Three SIMI activists arrested

RAJGARH, MP, Apr 6: Three more activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were arrested from Narsinghgarh town in Rajgarh district, police said today.

The activists were arrested late last night on charges of aiding anti-national elements and indulging in illegal activities, Rajgarh Superintendent of Police D K Arya told PTI.

The arrested SIMI workers have been identified as Irfan, Faizal and Shakir, he said.

A huge quantity of objectionable material, video cassettes and CDs have also been recovered from the house, from where they were arrested, Arya said. (PTI)

Dinosaurs and aliens join samurai
warriors at Mumbai museum

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: Dilophosaurus, the carnivorous dinosaur from ‘Jurrasic Park,’ Danny DeVito, the evil Penguin from ‘Batman Returns’ and a model of the Alien Queen from ‘Aliens’ will figure among a collection of Hollywood memorabilia that is soon coming to Mumbai.

The country’s first ever musuem-archive-entertainment centre ‘The Osianama,’ has purchased Rs 1.15 crore worth of artworks used in various Hollywood films and auctioned at the recent ‘Profiles in History’ auction held at Los Angeles.

The highlight of the collection is the hand-painted and detailed solid poly-foam pieces of the Dilophosaurus display study used in the Steven Speilberg’s ‘Jurrasic Park’ bought for USD 27,500.

Neville Tuli, the founder chairman of Archive cum Auction House, Osian, says "Young minds have a fascination for the Sci-Fi and horror film creatures which show magnificent imagination and represent some of the most unique creations of Hollywood. To see the smiles on the faces of our children when they see these artworks will be wonderful."

The adult Pteranodon and five banies "feeding" on screen used Baby T Rex stunt puppet from Jurassic Park II as well as the Dilophosaurus display study are all mounted on a wooden base.

Also the Danny DeVito Penguin display study from the 1992 Warner Bros blockbuster ‘Batman Returns’ bought for USD 42,500 is a meticulously created full-scale model built and painted by the same artists responsible for designing and sculpting the original look of the Penguin.

Produced from molds used for makeup pieced and a 66 inch life cast of Danny DeVito, was purchased along with the hero penguin Henchman from the same film.

"It is true we have our own exciting myths and fables but so far we have not been able to create living forms of characters such as in our films. It is something to respect, learn from and then create anew from our roots and sensibilities but with the best use of technologies and craftsmanship," says Tuli.

The museum, that is being built on the site of Mumbai’s Minerva theatre, is scheduled to be open to the public by mid 2009 and the recently bought models and puppets will join the growing collection of rare artifacts on world cinema.

The new artworks are the latest to join the growing Sci-Fi and Horror Collection of Hollywood Memorabilia collected for ‘The Osianama,’ Osian’s forthcoming integrated Arts and Cultural institution that is being built at Mumbai’s erstwhile Minerva cinema.

The Osian’s Cinema Archive and Library collection already contains over 300,000 original artworks, posters, show-cards and memorabilia including artworks from films like ‘Planet Of The Apes,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Hell Raiser,’ ‘Scream,’ ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘The Terminator.’

The organisation has recently forayed into new fields of art such as Japanese samurai helmets and armours, Ningyo dolls, African tribal masks, Polish film posters, Chinese and Soviet political propaganda artifacts and magic memorabilia. (PTI)

Registration of marriage? Not many really care

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: It may have been made in heaven but Sanjay Dutt’s much hyped wedlock with Manayata was ‘unmade’ in Goa with the authorities withdrawing the registration.

Although the celebrity marriage kicked up a storm in the media and led to an action by the Goa government against an official, experts say non-registration does not nullify and infact, not many in the country really bother to go to the marriage registar’s office.

"It cannot be said that due to non-registration, a marriage is invalid. Registration of a marriage is only a formality just like registration of a child’s birth or of a death, on the part of government to keep track of the numbers. Otherwise in India, lakhs of marriages take place in a year as per customary rites and rituals and the government has no data regarding such marriages," says a senior Supreme Court lawyer Ajay Gupta.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling that mandates each and every marriage to be registered, lawyers claim that there is only a very small proportion of the population that actually gets it done.

