Singer Ankit Tiwari seeks bail in rape case

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May 13, 2014

Bollywood singer Ankit Tiwari, who was arrested last week for allegedly raping a woman, today moved a sessions court seeking bail.

Tiwari, who was remanded in judicial custody by local magistrate yesterday, filed the application for bail saying he was being falsely implicated in the case.

The 24-year-old singer said in his complaint that the concerned woman is already married and has a child. He also alleged that there are many contradictions in the complaint lodged by the woman, who is believed to be his girlfriend.

Tiwari, known for his song ‘Sun Raha Hai Na’ in Bollywood movie ‘Aashiqui 2’, was arrested on May 8 after the woman filed a case in Versova police station accusing him of sexually assaulting her between October 2012 and December 2013 on the promise of marrying her.

Tiwari’s brother Ankur was also apprehended for allegedly threatening the woman with dire consequences over a period of time if she files complaint in this regard.

Tiwari was booked under section 376 (punishment for rape), 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage), and section 506 (2) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.

High Court refuses relief to doctor on complaint under PCPNDT Act

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

Inaccuracies and irregularities in maintenance of records and forms as mandated under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act amounts to offence, Bombay High Court held while refusing to grant relief to a doctor.

The Aurangabad bench of the High Court was hearing a petition filed by Dr Dattatray Kanade, who owns Kanade Maternity Home in Ahmednagar, seeking to quash a complaint filed against him under the PCPNDT Act. According to the complaint filed in 2007, there were various discrepancies in the maintenance of hospital records and Form F, which is filled by the hospital along with the signature of the pregnant woman stating that sex determination of the foetus was not carried out during sonography.

The petitioner’s lawyer R S Shinde argued that no offence under the PCPNDT Act is made out as there were only irregularities and not illegalities. Justice A I S Cheema, however, observed that even deficiencies and inaccuracies in the maintenance of records and Form F attract criminal charges under the PCPNDT Act. “It is clear that it would be premature to accept explanations regarding inaccuracies or deficiencies before trial takes place. It is further apparent that if the lapse is insignificant then the benefit would go to the accused at the time of sentence but claiming that deficiencies in Form F and keeping records are insignificant cannot be reason to claim that no offence is there and to discharge the accused,” Justice Cheema said recently.

“This court cannot, before holding of trial, decide whether or not the records have been kept properly or Form F has been properly filled or not and if the deficiencies pointed out are serious or insignificant. It would be prejudging the matter,” the court held. “In such serious matters, it would be inappropriate to interfere when a prima facie case is made out,” Justice Cheema said while dismissing the petition.

After Exit Polls, BJP Stocking up on 2000 kgs of Laddoos

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

Election results are yet to be announced but the BJP is already preparing for celebrations as most exit polls have given NDA a clear majority and Narendra Modi is expected to take over as the 15th Prime Minister of India.

Anticipating a victory that is worth celebrating, the Mumbai BJP plans to distribute laddoos as soon as the results start pouring in on May 16, the day when votes will be counted.

“We are going to distribute 2000 kg laddoos at the historic CP tank crossing. We will distribute these laddoos and cake to the public and our supporters. We have put up giant LCD screens to watch the results and as soon as Modi wins a majority we will start distributing laddoos, burst crackers and celebrate with colour,” Mumbai BJP Spokesperson Atul Shah said.

The Mumbai unit of the BJP has placed an order for the laddoos and preparations for the big day have already started with sweet makers beginning the job to ensure the deliver on time. And if the RSS has played a role in shaping Mr Modi’s victory, they are a part of the celebration plans too.

Mumbai BJP Spokesperson Atul Shah said, “In India, in the past to commemorate celebrations, it has always been Laddoos that have been distributed, and these laddoos are being prepared by Swayamsevaks through a RSS backed organisation. That is why we are ordering laddoos and this is a part of Indian culture.”

