SC raps CBI in coal Scam, asks it to file all chargesheets by March 28

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March 10, 2014

supremecourt1The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file five remaining chargesheets in connection with the coal blocks allocation scam.

The apex court passed the order after the CBI submitted a status report informing it about the progress made in the coal scam probe and on filing chargesheet in one of the cases registered by the probe agency in 2012.

The apex court directed the CBI to file the remaining chargesheets by March 28.

The Supreme Court had asked CBI, during the last hearing on February 11, to submit a status report about filing of chargesheet in six of the cases finalised by the agency.

CBI has filed over 16 FIRs which included those against AMR Iron and Steel, JLD Yavatmal Energy, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog, JAS Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd, Grace Industries, Jindal Steel and Power, Rathi Steel and Power Ltd, Jharkhand Ispat, Green Infrastructure, Kamal Sponge, Pushp Steel, Hindalco, BLA Industries, Castron Technologies and Castron Mining and Nav Bharat Power Private Limited.

These FIRs were registered after the agency probed three preliminary enquiries related to coal block allocation between 2006 and 2009, 1993 and 2004 and projects given under a government scheme.

CBI also informed the apex court about the permission sought from nine states which were reluctant in allowing the agency to conduct probe in their jurisdiction.

CBI had been directed to file chargesheet in all the cases finalised by it by first week of March but the agency had moved a petition on March four seeking more time to file the charge sheet in the cases.

In its earlier status report before the Supreme court, CBI had said inquiries in respect of 87 companies had been finalised besides probe in respect of 38 companies had been concluded.

It was stated that reports were in the process of scrutiny for getting final order from the competent authority.

CBI had informed the court that field inquiries pertaining to 149 out of 169 companies had been completed and similar probe pertaining to the remaining 20 companies, including ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) and coal to liquid (CTL), was in progress.

CBI had informed the court that inquires and investigation in other PEs and all RCs would be completed by April 30.

DMK chief’s son, Alagiri, refused a ticket by his father

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Afternoon Voice

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March 10, 2014

MK Alagiri will not run from his constituency in Tamil Nadu as a candidate of the DMK, the party headed by his father, M Karunanidhi. In January, Mr. Alagiri, who is 63, was suspended for a sustained campaign to undermine his younger brother, MK Stalin, who has been picked by his father as his political heir.

“Don’t hurt me by asking about Alagiri,” said Mr. Karunanidhi to reporters as he announced the regional party’s candidates. Mr. Alagiri’s constituency has of Madurai has been reassigned to another DMK member.

Included in the DMK’s list of candidates are two former Union ministers being investigated for corruption when they handled the telecom portfolio. A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran will both run for Parliament from the constituencies they won in the last election in 2009.

Mr. Maran is being investigated by the CBI for allegedly misusing his office as Telecom Minister to pressure the sale of Aircel to a Malaysian firm whose owner then made a large investment in Sun Networks, owned by Mr. Maran’s brother.

Mr. Raja replaced Mr. Maran as Telecom Minister and is accused of accepting large bribes to help ineligible firms get mobile network licenses at throwaway prices in 2008.

Mr. Karunanidhi also announced a candidate for Sivaganga, represented in Parliament by Finance Minister P Chidambaram. The move signals that the DMK is not considering an alliance with Mr. Chidambaram’s party, the Congress, which is asking voters for a third consecutive term in power at the Centre, but is expected to perform poorly according to opinion polls.

The DMK participated in the Congress-led UPA coalition at the Centre till March 2013, when it quit the government, saying India had failed to take a strong stand against the Sri Lankan government for alleged atrocities against the country’s ethnic Tamils.

22-year-old collapses from gym treadmill, dies during workout

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Afternoon Voice

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March 10, 2014

A 22-year-old youth died after he “collapsed during a workout” at a gym in the Vanasthalipuram area in Hyderabad on Sunday, the police said.

G Vasu, suddenly collapsed from the treadmill and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’, the police said.

After a complaint was filed by the dead person’s father, the L B Nagar police booked a case under Section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code against the gym authorities and are investigating the matter further.

“Nobody has been arrested so far. We are studing the CCTV camera footage which showed Vasu collapsing from the treadmill,” a police officer said.

Man attempts to set world record by driving car in reverse, lands up in jail

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Afternoon Voice

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March 10, 2014

Muneer Ahmad, a resident of Kashipur, who accelerated his car in reverse gear in a bid to set a world record one fine day reached a police station when he was caught by Uttarakhand police for flouting traffic norms.

Ahmad decided to take up this challenge in his Indigo car but did not take any official permission. On the day of task, he began driving on a highway road along with other vehicles. As soon as he applied the back gear, he was caught by police and the car was immediately challaned.