"Generally people who marry against the wishes of their parents or want to go to foreign countries apply for registration. In a nutshell, we could say that not more than 5 out of 100 come for registration," says Gupta.

Parija P, a lawyer who specialises in divorce and related cases says, "It is wrong to say that it is mandatory for a couple to get a marriage certificate to get married. Marriage is one aspect and registration of a marriage is another aspect. It could never be said that due to non-registration, a marriage is invalid."

There also is a stark difference between rural and urban areas as also between states. The onus lies upon a particular state to ensure the law is enforced.

"It is not considered a major offence if one does not register a marriage and so a common man’s sentiment is not aroused to such an extent that he is motivated to go for it. Also most of our population live in rural areas where it is all the more difficult to enforce as a marriage is valid without a registration too," says Gupta.

"If a couple ties the knot under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 the marriage remains valid even without a registration. Same is also true for other personal law marriages," Parija adds.

Necessity of registration of marriage is only a formality like registration of child birth and death, in order to enable the government to keep track of the marriage. Otherwise in India where lakhs of marriages are solemnised in a year acCording to respective customary rituals, there is no other provision for the government to keep track of marriages.

There is also a number of cases of fraud reported mostly by NRI’s who use marraige as an excuse to enter foreign countries, she says.

Since marriage is generally accepted by society even though it is solemnised under different rituals, many unscrupulous elements often take advantage of the institution to further their wants.

Generally in each district, there is one Registrar of marriages. "The registering authority asks for the identification proof as well as the residential proof of the couple. These proofs should be issued by the government like an election voter I-card, ration card etc. They go by the documentary proof only. Generally no actual verification of address is taken. If the address is found to be wrong, then there would be no registration of marriage in that jurisdictional court," says Parija. (PTI)

Child witness’s testimony can be used for conviction: SC

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: The Supreme Court has ruled that the testimony of a child witness is an admissible piece of evidence which can be used to convict an accused.

"Whether the child witness has sufficient intelligence primarily rests with the Trial Judge who notices his manners, his apparent possession or lack of intelligence," a bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice P Sathasivam observed.

A child of tender age can be allowed to testify if he or she has intellectual capacity to understand questions and give rational answers, the apex court said.

It passed the observation while altering the life sentence imposed by a sessions court in Andhra Pradesh on the accused Golla Yelugu Govindu who hacked to death his wife Dhanalakshi with a sickle.

The killing committed by Govindu was a sequel to the quarrel he picked up with his wife after she failed to bring money from her parents for the purchase of an autorickshaw as demanded by the accused.

The gruesome incident was witnessed by the three minor children of the couple whose testimony eventually led to the imposition of the life imprisonment by the sessions judge and was later confirmed by the High Court.

In the appeal, the accused reiterate that since the children were of tender age their testimony could not be relied upon for convicting him.

Rejecting the argument, the apex court said the Indian Evidence Act 1872 does not prescribe any particular age as a determinative factor to treat a witness to be a competent.

"The evidence of a child witness is not required to be rejected per se, but the court as a rule of prudence considers such evidence with close scrutiny and only on being convinced about the quality thereof and reliability can record conviction, based thereon," the apex court said.

However, the apex court reduced the life imprisonment awarded to the convict to 10 years on the ground that in the backdrop of the factual scenario of the case, the offence committed by the accused fell under Section 300 IPC .

Under the said section a person need not be sentenced to death or life imprisonment if the killing was committed in a sudden quarrel and under grave provocation. (PTI)

Rajan panel suggests Financial
Development Council under FM

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: Making a strong pitch for expediting reforms in financial sector, a high-level committee has suggested setting up of the Financial Development Council (FDC) under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister.

"The main focus of this council (FDC) would be macro risk assessment and development issues," said the draft report of the Committee on Financial Sector Reforms (CFSR), set up by the Planning Commission. The panel is headed by former IMF Chief Economist Raghuram G Rajan who is now a professor at Chicago University .