When asked if the party was in a hurry to celebrate, Mr Shah said, “How would I have ordered laddoos overnight? When I have an organisation that makes laddoos well, why should I not prepare. Nobody should think we are in a hurry. Everyone believes we will win. Our faith in victory is not unfounded.”

In these elections, the country recorded its highest ever voter turnout. According to the Election Commission the overall polling figure stands at 66.38 per cent. The number of voters for 2014 Lok Sabha elections has increased by over 10 crores.

Congress will find a scapegoat in PM to save Sonia, Rahul from criticism: Javadekar

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

With exit polls projecting a majority for the BJP-led NDA, the BJP on Tuesday took potshots at the ruling party, saying it will now find a scapegoat in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in its attempt to save Sonia and Rahul Gandhi from criticism.

An upbeat BJP claimed it will do better than what the exit polls have predicted, stressing that the NDA will cross the 300-seat mark.

“The mantra in Congress is to blame others in case of something bad while giving all credit to Congress president and vice president. Therefore, PM will be blamed and others too. There will be talk about collective responsibility,” party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said taking a dig at Congress.

Singh, he said, was only occupying the chair but did not have power which was wielded by the Gandhis.

He said NDA will surpass their average tally of 270-275 given to it as it will sweep Seemandhra in alliance with TDP and do better in other places.

The results of local elections in Andhra Pradesh, he said, were an indication of things to come. TDP has left its nearest rival YSR Congress far behind in the Seemandhra region while it along with BJP has made its presence felt in Telangana.

Javadekar said Congress has seen a fall of 10 percent votes in states and BJP has got even those votes in Lok Sabha elections which generally go to regional parties.

Asked if BJP was exploring alliances with YSR Congress and BJD, he said these questions should be asked on May 17 not today.

He declined to comment on the likely appointment of the new Army Chief by the outgoing government.

The Defence Ministry had yesterday decided to go ahead with the process of appointing the next Army Chief as it recommended the name of Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag for the top post.

HC notice to police on Katara killer’s parole plea

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Delhi Police on a parole plea of Nitish Katara’s killer Vishal Yadav.

Vishal has sought a three-month parole to attend the wedding of his younger brother. He is serving life imprisonment along with his cousin Vikas for abducting and killing Katara in 2002.

A division bench of Justice Geeta Mittal and Justice J.R. Midha asked Delhi Police and Tihar jail authorities to file a status report on the issue and posted the matter for May 16.

Vishal was sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2008 along with his cousin Vikas and contract killer Sukhdev Pehalwan.

The court recently upheld the life imprisonment of the trio. It would decide a plea by Katara’s mother seeking death penalty for them.

Vishal, in his plea, said his brother was getting married soon and his presence with the family on the occasion was necessary as there was no other male member to look after the arrangements.

He said he has already undergone a sentence of more than nine-and-half years without remission and he never misused bail granted to him.

Vikas and Vishal killed Katara on the night of Feb 17, 2002 after abducting him from a wedding party in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.

The prosecution had sought death penalty for the convicts, saying Katara and Bharti Yadav — sister of Vikas and cousin of Vishal — were in an “intense relationship”. Her family’s opposition to their friendship led to the killing of Katara, son of an Indian Administrative Service officer.

Vikas and Bharti are children of former parliamentarian D.P. Yadav.

BJP can accept Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, but not an ‘aam aadmi’: Kumar Vishwas

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

Launching a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas on Tuesday said that the main opposition party fielded Smriti Irani from Amethi to cut votes and make Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi win.

Vishwas said that Irani was sent to Amethi to cut anti-Rahul votes as the BJP can accept the Congress vice president in Parliament, but not an “aam aadmi”.

Raising his rhetoric against BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, the poet-turned-politician said the Gujarat Chief Minister, like a true friend of Congress leader Ahmed Patel, saw Rahul losing in Lok Sabha polls, and therefore came to rescue him.

Underlining that election is just a small part of politics, the AAP leader admitted that his party took wrong decision in the past and failed to put across its message.

