Court rejects complaint against Fadnavis

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September 7, 2015

A court at Baramati in Pune district today refused to entertain a complaint of “cheating” against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for giving a “false” promise of carving out a quota for Dhangar (shepherd) community in Maharashtra.

Hemant Patil, a local activist and member of BSP, had filed an application before the judicial magistrate seeking registration of FIR against Fadnavis.

However the judge said no offence of cheating was made out.

Patil had alleged that Fadnavis had promised during last year’s election campaign that after coming to power the BJP government would provide reservation to Dhangar but he didn’t keep his word though his party got the votes on the basis of the promise.

State govt waives of educational fees of farmer’s children

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

In view of the prevailing drought conditions, the Maharashtra government today decided to waive off educational fees of the farmers’ children upto standard 12 in the districts hit by the natural calamity.

“We have decided to waive off educational fees of farmers’ children upto standard 12 in the districts affected by drought,” State Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said.

He said similarly children of farmers in the drought-hit areas studying engineering and medicine will get 50 per cent concession in their fees.

As many as 69 tehsils in the state are affected by drought. Parts of the Marathwada region have been hit by the calamity.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to provide an accident policy insurance cover to 1.35 crore farmers in the state wherein their kin will be entitled to an amount of Rs 2 lakh.

“The premium installment for the Rs two lakh insurance cover will be paid by the government. The policy will be a safeguard for the farmer against accident or death. Suicide is not covered in the policy,” Khadse added.

When asked what would be the financial burden on the state exchequer, the minister said, “the number of tehsils reeling under drought would go up. Only after we get a final number of tehsils, we can work out the financial burden.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Solapur district on Sunday and took stock of the situation.

Shiv Sena leader Anant Tare robbed of cellphone, wallet

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

Former Thane mayor and Shiv Sena leader Anant Tare’s mobile phone and wallet were allegedly stolen by an unidentified person here.

Tare was distributing blankets and shawls to the needy at Meenatai Thackeray chowk in the city Sunday afternoon when the theft took place, Rabodi police station’s senior inspector Kashinath Chavan said.

Somebody took advantage of the crowd and stole Tare’s mobile phone worth around Rs 40,000 and wallet containing about Rs 8,000 cash, he said.

A case has been registered under section 379 (theft) of IPC, he said, adding that probe was on into the matter.

Every year on September 6, Tare undertakes the activity of distributing items to the needy.

Thane’s Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, local MP Rajan Vichare and Mayor Sanjay More were present at the function where the alleged theft took place, police added.

Udhampur attack: Court allows NIA to conduct polygraph test on LeT’s Showkat Ahmed Bhat

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

A Special Court on Monday allowed NIA’s plea seeking its permission to conduct polygraph test on suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Showkat Ahmed Bhat, arrested in connection with Udhampur terror attack case.

Bhat was produced before District Judge Amar Nath during an in-camera proceeding where the National Investigating Agency (NIA) said that a polygraph test of the accused was required to be conducted to unearth larger conspiracy of the banned terror group.

While allowing NIA’s plea, the court said that Bhat’s polygraph test will be conducted at Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) at Lodhi Road on Tuesday.

The investigating agency, in its plea, contended that Bhat was giving inconsistent statements during his interrogation, which is hampering the probe in the case.

“Accused Showkat Ahmed Bhat. Presently in police custody of NIA at Delhi and his statement is having no consistency on various occasions/points, which is hampering the leads in the investigation of the instant case.

“The polygraph test of the above accused is required to be conducted to get concrete leads regarding larger conspiracy in the interest of the case,” the NIA said.

It further said that Bhat is showing his consent to undergo the test and necessary orders may be passed for conducting the test by an expert at CFSL at Lodhi Road.

“It is therefore prayed before this court that necessary order may be passed to the prosecuting agency (NIA) for conducting the polygraph test of accused Showkat Ahmed Bhat by an expert at CFSL/CBI, CGO Complex Lodhi Road, New Delhi on September 8 for the purpose of investigation during his police custody,” the agency said.

It also sought direction to the Director of CFSL for conducting the polygraph test on Bhat.

The NIA also said that during custodial interrogation of arrested accused Mohammad Naveed, a Pakistani national, certain facts have come to light regarding the larger conspiracy behind the Udhampur terror attack which includes the entire network of conspirators, supporters, financers, facilitators and handlers of Naveed.

It said that Bhat had facilitated Naveed and three other LeT operatives “by transporting them from near the Indo-Pak border till the place of their hideout in district Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir).”

