The Bombay High Court on Friday slammed organisations and persons putting up pandals on public roads during Ganesh Utsavs, Navratri and other festivals and said “these pandals are just extorting money.”
“In principle we are against all this. We are of the opinion that Ganesh Utsavs, Navratri and other festivals that are celebrated in open spaces of the city should be stopped. Who is benefiting? These pandals are just extorting money,” a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi said.
The remarks were made by the court while hearing two petitions. One had been filed by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) seeking permission to hold their annual Jagannath Rath Yatra and the second on the issue of use of loudspeakers during festivals. “Is it impossible to have these festivals without loudspeakers? We are against this. Already there are so few open spaces left in this city,” the court said.
The bench has posted both the petitions for further hearing after two weeks.
The Bombay High Court today refused to dismiss a PIL alleging irregularities in tendering process for 15 dam projects in Maharashtra and substandard construction in these projects, saying the issue was serious and monitoring was needed.
The court rejected applications of F A Enterprises and F A Constructions, against whom petitioners Mayank Gandhi, Anjali Damania and two others have sought an inquiry.
Senior counsel Amit Desai, appearing for the two firms, argued that the petition was not maintainable as the anti- corruption bureau had already initiated inquiry into the allegations. The PIL had been filed by private vested interests, he said.
Advocate General Anil Singh too sought dismissal, saying that the ACB had an initiated inquiry and submitted reports to the court, so a court monitoring was not needed.
The court, however, didn’t agree. “The present petition does not deal with the issue of Kondhane dam in Raigad district (in which ACB has initiated inquiry) but (it is) about 15 other dams,” it noted, pointing out that the PIL was filed in 2012 but the inquiry began only this year.
“This court will have to time and again look into the matter and (and into the) steps taken by the ACB. We do not think any prejudice would be caused if the petition is kept pending,” the court said, adding the seriousness of the issue raised by the PIL required it to be kept pending.
The mass appeal of Hardik Patel in Gujarat “does not augur well for the BJP”, the Shiv Sena said on Friday, calling him “a hero” who had punctured claims that Gujarat was a peaceful state.
“Until now, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi was considered the only political ‘neta’ who could pull crowds,” a hard-hitting editorial in the party’s mouthpiece “Saamana” said.
“Now, Hardik Patel has become the ‘king of crowds’ which does not augur well for the BJP,” the Sena said, referring to the Patel community leader who has taken on the Gujarat government over job reservations.
“Hardik Patel is a hero of Gujarat… His rallies attract four-five lakh people… With his super-mammoth rally in Ahmedabad last Tuesday, he has thrown the gauntlet at the state government,” the Sena said.
Until now, Modi used the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, now this had been usurped by Hardik Patel, it said sarcastically.
“The state government committed the misadventure of detaining Hardik Patel after Tuesday’s rally and it paid for the blunder… Violence erupted all over the state, even ministers had to bear the brunt of Patidars’ ire,” the Sena said.
Now, Hardik Patel has threatened that if the Patidars were also not given job reservations, “then the lotus (BJP party symbol) will not bloom in 2017”.
“The manner in which the Gujarat youths have responded has created waves in Gujarat political circles,” the editorial said.
New details have emerged in the mysterious Sheena Bora murder case. According to police sources, the individual who forged Sheena Bora’s signature in letters to her landlord and workplace is an employee of Indrani Mukerjea and has admitted to doing so.
While the Mumbai Police had on Thursday said that samples of Sheena’s remains that were found on May 23, 2012 in Pen were sent to the FSL lab for DNA testing, sources said that the samples are now untraceable.
Police sources had claimed that proper procedure was followed by Raigad Police in preserving the crime scene in May 2012.
There have been several twists and turns in the murder case. Sheena was allegedly killed by her mother Indrani Mukerjea who is the wife of former Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea.
The mystery surrounding the murder of Sheena Bora by her mother Indrani Mukherjea, wife of TV tycoon Peter Mukerjea, seems to be far from over. According to police sources, Indrani has not been cooperative with the investigators during questioning.
This came even as Indrani, her driver Shyam Rai and ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna were questioned separately by the police.
Meanwhile, JJ Hospital in Mumbai, which had conducted the autopsy of Sheena Bora, also handed over to the police samples of bones and teeth t received back in May 2012, after the crime was committed allegedly by Indrani and her ex-husband.
Amid these developments, police tries to put the pieces together as they Raigad, on the outskirts of Mumbai, where remains of Sheena’s body was found in 2012. Though reports said that the police recovered some evidence from the spot, there was no official confirmation on the findings.
Today, almost all news channels ran “Indrani Mukerjea” story during the prime time. Crime, sex, sleaze and nonconformity have become de rigueur in mainstream media, once famous for its narrow-mindedness. The continuous relay of the story by news channels just shows that society has developed an insatiable interest in crime, sex, murders and mysteries. What’s more interesting is TV viewers have always been fascinated by crime, despite the fact that they have always ‘criticized’ it. Every journalist is displaying his or her ability of script writing and narrative skills but none of them tried to establish the right findings in the story.