Earlier, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had said that the entire country would thank the people of Amethi if they vote the Gandhi scion family out of power.

The activist-turned politician alleged that both BJP and the Congress are hand-in-gloves. “The BJP should not have fielded Smriti Irani from Amethi. It has only done so to cut votes and make Rahul win.”

Amethi, which went to polls on May 07, witnessed a high pitched battle between Rahul, Vishwas and Irani.

Meanwhile, various exit polls on Monday largely predicted BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coming to power in the Lok Sabha elections but varied in the margin of its lead over the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance.

The ruling Congress-led UPA was tipped to get between 101 and 148 seats while ‘others’, including regional parties and Left, were projected to get between 146 and 156 seats, according to the polls shown on TV channels at the end of the ninth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls.

Lok Sabha polls: Keeping Rahul in the ivory box of ‘collective responsibility’

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

With the Congress staring at a defeat in Lok Sabha polls 2014, party leaders have begun the oft repeated exercise – deflecting blame from the first family of the party.

Senior party leader and union minister Kamal Nath said that it was the government that failed not Rahul Gandhi.

Nath explained the position saying that Rahul Gandhi was never part of the government and the results – if they turn out to be as bad as predicted by exit polls – would be a reflection of people’s perception of government’s functioning.

The government failed to communicate its pro-people policies, he said.

Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed came out in strong defence of Rahul Gandhi, saying the responsibility (for the possible defeat) would be taken collectively.

“Rahul Gandhi is not in the government. He is the number two in the party. Sonia Gandhi is the party president. And, naturally, there is the local leadership. So, it is all collective,” he said.
Another senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh too had eulogised the predicament facing the party on similar lines. The party lost the battle of perception because the top leadership was “not communicative”, he had said.

The propensity among Congressmen to turn ‘Yes Men’ and rush to shield the family from any blame has been a regular feature of the manner in which the grand old party functions. Best described in one word – sycophancy.

They should at least take cue from the man in the eye of the storm – Rahul Gandhi. “I fought, so it is my responsibility (for what happened),” Rahul had said after the Congress failed to make inroads into Uttar Pradesh in the assembly polls.

And, Rahul may very well take the blame this time as well and vow to rebuild the party – only if his advisor saw sense in him taking the blame to eventually come out stronger.

Rahul led the party’s poll campaign and had taken credit for the all the ‘Rights’ the UPA government empowered the common man with. He is also the party’s vice president and tipped to take over from his mother Sonia Gandhi in near future.

Rahul is a leader of the party, in fact ‘the leader’ for the Congress of future unless there’s no surprise claimant from within the family.

Humility has never harmed anyone’s image and it won’t harm Rahul if he owes up responsibility for the poll loss (if exit polls turn out to be true).

And the Congress need not look far for inspiration. After the drubbing in the 1989 Lok Sabha polls, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in a televised speech, said, “The people have given their verdict. In all humility, we respect the verdict.”

You served the nation well, God bless you: Manmohan Singh to his personal staff

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday personally bid goodbye to his personal staff in his South Block office while thanking them for their assistance.

He met 110 personal staff members and expressed his gratitude towards them, sources said.

Singh, who became the Prime Minister in 2004, met them in the PMO where he was also greeted by 400 peripheral staff members who gave him a thunderous applause in the corridors of the South Block, they said.

The Prime Minister will hold his last Cabinet meeting on Saturday after which he will go and meet President Pranab Mukherjee.

After returning from his meeting with the President, Singh will address the nation, the sources said.

On the same day, Singh will host a high tea for the members of his Council of Ministers after which the President will hold a dinner for all of them.

The PMO is being refurbished, particularly the upholstery, to welcome a new Prime Minister.