NC urges NDA Govt to take political steps to stop Pak ceasefire violations

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

National Conference (NC) leader Devendra Rana on Monday urged the NDA Government to take political and diplomatic steps to stop ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Rana was responding to the latest ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir`s Poonch District.

“We once again reiterate our request to the Union Government to take political and diplomatic measures to ensure that peace returns to the region. That can only happen if India and Pakistan find a solution to the bilateral issues,” Rana said.

“Any civilian killing at the altar of the military might is unacceptable in any civil society and is a human right violation. We condemn it strongly,” he added.

Rana further said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing the brunt of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Peace should prevail, talks must happen with a firm determination to find peace in the region, and not scored brownie points on each other.”

Monday`s ceasefire violation has claimed one life and injured seven others. The injured have been admitted to a local hospital.

20-Year-Old Allegedly Commits Suicide Over Repeated Incidents of Harassment in Gorakhpur

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

A 20-year-old girl, who was reportedly upset over repeated incidents of harassment by some youths, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in Charpan Khurd village in Gorakhpur.

The girl, who had recently qualified the preliminary exam of BSF and was preparing for the mains, hanged herself last night, police said on Monday.

The girl had complained about the harassment to Belipar police last Friday following which two youths were taken into custody but were later released, they said.

The youths, on returning to the village, again harassed her, which drove her to take the extreme step, police said.

Inspector General of Police Amitabh Yash said the matter was extremely sensitive and stern action will be taken against the guilty.

An FIR has been filed against four persons of whom one has been arrested and efforts were on to nab the remaining three, SP (Rural) Brijesh Singh said.

Meanwhile, SSP Pradip Kumar has suspended Belipar police station incharge Brijesh Yadvav, Sub Inspector Lal Bahadur Sharma and two constables Rajiv Kumar and Vinay Kumar for alleged laxity in the case.

India’s 91 reservoirs have 59 percent water

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

Water storage in India`s 91 reservoirs rose to 92.922 billion cubic metres (bcm) as on September 3 — 59 percent of their cumulative capacity, official data said on Monday.

The total storage capacity of these 91 reservoirs, which are monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC), is 157.799 bcm.

“This storage (92.922 bcm) is 84 percent of the storage of corresponding period of last year and 84 percent of storage of average of last 10 years,” the water resources ministry said in a statement.

As on August 27, water storage in these important reservoirs stood at 91.84 bcm.

Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tripura, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh witnessed better storage than last year for the corresponding period, the statement said.

States having lesser storage than last year for the corresponding period were Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

SC rejects plea seeking its intervention in FTII issue

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition seeking its intervention to end the FTII crisis, triggered by the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of the premier institute.

The apex court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed which sought its intervention on deadlock in FTII between students & the management over appointment of the Chairman.

The FTII students are on a strike demanding the removal of TV actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman.

Academic activity at the FTII is at a standstill with students being adamant over Chauhan’s removal.

Kim Kardashian Shows Baby Bump and Bra in Sheer Top

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

Pregnant Kim Kardashian, husband Kanye West and daughter North West this weekend jetted off to New York City, where the couple snapped selfies with fans…and Kanye gave his best Kanye face.

The two landed at JFK International Airport in New York City on Sunday. Kim, 34, wore a sheer dark blue top, which showed the outline of her dark bra, over matching ripped and frayed skinny pants, paired with a long back coat, dark strappy sandals and sunglasses. It marked a relatively casual look for the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, who has sported mostly skintight dresses in public during her current pregnancy.

She flashed the peace sign as she posed for a selfie with a smiling male fan.

Beyoncé get ‘Crazy in Love’ at the Made in America Festival

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Afternoon Voice

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September 7, 2015

Beyoncé brought the house down during her performance at the 2015 Budweiser Made in America Festival on Saturday night in Philadephia, getting “Crazy in Love” as she opened her headlining set.

The singer, who celebrated her 34th birthday on Friday, kicked off the show with her sultry Fifty Shades of Grey-inspired “Crazy in Love” before stomping it out to the original mix. The diva also dusted off Destiny’s Child classics, including “Say My Name,” “Jumpin’ Jumpin,’” “Independent Women Part 1,” and “Survivor.”

”Shout-out to my girl Kelly, I love you. My girl Michelle, I love you,” she said during her set. “If you survived bad relationships, if you survived illnesses. When it gets tough, that’s when you work harder.”

Beyoncé continued the theme of female empowerment in between her songs. A dancer performed a routine to Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman,” and recent statements from MMA fighter Ronda Rousey on “do-nothing chicks” resounded through the speakers.