On being asked about the incident, Muneer said that he will soon set the same world record.

Rebel RJD leader Ram Kripal Yadav to contest against Misa Bharti on BJP ticket

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Afternoon Voice

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March 10, 2014

Rebel RJD leader Ram Kripal Yadav is all set to join the BJP and contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti from Pataliputra.

This comes after he resigned from all RJD posts as he was denied a ticket to contest the general elections.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav gave ticket to his daughter, Misa Bharti instead of Yadav from Pataliputra seat.

Ram Kripal had accused the party of dynasty politics. He had said, “The party seems to believe in family politics. Without taking me into confidence, the party chief announced his candidature from my constituency and I supported him.”

He had also expressed his wish to contest polls and said there were many option before him. He said. “I did want that I fight Lok Sabha elections. The people in the area wanted it. I had expressed this to the party leadership. All options open before me. I have not taken any decision yet.”

Ram Kripal even termed Misa’s visit to his place as a political stunt. He said, “The way daughter Misa came to me was a political stunt or emotional attack on a party worker. Misa is my daughter.”

Lalu had sent his daughter to persuade Yadav not to quit the party. Misa had said that she was ready to sacrifice her ticket for him.

Maintaining unity is a must

By

Mahendra Singh

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March 10, 2014

The Bharatiya Janata Party must maintain unity at all cost if that want to get a majority. Murli Manohar Joshi must not create any negative controversy he must be very strictly told to maintain order. Why should he contest election now? Mr Joshi should aim to become the Vice Chancellor of some university and not aspire for any political position. BJP leader Lalji Tandon also wants to contest election from Lucknow. He is also an old hand and both want to piggy back Modi for success and yet denying him the seat at Varanasi and Lucknow. See the extent of ambition and selfishness and they propagate Hindu values. It is a matter of shame for them.

Arvind Kejriwal was effectively shut up but the Delhi Police Chief in a very amicable manner. He exposed him brilliantly. Those who have not served enough in their chosen fields and shown escapist tendencies must not be taken seriously by the people. We must get it very clear that one party must be given comfortable majority for good governance otherwise the country will suffer.

We have to increase our defence spending and upgrade our indigenous capability to be largely self sufficient in matter of defence equipment and weaponry. Things which have to be imported from outside must be procured speedily by cutting bureaucratic hurdles. We must establish pragmatic ties with China without indulging in excessive statement issuance. Chinese like to work silently and with sincerity and do not like one-up-manship at all. Do not say anything to belittle them or cause them to lose face.
Navy must visit colleges to recruit talent, train them well and retain them a few years more and not retire them early because that way they will lose experienced hands. A greater engagement between Merchant Navy officers and Naval Officers is necessary to take advantage of more sea going experience and port making and leaving which merchant seamen possess by virtue of their trade.

BJP must start behaving as if they are already in power under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. They must start talking about the contemplated and on going technical projects in the field of providing better roads ( multimodal transport), providing drinking water, providing more electric power and reducing theft and losses. People expect order and development and will reject politicking and slogan mongering.

Bad weather forces emergency landing of Sharad Pawar’s chopper

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Afternoon Voice

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March 9, 2014

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s helicopter made an emergency landing in Beed district because of bad weather, police said.

The chopper made emergency landing at 3.11 PM, police said, adding that later the NCP chief left for Parbhani, where he was to attend a political meeting, by car.

“Pawar was going from Osmanabad in the helicopter to Parbhani for a political meeting. But his chopper had to make an emergency landing on SRT Medical College ground at Ambejogai in Beed district due to bad weather,” a police official said.

Aamir Khan lodges complaint with Mumbai police

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Afternoon Voice

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March 9, 2014

Bollywood star Aamir Khan has registered a complaint with the Mumbai police in the wake of a defamatory campaign against him on social networking website Facebook. The “malicious messages are wrong and baseless”, he has said.

Aamir met Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria and Joint commissioner (law and order) Sadanand Date on March 8. The officials have assured swift investigation and action. The Cyber Cell of the Crime Bureau will investigate the case, said an official statement.

Aamir made his TV debut with Satyamev Jayate in May 2012 and the show, dealing with sensitive social issues like female foeticide, domestic violence and child abuse, received a warm welcome from the TV viewers after it went on air. Some of the episodes dealing with female feticide and malpractices in medical field recorded the highest ratings.

He launched the second season on March 2 with a sensitive issue of rape, and the second episode, beamed Sunday, talked about police force.

It has been alleged in the messages on social networking site facebook.com/AwakIND that when at the end of the show, Aamir asks for donations for Humanity Trust, the money is used for masjid construction assistance and placement assistance for Muslim youth.