The panel which was set up last year has also suggested that the discussion at the high-level council should be made public after a reasonable interval of time.

Suggesting that the Government should withdraw from financing and direct control of banking and financial institutions, the committee has noted that "populism and direction intervention, that unfortunately seems to be making a come back, should be relegated firmly to the past".

The Rajan panel has also suggested setting up of the Financial Ombudsman (OFO) incorporating all similar offices in existing regulators to resolve the grievances of customers relating to financial sector.

Favouring the establishment of Financial Sector Oversight Agency (FSOA), the CFSR said, it could help in monitoring the functioning of large financial conglomerates and diffuse inter-regulatory conflicts.

Pointing out that the intention of the committee is not to create a super regulator displacing existing regulators, it said, FSOA could fulfil the need of coordination among regulators.

The Rajan Committee said that FSOA should comprise chiefs of regulatory bodies and should include Finance Secretary as a permanent invitee.

"All issues of regulatory coordination and supervision of systemically important financial conglomerates and financial institutions will be taken up by the FOSS," it added.

CFSR also recommended strengthening of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) to monitor risk and resolve problems concerning insolvency of banks.

Suggesting creation of unique national ID number with biometric identification, it said, the system could be used to build individual records payment and improve access to credit.

Pointing out that land is often pledged as collateral for securing bank loans, the committee said computerisation of land records and tenancy reform could help in removing ambiguity over land titles and increasing flow of credit to the farm sector.

In this regard, the it also underlined the need for setting up special courts to clear the backlog of land disputes, which takes years to get resolved.

The ambit of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act (SRFAESI Act), CFSR said, needs to be extended to all institutions to help the lenders to recover the money.

While making a case for strengthening of the Asset Reconstruction Companies, it said the Government should consider allowing foreign investment in ARCs. "There is really no sensible case to keep foreign direct investment out of ARCs," it said.

The members high profile panel included SBI Chairman O P Bhatt, ICICI Bank Managing Director K V Kamath, Crisil Chief R Ravimohan, NCAER Director General Suman Bery and Kotak Mahindra Bank CEO Uday Kotak. (PTI)

Protest contradicts Chinese propaganda
on Tibet: Dalai Lama

DHARAMSHALA, Apr 6: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama today said that protests in Tibet contradict the Chinese "propaganda" about people there enjoying a prosperous and contended life and made it clear that the issue "can no longer be neglected".

"The Chinese authorities have been making false allegations against myself and the Central Tibetan Administration for instigating and orchestrating the recent events in Tibet. These allegations are totally untrue," he said in a statement.

"The recent protests all over Tibet have not only contradicted but also shattered the People Republic of Chinas propaganda that except for a few ‘reactionaries’, the majority of Tibetans enjoy a prosperous and contented life," the spiritual leader said.

The protests have made it clear that Tibetans in the three provinces of Tibet, U-tsang, Kham and Amdo, harbor the same aspirations and hopes, he said in a statement.

"These protests have also conveyed to the world that the Tibet issue can no longer be neglected," he said.

Demanding a probe into the unrest in Tibet by an "independent and respected international body", he said "I am sure this independent body will uncover the truth. If the Peoples Republic of China has any basis and proof of evidence to back their allegations, they need to disclose these to the world. Just making allegations is not enough."

The Dalai Lama also talked about the "mutually beneficial Middle-Way Approach" to find a solution for the future of Tibet.

"Since 1974, I have sincerely remained steadfast to the mutually beneficial Middle-Way Approach. The Middle-Way Approach means that all Tibetans must be governed by similar administration that enjoys meaningful National Regional Autonomy and all the provisions in it, self-rule and full decision-making, except for matters concerning foreign relations and national defense," the Dalai Lama said.

The Tibetans in Tibet have the right to make the final decision for the future of Tibet, he said.

He asked all the Tibetans to keep away from violence.

"I know you are being provoked at every level but it is important to stick to our non-violent practice. We should not engage in any action that could be even remotely interpreted as violent," the spiritual leader said.

He said that nobody should create any hindrance in the holding of Olympic games in China.