The fall of the Congress

By

Mahendra Singh

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May 13, 2014

The present election result predictions indicate a huge loss of seats for the Congress. It was inevitable because the party could not put up a credible face to oppose Narendra Modi. Sonia Gandhi would have appeared more credible if she had delivered speech in English or Italian with the assistance of a translator. She could have spoken from the heart instead of merely reading notes given by her party workers. Rahul Gandhi became a very soft target for an experienced leader like Narendra Modi. It is a pity that despite the presence of so many talented leaders in Congress none of them were groomed for leadership roles.

Silence of Manmohan Singh also has cost the Congress dearly. You cannot have a prime minister who constantly remains mum. He should be able to look into the eyes of the masses and interact with them directly just like Modi. If you check my earlier columns, you will notice that I had backed Modi even before he was declared the head of BJP’s election campaign committee. Since then, I have been writing consistently saying that Modi was the best candidate to lead the nation and even narrated priorities for him, cautioning him of keeping leaders like Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti away from the cabinet formation procedure. In the same manner, I have been opposing media giving coverage to AAP because they are only publicity hungry party.

Recently, Arvind Kejriwal was issuing statements on television “Modi to bahut buri tarah haar raha hai” with his typical obnoxious disposition. Do you want to be led by such irreverent persons? I persistently and in a sustained manner wrote against them and you will notice the results. AAP thought that they can fool everybody like they have done in Delhi. They considered public to be so gullible.

Have you tried to observe the manner in which Kejriwal issues irresponsible statements? “Ambani chala raha hai, Adani chala raha hai ….”. “ Are bhaiya tum kyon nahin kar rahe kutch, tum bhi to engineer ho ”. In future, please beware of such disruptive elements and I request television channels to stop giving coverage to them. The new government must enforce all round discipline. If you work, you will be rewarded but if don’t you will get nothing, this message be given to all. We have to mobilise our youth power by training them realistically and providing employment to them with the co-operation of industrialists. There is a possibility that RSS may go overboard in euphoria and they must be checked by academicians and the editors. RSS has to work on citizen development in an inclusive manner.

Police personnel’s crunch Shinde’s family using 66 state cops for security

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Afternoon Voice

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May 13, 2014

The common man may remain unsafe in the city but at the same time large number of security personnel has been deployed for the protection of politicians and non-politician VIPs of the state. The police department is already facing shortage of manpower to secure the city.

An RTI application was filed by Pune based RTI activist Vihar Dhurve who sought to know the total number of police and security force deployed for the protection of political and non-political VIPs in Maharashtra. In the RTI reply very shocking information was revealed which says that a combined total of 812 police officers and security personnel have been deployed for the security of 84 VIPs in Maharashtra.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and his family are enjoying the privilege of using more security personnel. Fifty two security personnel have been accorded to Sushilkumar Shinde and his daughter Praniti whereas 14 personnel are deployed for the security of Shinde’s wife Ujwala.

Sushilkumar Shinde and Praniti is getting the Z-plus security, whereas his wife Ujwala is enjoying Y-plus security.

In an RTI, it was revealed that over all 12 VIP’s in the state are enjoying the privilege of using Z-Plus Security. The list includes Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayan, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Union Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar, state Home Minister R.R. Patil and PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

Ashok Chavan – 15-22
Uddhav Thackeray – 15-22
Raj Thackeray – 15-22
Rakesh Maria – 15- 22
Prithviraj Chavan – 46
Ajit Pawar- 31
Chhagan Bhujbal – 25

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria are among the 18 persons that have been granted Z-category security and have 15-22 personnel guarding them.

As per the information in an RTI, there are a total of 46 security personnel guarding Chavan, there are 31 for Ajit Pawar. Twenty five personnel are deployed for the security of PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

Praniti Shinde said, “The security provided to my family is of no use and we don’t avail it. I have written a letter to State home minister and DGP of Maharashtra to withdraw the security provided to us so that it can be utilised for the better purpose.”

In the past there were reports which mentioned about the shortage of manpower in police department which resulted into the increase in crime rates.
A high rank level police officer on the condition of anonymity said, “There is shortage of manpower to provide security to the common man but at same time we also are responsible for securing the lives of VIPs.”