1984 riots: SC seeks CBI reply on Sajjan Kumar’s plea challenging conviction

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January 14, 2019

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking its response on a plea filed by Congress leader Sajjan Kumar challenging his conviction in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The court posted the matter for further hearing after six weeks.

On December 17, Kumar was convicted in the killing of five members of a family in Raj Nagar and the torching of a gurdwara in Delhi on November 1, 1984.

Two weeks after Kumar was awarded life sentence by the Delhi High Court in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the Congress leader surrendered at the Karkardooma District Court.

Apart from Kumar, Mahender Yadav, and Kishan Khokhar, both convicts in the case also surrendered on the same day.

Kataria takes oath as R’than assembly pro-tem speaker

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

Senior BJP legislator Gulab Chand Kataria took oath as the pro-tem speaker of the Rajasthan legislative assembly on Monday.

Governor Kalyan Singh administered him the oath at a simple ceremony here at the Raj Bhawan.

Speaker Kailash Meghwal skipped the ceremony attended by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, members of the council of ministers, BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore and others.

As the pro-tem speaker, Kataria will conduct the first meeting of the newly elected assembly.

Kataria will also be the leader of opposition while Rathore will be his deputy (leader of opposition) in the assembly.

The first session of the assembly begins on Tuesday.

SEBI fines 10 entities for fraudulent trading in Mindvision Capital shares

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

Market regulator SEBI imposed a fine totalling Rs 34 lakh on 10 entities for indulging in fraudulent trading in the shares of Mindvision Capital.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had conducted an investigation in the trading activities of the company between June 2009 and February 2010.

The probe found that the entities were connected to each other and executed circular trading in the scrip of Mindvision, which resulted in creation of artificial volume.

The total volume that was contributed by the circular trading was 94,745 shares which is 12.5 per cent of the total market volume, SEBI noted.

“The scheme, plan, device and artifice employed by the noticees in this case of circular trading, tantamount to fraud on the securities market in as much as it involves manipulative transactions in securities and misuse of the securities market.

“It is established that the acts of noticees by indulging in circular trades were not just a coincidence and the same indicates their concerted effort and manipulative intent to create false and artificial volume of the scrip.” SEBI said in its order dated January 11.

By indulging in such trading activities, the entities have violated the Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices (PFUTP) Regulations.

Besides, the two entities – Nilesh Krushna Palande and Dadima Capital also failed to make necessary disclosures regarding change in their shareholding pattern in the firm.

The entities had failed to make requisite disclosures under the provisions of Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (SAST) and Prohibition of Insider Trading (PIT) norms.

Accordingly, SEBI has slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh each on the two entities, while Universal Credit & Securities, Mahesh Ramanlal Shah, Kumar Raichand Madan, Fast Track Entertainment, Pooja Vinay Jain, Pragjibhai Mohanbhai Sukhadiya, Manjulaben P Sukadiya and Mangilal C Doshi HUF have been fined Rs 3 lakh each.

Truck hits police vehicle, three cops, a driver died on spot

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

Three policemen and another person were killed when a truck hit their vehicle while they were escorting Madhya Pradesh Assembly of Deputy Speaker in Balaghat district in the wee hours on Monday, police said.

The accident took place near Saleteka village at 12.30 am when Deputy Speaker Hina Kanwre was returning from her constituency Lanjhi in Balgahat in a car while the security men were in another four-wheeler behind her vehicle. A constable in the escort vehicle received serious injuries in the mishap, Balaghat’s Superintendent of Police A. Jaydevan said.

The Congress MLA escaped unhurt as her driver turned the car towards a field when he saw the trawler truck speeding straight towards his vehicle from the opposite direction. However, the truck hit the police escort vehicle which was moving behind the car and then overturned, he said.

Three policemen and the escort vehicle’s driver died on the spot. The seriously injured constable was referred to a hospital in Nagpur district of Maharashtra for treatment, the SP said.

The deceased were identified as sub-inspector Harshwardhan Solanki (30), head constable Hamid Sheikh (50), Constable Rahul Kolare (26) and driver Sachin (22).

Cow adopters will be felicitated with certificate: Rajasthan Govt

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

The Directorate of Gopalan has issued a letter to all the district collectors where they have asked them to motivate donors, NGOs, social workers and cow lovers to adopt stray cows, and to felicitate such people on August 15 and January 26.

Vishram Meena, director- Gopalan, Rajasthan said that the idea behind the step is to conserve cows with cooperation from people. Those who adopt stray cows and undertake welfare activities will be felicitated by district collectors on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic day.

The directorate issued a letter to all district collectors on December 28 with details of the campaign for the conservation of stray cows. There are people who adopt stray animals in cow shelter homes. They celebrate their birthdays, wedding anniversaries and such occasions by spending time with their adopted cows. We have asked the collectors to push such initiatives.

He further added that the interested parties can give their proposal to the respective district collectors. After verification of the claims, the collectors will felicitate such people with a certificate at the district level.

The order also mentions that whoever wants to adopt cows can deposit the amount decided by the local cow shelter and can visit the cows anytime. Those who want to keep the stray cows at their houses can also do so, it added.

Fire at Kumbh Mela site, no casualty

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

A cylinder exploded in a tent at the Digambar Ani Akhara at the Kumbh Mela site, triggering a massive fire on Monday, a day before the fair officially opens, police said.