Aamir took to his Facebook page and clarified that he is associated with Humanity Trust, Hanspukur, West Bengal, not the other Humanity Trust.

“False and malicious messages are circulating through various electronic media, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks, alleging that donations are being sought in my television program Satyamev Jayate Season 2, in relation to an entity by the name of Humanity Trust, which is claimed to be working in the field of Masjid Construction Assistance and placement assistance for Islamic youngsters. This is entirely false,” Aamir said in his March 7 post on Aamir Khan.

“I would like to clarify that Satyamev Jayate, in Season 1 was associated with Humanity Trust, Hanspukur, West Bengal, a charitable hospital run by Ajoy Mistry and his mother Subhashini Mistry. Humanity Trust, Hanspukur, West Bengal, is doing excellent work in the field of health care and provides free medical facilities to the poor.

“Please note that Humanity Trust, Hanspukur, has nothing to do with Humanity Trust referred to in the malicious messages. I would like to clarify that all donations sought in SMJ are used and channelized for entirely deserving and secular causes, contrary to the content of the highly mischievous/malicious insinuations in the messages, being circulated by vested and unscrupulous interest.”

“These malicious messages are entirely false, wrong and baseless. I categorically deny that SMJ has anything to do with Humanity Trust as stated in the malicious messages or that we have called for donations in the name of the said entity. I urge the members of the public to disregard the said malicious message,” he wrote.

Refusal to have sex during honeymoon is not cruelty: HC

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Afternoon Voice

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March 9, 2014

Refusal to have sex with a life partner during honeymoon does not amount to cruelty, the Bombay High Court has ruled while setting aside a family court judgement dissolving the marriage of a couple on this ground.

The court also ruled that a wife donning shirts and pants to office occasionally and going out of town for office work soon after marriage also would not amount to cruelty towards her husband.

“The married life should be assessed as a whole and a few isolated instances over certain period will not amount to cruelty”, observed justices V K Tahilramani and P N Deshmukh in an order early this week.

The ill-conduct must be preceded for a fairly lengthy period where the relationship has deteriorated to an extent that because of the acts and behaviour of a spouse, one party finds it extremely difficult to live any longer with the other party (which) may amount to mental cruelty”, the bench said.

Mere trivial irritations, quarrels, normal wear and tear of married life which happens in day to day life in all families would not be adequate for grant of divorce on the ground of cruelty, the judges further said.

“Only sustained unjustified and reprehensible conduct affecting physical and mental health of the other spouse may lead to mental cruelty. There is no evidence to that effect in the present case”, the bench noted.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by a 29-year-old wife who was aggrieved by a family court order of December 2012, passing a divorce decree on a plea made by her husband on the grounds of cruelty.

“We have already verified all the allegations made in the petition, written statement as well as the evidence of both the parties. On going through the same, we are satisfied that on the basis of such instances, the marriage cannot be dissolved. In this view of the matter, the appeal is allowed,” the judges observed.

Campaigning in suburban under strict watch

By

Afternoon Voice

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March 9, 2014

Authorities will maintain a strict vigil on candidates campaigning and canvassing for votes in four Parliamentary constituencies in Mumbai Suburban district, with an electorate of over 73 lakh, to check any irregularities.

District Collector Shekhar Channe told three video surveillance teams will cover each assembly segment in all the four constituencies.

“The teams will be assisted by flying squads and also by static surveillance teams. They will track any illegal activities like distribution of cash or liquor and will have the powers of seizure. The flying squads will include a special executive magistrate and three police officials,” Channe said.

The parliamentary constituencies are Mumbai North, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North West and Mumbai North Central.

These constituencies, along with Mumbai South and Mumbai South Central, will go to polls on April 24.

“Preparations for conducting the polls are complete and a special drive tomorrow will enable voters to rectify changes in the voter rolls as well as make additions,” the Collector said.

He said booth-level officers from Election Commission will distribute voting slips in addition to the political party workers. There will be 7000 polling staff in the district.

“Out of the 73,11,500 voters, 40,54,347 are men and 32,66,077 are women. While 73 are transgenders. As per the 2009 voter list, there were 72,08,278 voters in the suburbs. Since 2013, there have been 7,38,854 deletions and eight lakh additions in the voter list,” Channe said.

He said new enrolment in suburbs has increased by around 8 lakh in the recent times, which is expected to go up as the registration for new voters will continue till March 25.

The Collectorate has also started new helpline number 1800221952 for complaints regarding violation of model code of conduct which is in force for general elections.

“Apart from this, toll free number 1950 is also functional to guide new voters on how to register with the Election Commission,” he added.