Man gets relief from court after 28-year-long legal battle

NAGPUR, Jan 31: A senior citizen in his late 80’s was finally handed out justice by the High Court in a petty dispute case after a prolonged battle of 28 years.

Bhagirath Shrikant Bajaj had approached the Mangrulpir police station with a complaint against his neighbours on March 18, 1980, where he accused them of beating him up but the then police inspector Punjabrao Deshmukh did not entertain his complaint and prompted him to approach SP Akola.

However, senior policemen and officials refused to budge and put Bajaj behind the bars besides parading and humiliating him in the village.

Later, when he was released by a local court on bail, he demanded a compensation of Rs, 25,000 from the erring police inspector and filed a complaint with Akola civil court demanding damages. But the court dismissed his case on April 22, 1988, following which the order was challenged before the Sessions court in 1991.

Following this, the then District and Session Judge D S Jamkhedkar granted damages to the tune of Rs 6,000 to Bhagirath along with interest.

Meanwhile, Deshmukh approached the High Court and challenged the order.

However, Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari maintained the order of the Sessions court and granted relief to Bhagirath on Wednesday. (PTI)

Music album: New shaking formula of Yana

NEW DELHI, Jan 31: Bollywood beauty Yana Gupta, much known as an item number girl, is all set to come out with her first ever English music album soon.

"I am working on my first music album very seriously. It will take some time to materialise," says cheerful Yana. "I am quite confident about the success of my new project," the ‘Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo’ dancer said.

Yana says she is busy with the album, for which she is composing, writing and even singing.

"I have taken singing lesson earlier. But as English is not my first language, it is taking some time to grasp," she smiles.

But what has emboldened her to take up such a plan?

She says "Someone heard me singing and advised me to come out with an album. It forced me to think about it and I made up my mind to do so."

"I don’t claim to be a great artist, but I am confident as a woman, as a human being. I am trying my best to make this a quality one," Yana says.

The fitness freak model-turned-actress also aspires to work in Bollywood films and is currently looking for a "good" role there.

"I have got a couple of offers, but not impressed with any scripts so far. Those were not so good for me," she adds.

Recently she has appeared in three Tamil films as cameo items-‘Manmadhan’, ‘Anniyan’ and ‘Gharshana’. "The only reason is the songs were great in those films," she explains.

"I have also played an item number in a Bengali film, which will be released very soon," she enraptures. Yana has appeared with her sizzling dance in a Bengali feature film ‘90 Hours’, co-directed by Saugata Roy Barman and Sushanto Pal Choudhury.

"I am very busy with my album right now," says Yana adding "anything is yet to be finalised about my return to Bollywood."

The dancer has come up with an altogether jazzy look. She is now spending lot of time in gym to keep herself in shape. "After coming back to India, I started gaining weight. Now besides regular fitness training, consuming healthy foods and lot of fruits is my fitness mantra," Yana says.

The lady has also penned down a book on fitness tips, which is set to be published by the end of the year. (PTI)

Village faces shortage of feed, fodder in Leh due to snowfall

SRINAGAR, Jan 31: Concerned over the acute shortage of feed and fodder because of heavy snowfall and minus 20 degree celsius temperature, the authorities in leh has decided to constitute a Task Force (TF) to meet the challenge.

The Task Force would conduct a survey of the areas where reports about shortage of feed and fodder for live stock has been reported.

Meanwhile, the air force and army authorities would be requested to arrange air dropping of fodder in the areas which are cut off because of snow

the TF would present the report in a shortest possible time and accordingly the rehabilitation measures would be taken, an official spokesman said.

He said Changthang area was the worst hit where people were facing acute shortage of feed and fodder for their live stock due to heavy snowfall.

The Chairman of Chief Executive Councilor (CEC), Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Chhering Dorje was informed by the Councilors of Changthang that due to considerable snowfall, all the pasture lands have been covered with snow.

The problem has become more acute because of damages to grasslands, he was informed.

However, Dorje informed that 2731 quintals of feed have already been stocked at 22 feed banks established in the area.

The feed were being sold to the breeders on 30 per cent subsidised rate costing Rs 710 per quintal.

The Chief Executive Councilor said as much as 1000 quintals of fodder is available with the Sheep Husbandry Department, Leh, and would be lifted for distribution among breeders as per the recommendation of the task force.

Mr Dorje also said the Air Force and Army authorities would be requested to arrange air dropping of fodder in the areas which are disconnected because of snow. (UNI)

Arunachal is ‘our land of rising sun’, says PM

ITANAGAR, Jan 31: Close on the heels of his visit to China, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sent out a veiled message that Arunachal Pradesh is "our land of rising sun" for whose development he announced a number of schemes.