There were no immediate reports of any one being injured so far, Akhara police station inspector Bhaskar Mishra told agencies.

Fire fighters rushed to control the blaze which engulfed the makeshift structure at the venue.

CPI(M)-Cong adjustment for polls have to be initiated at state level: Yechury

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

Any talks of a CPI(M)-Congress adjustment for the parliamentary election have to be “initiated at the state level” as the political situation is different in various states, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said, virtually ruling out a nationwide tie-up between the two parties.

Yechury’s remarks came at a time a section of the state CPI(M) leadership was keen on an electoral understanding with the Congress to defeat the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal.

“We had said the political situation is different in various states. So any sort of talks with the Congress have to be initiated at the state level,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a condolence meeting for former West Bengal industry minister and politburo member Nirupam Sen on Sunday night.

He was replying to question on why the CPI(M) was not initiating talks with the Congress at the national level to put up an anti-BJP front.

Yechury said the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh was a “positive” development and that a “lot more is yet to happen”.

The CPI(M) leader said that he is looking forward to an anti-BJP secular and democratic front at the Centre in 2019 in a “post-poll scenario”.

Majority of the state Congress leaders are in favour of an informal seat-sharing arrangements with the CPI(M) in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, senior state Congress leaders said.

Some of the top state Congress leaders have already begun “informal talks” with some CPI(M) leaders over the issue of seat adjustment.

However, the state Congress unit maintained that the final call on the decision of state-specific adjustments with the CPI(M) will be taken by party president Rahul Gandhi.

BEST strike: CM speaks to Sena chief over ongoing stir

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Afternoon Voice

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January 14, 2019

With about a week of strike causing inconvinence to the public, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday intervened in the BEST bus strike in Mumbai and spoke to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to find a solution after BJP’s ally Sena in the state promised to merge the budget and willing to consider their demand.

The Bombay High Court on Monday has criticised the workers of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport for continuing their bus strike that entered its seventh day, according to the agencies.

Over 32,000 employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) are on strike since on Tuesday last week and 3200-odd buses in its fleet are off the roads.

The telephonic conservation between Fadnavis and Thackeray took place after a meeting Monday in Mantralaya between striking BEST union functionaries and state chief secretary DK Jain failed to break the deadlock.

The details of the telephonic conservations between Fadnavis and Thackeray were not immediately known.

The Shiv Sena has been unable to end the strike despite its affiliated union, the BEST Kamgar Sena, announcing a pullout a day into the strike.

The Sena is also the ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and its corporator is the BEST chairman.

Striking workers have been demanding the merger of the BMC and BEST budgets as well as higher salaries among other issues.

On late Sunday evening, Thackeray had said that his party was in favour of merging the BMC and BEST budgets.

“The financial condition of the BEST has deteriorated. I had given the promise of merger of the budgets and that will be fulfilled. A solution can be found only through the talks. Even though the BEST strike issue is in the court, I am ready to be part of the discussion if necessary,” Thackeray had said.

BHEL bags Rs 565 cr order for solar power plants in Telangana

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

State-owned power equipment maker BHEL on Monday said that it has won an order worth Rs 565 crore from Singareni Collieries Company for setting up solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants in Telangana.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) said that the order valued at Rs 565 crore is the largest SPV power plant order won by BHEL till date.

“The plants are to be set up at four locations in Telangana – Ramagundam (50 MW), Yellandu (39 MW), Manuguru (30 MW) and Pegadapally (10 MW), on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis,” the company said in a regulatory filing.

BHEL said that with the order its solar portfolio has risen to more than 710 MW.

Shares of BHEL were trading 0.95 per cent lower at Rs 67.95 apiece on BSE.

Letters to the Editor: January 14, 2019

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Web Team

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January 14, 2019

Madh Island Church feast

Over six lakh people from all over Mumbai and its suburbs embarked on a pilgrimage to celebrate the annual festival of St Bonaventure at the historic Portuguese Church at Erangal beach at Madh Island in Malad (West) on January 13, 2019.

The feast of St Bonaventure is celebrated on the second Sunday in January every year. The Church of St Bonaventure was the first Church to be built at Madh Island in the year, 1599. Till the year 1976, the Church was in ruins as it stood on the open coast facing the sea. In 1976, through the efforts of Fr Peter Bombacha (an East Indian), the Church was repaired and brought back into use. A statue of St Bonaventure has been standing at the high altar ever since in spite of wars and strong winds. The annual festivities of this Church have become a magnet today for both Catholics and non-Catholics.

Jubel D’Cruz

Fix Income-limit for caste-based reservation

It refers to the central government successfully getting passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill by both the Houses of Parliament with most opposition parties giving support to the bill. But rule fixing parameters for getting reservation should be same for general and cast-based categories.

Reservation to cast-based categories should also be provided for families having an annual income of rupees eight lakhs, agricultural land less than 5 acres, residences less than 1000 square-feet and residential plot less than 100 square yards in the notified municipal area and 200 square yards in the non-notified municipal area. The system will be even advantageous for vote-bank politics because the majority of the cast-based system will be benefitted isolating a very small section of creamy layer.

Moreover, reservation in both general and cast-based categories should be provided only for those having families with up to two children. The system will provide much-needed benefits of reservation to really deserving persons having a duty towards society also by following planned family norms.

Madhu Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)