Indrani is beautiful, young looking lady. She left the native place for her new life keeping all odds of life tightly covered, yet remained as a provider to her family and children. Some news channel told that she used to carry her kids picture in her wallet. Anyway, whatever must have gone wrong in between but she killed her daughter which is something beyond imagination. If she has done that then it is very brutal and disturbing.
I am sure that there must be hundreds of Indranis in the society who had hidden their past and moved forward. They become achievers but when they encounter struggles in life they take the path of life as it comes to them. Sometimes, they take path of violence. I don’t want to comment or make judgement in Indrani’s case because investigations and law will take its own course.
I don’t know by showing such stories, news channels are exhibiting their investigative journalistic abilities or only feeding on prurient tastes common to every society. Viewers and readers are more to be blamed than the news channels because we have chosen “crime stories” as an indispensable theme for consumption. Do we get a “kick” by taking a moral grandstanding against the crimes committed or is it just our voyeuristic appetite that is increasing multifold? There are many important events of the day which deserved to be on the prime time. There are people killed in Gujarat, there is 21-year-old guy who challenged our PM in his own state. There are financial crises, economy of this country has come down, army personals on hunger strike and some got admitted to hospital due to serious conditions. However, news channels want sensation and TRP.
Lets come back to Indrani Mukerjea, a second wife of her third husband, who is charged along with her second husband of killing her daughter from first husband (Das who denied these kids are born by him and some reports stated that they are born to unmarried Indrani at the age of 15 and 17) who was having affair with her third husband’s son from first wife. Retaining identity is not bad, maybe that’s her circumstantial compulsion but over obsessed by her other priorities proved to be dangerous to the extent to eliminate someone, who is part of her own.
Now the twist here is, while congratulating the unknown caller to CP Rakesh Maria who revealed the murder mystery of Sheena Bora by Indrani Mukerjea few questions arises here, the first and foremost is why the informer kept silent for three long years? And what is his or her motive to reveal it now? Did s/he tried to blackmail Indrani and wanted to extort money from her which ‘failed’ or revenge of some kind? Settle score or frustration?
Moreover, Indrani’s son who has come vocal to media accepted that her mother is feeding them, though she addresses them as brother and sister on social platform.
The tipper might be somebody from the family who wants to teach a lesson to conspirators. If it was police informer, he would not have hidden his identity as there is a big award waiting for him or her. So, the unknown caller must have definite motive else the case was closed long back without even identifying Sheena and her mother. Media reveals that CP Rakesh Maria received a call from unknown caller and he initiated the investigation. One must appreciate and salute this duty bound CP Rakesh Maria that he took even an unknown call so seriously and ordered an inquiry, whereas in general, police are being accused of not taking complaints even when complainant himself is at police station. It is an adorable example that CP takes even unknown calls seriously.
After investigations, on August 25, 2015 Mumbai Police arrested Indrani Mukerjea in connection with the murder of her daughter, Sheena Bora, in 2012. She was charged under sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. She was produced before the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court, which remanded her in police custody till August 31, 2015. Her daughter and victim Sheena Bora was born in February 1989 in Guwahati, Assam. She was brought up by her maternal grandparents. In 2006, she moved to Mumbai and was introduced to society as Indrani’s sister.
Sheena enrolled in St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai for B.A. in Economics. In 2009, she joined Reliance Infrastructure as a management trainee. In 2011, she became an assistant manager with Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), a joint venture company owned by Reliance Infrastructure, Veolia Transport and the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority. On April 24, 2012 she went on leave and was not seen again. Her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, claimed that Sheena had gone to the United States for higher studies. Sheena was in a romantic relationship with Rahul Mukerjea, Peter Mukerjea’s son from his first marriage. Peter did not mind but Indrani did not approve of the relationship. Mumbai Police suspects that her mother, Indrani Mukerjea, in conjunction with her driver, Shyam Rai, and her ex-husband, Sanjeev Khanna, murdered Sheena Bora. Let’s see what judgement and final verdict from CP comes in this case.
To counter the Prime Minister’s Rs. 1.25 lakh crore special package for Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Friday unveiled a Rs. 2.70 lakh crore development plan in the next five years that would include free electricity and drinking water connection in every household.
Taking a jibe at the PM’s special package, Kumar told a press conference, “Unlike the much hyped package which is nothing but repackaging of old schemes, my (Rs 2.70 lakh crore) vision comprises programmes which are doable and I have worked out mobilisation of resources for it.”
“Its my ‘dil ki baat’ (talks from heart) and not ‘maan ki baat’ (talks of mind),” Kumar said.
The 7-point development plan was in addition to the ongoing schemes in different sectors, Kumar said here as he was flanked by state Finance Minister Bijendra Yadav and senior minister Vijay Chaudhary.
Faced with a flurry of questions if it was the manifesto of JD(U) or secular alliance comprising JD(U), RJD and Congress, Kumar answered in negative and said “its my commitment towards the people and I know they have faith in me that I do what I say.”