"The hosting of the Olympic games this year is a matter of great pride to the 1.2 billion Chinese people. I have from the very beginning supported the holding of these Games in Beijing. My position on this remains unchanged," he said.

"It is the legitimate right of every Tibetan to struggle for their freedoms and rights. On the other hand, it will be futile and not helpful to anyone if we do something that will create hatred in the minds of the Chinese people," he said. (PTI)

Lord Paul arrives, heading CPA delegation from UK

KOLKATA, Apr 6: Heading a 4-member high-level Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation UK, Lord Swraj Paul arrived here today from London on a 6-day visit.

The visit, mainly aimed at exploring investment possibilities and boosting bilateral trade relations, was at the invitation of the CPA Chairman and West Bengal Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim, a source close to Lord Paul said.

Delighted to be in the ‘City of Joy’, Lord Paul said "my first visit will be to the Mother House (the global headquarters of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity) this afternoon."

During its stay in the state, the delegation would meet Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, the Speaker and CPA Chairman H A Halim.

Besides it would hold discussions with the Standing Committee on Commerce and Industries of the assembly on April seven.

Lord Paul and his team would also visit the Tata Motors small car project at Singur in Hooghly district on April eight.

He would attend an interactive session with FICCI (Eastern Regional Council) members the next day and visit Santiniketan on April 10, the source said.

The CPA delegation will visit the British Deputy High Commission and the British Council tomorrow.

The delegation would leave on April 12. (PTI)

Person can be convicted for murder
through a single blow: SC

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: The Supreme Court has rejected the view that a person cannot be convicted for a pre-meditated murder if the victim had died due to a "single" injury inflicted by the accused.

"The nature of the offence would certainly depend upon the other attendant circumstances which would help the court to find definitely about the intention on the part of the accused," a bench of Justices S B Sinha and V S Sirpurkar said.

The attendant circumstances would include pre-mediation, nature of the weapon used and the nature of assault on the victim, it said.

The apex court passed the judgement while dismissing an appeal filed by the accused Bavisetti Kameswara Rao alias Babai challenging the life imprisonment imposed by a sessions court for the murder committed by him.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court had confirmed the sentence upon which he appealed in the apex court.

Rao was convicted for murdering Samudrala Pandu Ranga Rao alias Rayalam Rangaduon on July 30, 2000, with a screw driver due to previous enmity.

It was stated that the accused committed the murder by taking the assistance of seven others.

The murder was said to be a sequel to an incident wherein the deceased assaulted the accused after the latter refused to allow him consume liquor in the mini lorry supply office owned by the accused.

Noting that the accused had formed into an unlawful assembly for carrying out the attack, the apex court rejected the plea that incident occured on the spur of the moment.

Nursing a grudge against the deceased, the accused is stated to have taken the help of his friends and carried out the attack with a screw driver.

Rao is said to have stabbed the deceased on the left side of his chest causing deep bleeding injury resulting in his death.

The apex court noted that in this case the accused had hatched a plan to commit the murder and hence the accused cannot be treated for the lesser offence under 304 IPC (Part II) (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

"Therefore, under the circumstances, even if there was a single injury caused, it was with such a force and on such vital part of the body that it cause almost instantaneous death," the apex court observed.

Accordingly the bench dismissed the appeal. (PTI)

Property is a Constitutional right, says apex court

NEW DELHI, Apr 6: The Supreme Court has said that right of property is a constitutional and a human right which a person cannot be deprived of except in cases where the statute provides for the same.

"Right of property although no longer a Fundamental Right is still a Constitutional Right. It is also a human right. In the absence of any provision either expressly or by necessary implication, depriving a person therefrom, the court shall not construe a provision leaning in favour of such deprivation," the apex court observed.

The apex court passed the ruling while dismissing the appeal filed by the Karnataka State Financial Corporation challenging a High Court order.

The Karnataka High Court had earlier quashed the acquisition proceedings initiated by the Corporation against certain guarantors and surety holders of a company which had defaulted in repaying a loan.