"The sun kisses India first in Arunachal Pradesh. It is our land of rising sun," he said addressing a public meeting here on his first day of his maiden visit to this border state, parts of which China claims are its territory.

Asserting that the UPA Government accorded the highest priority to the development of Arunachal Pradesh, Singh expressed confidence that the north eastern state would emerge as one of the best regions of the country.

He announced launching of several schemes, including two power projects at Pare and Dibang, and provision of electricity to every households in the state.

Underlining that a strategy has been evolved by the Centre for all-round development of the State, Singh said the thrust areas would be to establish rail, road and air connectivity, development of infrastructure, education and health care facilities.

"I sincerely hope that like the Sun, Arunachal Pradesh will rise from the East as a new star and become one of the best regions of our country," he said addressing a public meeting in Hindi.

The Prime Minister also announced that Arunachal will get a new greenfield airport in Itanagar besides airports at Passi Ghat, Along, Daporijo, Ziro and Tizu.

Singh noted that a direct helicopter service between Guwahati and Tawang would also begin soon.

The Union Cabinet yesterday cleared the helicopter service which the Centre would be subsidising upto 75 per cent of the operating cost.

He said the Defence Ministry would also upgrade infrastructure at several areas including Pasi Ghat and Vijai Nagar.

A trans-Arunachal highway, a drinking water scheme and a new secretariat building were among other projects announced by Singh, who had visited the state in 1986 as Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission.

He had then visited border area Tawang, where he will not travel this time though he ate a trout fish from there at lunch today.

Observing that steps would be taken by the Centre in accordance with its broad strategy, the Prime Minister said "it is only through these measures and through all-round development of Arunachal Pradesh that we can ensure that the nation moves ahead in steps towards a glorious future."

He said Arunchal Pradesh was rich in water resources and had immense potential in hydro-power. It could generate Rs 300 crore in revenue annually only through Dibang power project, which he inaugurated today.

"If we build similar projects across the state, then the state can generate annual revenue of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore. This simple step alone can change the fortune of the state," the Prime Minister said.

Talking about move to ensure electrification of all households in the state, Singh said Rs 550 crore would be spent on utilising solar power, micro hydro projects and grid based power to cover all border villages as well as others.

"This will be done in two years," he said.

He also announced a new rail link between Itanagar and Harmuti to provide more economical and speedy access to destinations outside the state.

The Government would build a two-lane trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway covering 1840 km connecting Tawang to Mahadevpur and passing through areas like Bomdi La, Ziro, Daparijo, Along, Pasighat and Changlang.

"This will be a priority project costing Rs 5500 crore. It will be a flagship highway and one of the most important new-road projects to be taken up by my Government. In three to four years, we will connect Itanagar with a four-lane highway," he said.

Regarding damages caused by regular floods, he said the Centre would give Rs 400 crore for the reconstruction of areas damaged by flood.

The Planning Commission would also give Rs 265 crore this year for the completion of the incomplete projects.

"I believe that the progress and development of the state like Arunachal Pradesh is the measure of the progress and development of the Nation as a whole. Your progress will strengthen the Nation." (PTI)

‘Centre to look into UP’s recommendation for CBI probe into BJP CD’ ....

LUCKNOW, Jan 31: The Centre would look into the recommendation of the Uttar Pradesh Government for a CBI probe into the controversial BJP CD case as and when it gets the letter, Union minister of state for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said today.

"I have read in the newspapers today that the UP Government would write to the Centre shortly seeking a CBI probe into the CD controversy...Let the letter reach the Government then we will look into it," he told reporters here during a brief interaction.

Yesterday, Chief Minister Mayawati had announced the Government’s decision to go for a CBI probe into the BJP’s controversial CD episode, which rocked the state during the last assembly poll.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, former leader of the opposition in the state assembly Lalji Tandon and eight others were accused of releasing the controversial CD said to be the tool to instigate communal violence.

"We decided for the CBI probe to prevent any political allegation on the Government over the sensitive nature of the case," Ms Mayawati underlined.

The CM, however, maintained that during the Lucknow police investigation, it was found that several senior BJP leaders were involved in the release of the controversial CD.

She also categorically said that during investigation, it was also found that the alleged CD was meant to create communal tension for gaining political mileage.