When further grilled if RJD and Congress share his vision, he said, “I am the leader of the secular alliance in the coming Bihar election.”
Kumar’s 7-point development, has special focus on youths, women, unemployed, young enterpreuners and on infrastructure needs like drinking water, electricity and toilet.
Elaborating on the 7 points in his development plan, Kumar highlighted five new programmes for youths, who constitute the bulk of the state’s population.
The CM said youths in the age group of 20-25 would get Rs 1,000 monthly allowance twice for a period of nine months each to meet expenses during search for jobs.
Every youth who has passed class XII would get a student credit card with the help of which a loan of Rs 4 lakh from any bank could be availed. The state government would provide 3 per cent interest subvention on the loan taken from this credit card, Kumar said.
The state government would establish a Rs. 500 crore Venture capital fund from which young enterpreuners would get startup capital to set up manufacturing units, he said.
The CM promised to provide free wi fi facility in all colleges and universities in the state.
He further said Registration and Modern employment consultancy centres would be opened in all 38 districts to provide basic computer education, language training and skill development to 1.5 crore youths in the state.
The plans for youths would cost about Rs. 49,800 crore in next five years, he said, adding “he has in mind from where to mobilise the resources.”
To give pace to women empowerment, Kumar said 35 per cent seats would be reserved for women in all state jobs.
Presently, 35 per cent reservation is given to women in recruitment in police from constable upto Inspector level and this would be extended in all other state jobs, he added.
With electricity emerging as a major election issue in Bihar, Kumar said all left out villages and habitations would be connected with electricity in next two years and after that state government on its own expenses would connect every house with the electricity.
“Through increased availability of electricity the dream to illuminate every house in the state with 24 hour electricity would be realised,” Kumar said.
The future power projects would cost Rs. 55,600 crore in five years which would be arranged, he said.
Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra on Friday urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to order an FIR against former chief minister Sheila Dikshit and others in connection with an alleged scam in hiring water tankers which caused a loss of Rs 400 crore to the state exchequer.
Mishra, who also holds the charge of Chairman of Delhi Jal Board, had on June 19 formed a ‘Fact-Finding Committee’ to look into the hiring of around 385 stainless steel water tankers from private companies during the Sheila Dikshit government in 2012.
The move comes after the committee submitted its report to DJB. In the report, the committee allegedly found irregularities in the tendering process, leading to a loss of Rs 400 crore for the government.
“This report is self explanatory and exposes how the then DJB chairman and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and other board members have consistently bypassed laws and rules to cause a loss of almost Rs. 400 crore to Delhi Jal Board,” Mishra said in his letter to Kejriwal.
Amid the ongoing deadlock over the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme and government’s failure to give a specific date for its implementation, veterans on Friday boycotted the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war against Pakistan.
New Delhi is hosting first of the many functions to mark the golden jubilee.
The deadlock in talks over OROP continued on Thursday with the group of ex-servicemen negotiating with the Centre a new pension package walking out of a meeting.
There were hopes that the stalemate could be resolved at meeting and the announcement on OROP made today on the 50th anniversary of the Indo-Pak 1965 war.
Ex-servicemen have refused to accept the government’s proposal to review pension for veterans after every five years.
“It is an insult to veterans to celebrate 50th anniversary of the 1965 war at India Gate as the soldiers who have fought it are languishing here demanding their rights,” said Colonel Thapar.
Wing Commander (retired) Vinod Nebb, who was a young 22-year-old fighter pilot during the 1965 war, called it “a sad day in my life” as he was at Jantar Mantar protesting for OROP and not at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to pay homage to his gallant fellow soldiers who laid their lives for the country.
“The system has compelled me to come here. I have come here to show solidarity with war veterans, war widows and jawans,” said the 73-year-old proud former Indian Air Force officer.
Wing Commander (retired) Nebb, commissioned into the IAF No, 27 Squadron (Flaming Arrows) in 1963, was just two years into the service when the war with Pakistan broke out. The fighter pilot flew a Hunter jet and shot down one Pakistani F-86 Sabre in the 1965 war and was awarded the Vir Chakra.
Sajjad Hussain, the second Pakistani terrorist captured in Jammu and Kashmir after Usman Khan alias Mohammed Naved, was sent to seven-day police remand on Friday by a judicial magistrate court in Sopore.
The terrorist, identified as 22-year-old Sajjad Ahmed, was captured on Thursday following an over-night encounter near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Army, Sajjad hails from Muzaffargarh in south west Pakistan.
Three terrorists were killed in the encounter on Thursday while one was killed on Wednesday.
The security forces had on Wednesday launched a massive operation in north Kashmir, ranging from Uri sector near the Line of Control to Panzalla in Rafiabad area, following information about presence of a group of militants in the area.
To counter the Prime Minister’s Rs. 1.25 lakh crore special package for Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Friday unveiled a Rs. 2.70 lakh crore development plan in the next five years that would include free electricity and drinking water connection in every household.