washout at the Box office.

Also, the fact that besides Amitabh, the film does not have any saleable stars in its cast, may have led to a lack of excitement among the audience for the film.

The last verdict on 'Ek Ajnabee', however, would only be available in the days after the film’s release at the theatres (Today). Till then it is 'Neal N Nikki' that seems to be the "flavour among the audience"

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Nagesh Kukunoor’s 'Iqbal'

completes 100 days

NEW DELHI, Dec 9:

At the outset, not many in the film industry may have given this non-starcast fare much of a chance at the box office when it released three months ago!

However, just like its deaf and mute protagonist who achieves his seemingly impossible dream of making it in the mean in Blue, 'Nagesh Kukunoor’s 'Iqbal', dispelling all prophesies of nay-sayers in the film world about its lack of staying power, has completed a 100 day run at the theatres, a significant milestone for a film made on a small budget.

Produced by Bollywood showman Subhash Ghai under the banner of Mukta Searchlight Films, the film, released on August 26, completed 100 days of its run at the Gossip theatre of Mumbai on December 3.

The achievement seems all the more commendable since 'Iqbal' was pitted against 'No Entry', a big budget multistarrer having in its cast stars like Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Salman Khan, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Esha Deol and Celina Jaitley. In contrast, 'Iqbal' starred newcomer Shreyas Talpade in the lead along with Shweta Prasad (of 'Makdi' fame), Pratiksha Lonkar, Girish Karnad and Naseeruddin Shah.

Made at a budget of just Rs 3 crore, 'Iqbal' has, during its 100 day run, grossed nearly Rs 5 crore, Rs 1.67 crore in Mumbai alone.

Besides box office success, the film has earned a lot of critical acclaim, both in India as well as abroad.

For example, members of the cricketing community, including veteran cricketers like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Sandip Patil, Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli have hailed 'Iqbal' as the "best film ever made in India on the sport of cricket.

The film was among the films selected for screening at the just-concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Goa. Further, the film was screened at the Kara film festival in Karachi last week as its opening film.

The film has inspired the NCERT to introduce a course on sign language. Besides it also earned for Ghai an invitation as a guest of honour at the World Cup cricket match for the deaf and mute players. (UNI)

More benifits for handicapped persons in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, Dec 9: The Punjab Government has made elaborate arrangements to provide more benefits to handicape persons in the State, R L Kalsia, Secretary Social Security and Development of wome and children said here today.

All those persons who were disabled by 40 per cent or more would be considered handicapped, Deaf, dumb, blind and physically handicapped could avail these benefits, he said.

Handicapped certificate was issued by the civil surgeon in districts on prescribed dates without any fees. Handicapped person would also get finanicial assistance of Rs 200 per month, he said.

Kalsia said that physically handicapped persons who were matric and under graduates will get Rs 225 per month while graduates and post graduates will get Rs 300 per month.

Blind, deaf and dumb persons who were matric and under graduates will get Rs 450 per month while graduates and Post graduates will get Rs 600 per month as unemployed allowance.

He said that handicapped students would get Rs 200 per month upto 8th class and Rs 300 above 9th class as stipend. Besides, free book would also be provided to blind students upto the age of 18 years.

In Government jobs, at the time of direct appointments three per cent seats would be reserved for class 1,2,3 and 4 and in the block of 100 vacancies, 11th, 40th and 71th vacacies would go to handicapped candidate. Directions had already been given to all the departments to clear the back log of these posts.

He said that handicapped Government employee would get five per cent of its pay or maximum Rs 150 per month as Traveling allowance.

In Government jobs handicapped person would also get relaxation of 10 years upper age limit, while blind government employees would be retired at the age of 60 years. (PTI)