Earlier, the Lucknow police had claimed that the chargesheet was incomplete and the investigation was still in progress against 10 party leaders, including Rajnath Singh and Mr Tondon in connection with its release during the last Assembly election. (UNI)

Army woman employee arrested with explosives ..

GURDASPUR, Jan 31: An Army woman employee was arrested with explosive material and ammunition from Tibri Army cantonment area in the district last night.

Stating this here today SP Lok Nath Aangra said the woman, identified as Rajinder Kaur, an employee in the Army MES, was arrested after 400 grams of explosives, one detonator, two fuse switches and cartridges were recovered from her official residence after a raid.

A team led by DSP (detective) Jasdeep Singh had raided her house on a specific information from Rupnagar Police. She has been booked under sections 4, 5 of explosives act and 24, 55 and 59 of Arms Act.

Rajinder Kaur was appointed in the MES after the death of her husband who was working in the same department. Her son is also employed in the Army and is currently posted in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Mr Aangra the police was interrogating her to extract important information. If needed her son would also be interrogated, he said.

(UNI)

HC orders removal of Modi’s name from Pandya murder case

AHMEDABAD, Jan 31: The Gujarat High Court has ordered removal of the name of Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a respondent in an appeal filed in the Haren Pandya murder case by his father, seeking re-investigation in the case.

The High Court said that as the per the Code of Criminal Procedure, people who are party during a trial in the lower court can only be cited as respondents in a criminal appeal later.

Justice J R Vora and Justice M R Shah in their order yesterday said that as the Chief Minister was not a respondent or a party in the murder case of the former minister and BJP leader Haren Pandya, he had no locus in this case at this stage.

Demanding re-investigation in the murder case, the petitioner Vitthal Pandya, father of the late BJP leader, has filed a 200-page appeal in the High Court expressing his dissatisfaction over the CBI probe.

He has contended in the appeal that his son’s murder was a political one, allegedly executed at the behest of Modi and that was the reason as to why he had included the name of the Chief Minister as a respondent.

The High Court observed that if such an application is allowed then the consequence would be to re-investigate the case.

If some material against the person is found by the investigating agency, a chargesheet is required to be filed, the court said. Thereafter, he has to be prosecuted as an accused and till that stage he has no locus, it said.

"We fail to appreciate why and for what purpose respondent number three (Modi) is joined in the present proceedings which is only at the stage of considering the applications of the applicant for re-investigation," the bench observed.

"According to us, at this stage respondent number three has no locus and is not required to be heard and he could not have been joined as party respondent considering various provisions and scheme of Code of Criminal Procedure," the Judges said.

Special Public Prosecutor Harin Rawal, appearing for CBI has submitted that to continue respondent number three (Modi) in the present proceedings, will be contrary to the scheme of Code of Criminal Procedure.

Pandya was killed on March 26, 2003 near Law Garden. The case was handed over to CBI and the agency had held 18 persons responsible for the crime and had arrested 12 of them.

The case came up for trial before Special POTA Court Judge Sonia Gokani, who in her judgement on July 2007, had convicted all the 12 accused.

She had sentenced nine accused to life imprisonment, two to a seven-year prison term while awarding one with a five-year jail. (PTI)

CBI questions arms dealer Suresh Nanda...

NEW DELHI, Jan 31: A day after his passport was revoked temporarily by the Centre, CBI today questioned arms dealer Suresh Nanda, son of former Naval Chief Admiral S M Nanda, in connection with the alleged kickbacks received in the Barak missile deal.

Nanda, who had challenged impounding of his passport by the CBI in Supreme Court, was summoned to CBI headquarters here this morning to explain foreign remittances to the tune of Rs 400 crore allegedly transferred into his bank accounts. The remittances, the agency claimed, was a kickback from the Barak missile deal, the sources said.

The External Affairs Ministry issued an order last evening suspending his passport for four weeks following the CBI application for revoking this travel document.

The CBI has alleged that an amount Rs 543.33 crore from various sources abroad went into his bank accounts between 1995 and 2001.

The CBI probe into Nanda’s dealings gathered momentum after the Interpol told the agency that Rs 400 crore was deposited in Nanda’s bank account after the Barak missile deal was signed between the Defence Ministry and an Israeli firm.

The CBI alleged that a five-star hotel in the national capital may have been purchased by Nandas with kickback money he allegedly received for brokering a Rs 1,100 crore deal between an Israeli company and India.

The money may also have been allegedly used to purchase a hotel in Mumbai and land for Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Maharashtra, sources said.

The CBI alleged Nanda had shown himself as a British national in Media-Asia Europe firm in the UK, a charge denied by Nanda. (PTI)