Interpreting the various sections of the Karnataka State Financial Corporation, the apex court said Section 31 authorised the Corporation to enforce the liability only through an application before the District Judge.

"In a case where a court has to weigh between a right of recovery and protection of a right, it would also lean in favour of the person who is going to be deprived therefrom," the bench observed.

Since the relevant proviso was not complied with, the Corporation’s decision to take possession of the guarantor’s properties was illegal, the apex court said while dismissing the appeal. (PTI)

Shatrughan wishes to enter Lok
Sabha from Patna Saheb seat

SHIMLA, Apr 6: Cinestar and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha today wished to make his maiden entry into Lok Sabha from the newly carved out Patna Saheb seat.

"Since I have been born and brought up in Patna, I wish to make my maiden entry into Lok Sabha from Patna Saheb constituency," Sinha said over phone.

According to the Delimitation Committee recommendations, the existing Patna Lok Sabha seat has been divided into Patna Saheb and Patliputra constituencies. The Patna Saheb seat comprises assembly seats of Patna West, Central, East and Bhakhtiyarpur.

Asked from which party he would enter into the fray, Sinha, who was recently denied Rajya Sabha nomination from Bihar for the third consecutive time, remained non-committal on the issue.

"Today I am firmly in BJP, but I do not believe in political untouchability as is our leader Advaniji," he added.

Sinha’s reported meeting with Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi recently had given rise to the speculation the BJP’s star campaigner planned to cross over to that party.

"I will open my mouth only after April when my tenure in the Upper House ends," Sinha added.

Sinha, Health minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government at the Centre, repeated that he had tremendous faith in the leadership of veteran party leader L K Advani.

"If he wishes that I shall contest coming Lok Sabha polls from a constituency of my choice which has been endorsed by BJP president Rajnath Singh too, I can only say Advaniji’s wish is my command," he said. (PTI)

Defence test site in Chandipur to
be expanded, mordernised

KOLKATA, Apr 6: India’s ballistic missile and weapons testing facility in Orissa’s Chandipur is being expanded to thrice its present size and modernised to test indigenously-developed weapons for India’s defence forces.

"The test site would be expanded 50 km southward and 50 km into the sea to test home-made tanks, rocket launchers and artillery," Army’s spokesperson in Eastern Command, Group Captain R K Das said.

The test site which is now 19.5 km in length along Orissa coast and 3 km in width will not need land acquisition for the expansion as it has been acquired earlier, Das said.

The test site known as Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) is Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) oldest weapons testing facility in the country set up in 1894.

According to Das, the facility would also be modernised. "The ammunition storage and handling systems will also be modernised. Upgraded PXE will be better equipped to test indigeneously-developed tanks and weapons to cater to the future demands of the country’s defence forces," Das said.

The trial of Arjun tanks, multi-barrel PINACA rocket launchers, Remotely-delivered Minelet System, Modular Charge System, Enhanced Range Rocket and cargo ammunition are currently being carried out here, the spokesman said.

Other ammunition which are also being tested there include, T-72 ammunition, 155 mm illuminating ammunition, 130 mm HE ammunition, fuses, ordnance for 155, 130 and 120 mm guns, propellant charges, armour plates and Super Rapid Gun Mounting.

The test range at Chandipur came under DRDO in 1958 and is used by DRDO labs, ordnance factories, Army, Navy and Air Force and PSU’s, Das said.

During the British Raj, weapons from ordnance factories were sent to England for testing. "But since the process delayed tests, the then Port Officer of Calcutta recommended Chandipur for testing weapons, he said.

The crescent-shaped coast facilitates firing at different bearings into the sea without fear of harm to human habitation.

"Uninterrupted firing can continue from all the firing points as the lines do not cross any national or international air or sea route," Das said.

The water recedes 3 km into the sea during low tide here facilitating various range operations before and after firing. The weather too helps dynamic testing throughout the year.

"The seabed and water provide a cushion for fired projectiles and make recovery easy to examine the strength of design. During low tide the seabed becomes hard enough to allow movement of loaded vehicles and even tanks for various range operations," Das added. (PTI)