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HC quashes cheating case against self-styled godman

Bombay-HCfor duping an elderly woman and imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on him.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and V L Achiliya was hearing a petition filed by Sayed Rehman Ali alias Tantrik Baba seeking for the FIR lodged against him in November 2013 to be quashed as he has arrived at a settlement with the complainant.

According to the petition, Ali, who is accused of duping the complainant and her daughter of Rs 75,000 in cash and gold ornaments, has already compensated them with Rs two lakh.

The high court quashed the case, but directed the accused to deposit Rs 10,000 to the police welfare fund.

“After the complaint was filed, the police spent time investigating the case and a team had even gone to Uttar Pradesh to trace the accused. As compensation for the time spent by the police, we direct the accused to pay Rs 10,000,” the court ordered.

According to the police, the accused had from January 2013 to March 2013 duped the complainant under the pretext of performing magic by which the complainant’s daughter would get a suitable marriage proposal.

The high court, while quashing the case, directed the accused not to indulge in such activities again and return to Uttar Pradesh.

Congress defeated by NCP?

Manikrao-Thakre2The Congress finally has finally bowed down to the demands of NCP by accepting the 26:22 seat sharing agreement with the party. The seat sharing issue has always remained a bone of contention between both the parties. Earlier, the Congress had asked the NCP to accept the 26:19 formula based on its performance in the assembly and Lok Sabha election. NCP nonetheless opposed and said that it won’t accepting anything less than 22 seats. The deadlock between both the parties arises whenever elections are scheduled to be held in the state.

State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre hinted that the seat sharing formula between the Congress and the NCP would remain the same at 26:22, respectively. He announced a list of 26 observers in the constituencies fought by the party in the last polls.

However, Mr Thakre refused to admit that the formula would remain the same. “After the discussions with the NCP, we will announce our seat sharing formula. The meeting will take place on February 11 and February 12, after which we will issue a joint statement,” Mr Thakre said.

He said that the responsibility has been entrusted to its senior ministers who would also oversee poll preparations in 26 constituencies of the state.

Some of the ministers who have been entrusted with the responsibility are, Narayan Rane, who would oversee work in Raigad and Ratnagiri, Balasaheb Thorat (Nandurbar), Patangrao Kadam and Harshawardhan Patil (Pune and Sangli), Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Shirdi and Wardha), Naseem Khan (South Central Mumbai and South Mumbai), Suresh Shetty (North Western and North Central Mumbai), Sanjay Deotale (Gadchiroli), Shivajirao Moghe (Yavatmal and Chandrapur), Rajendra Darda and Ranjeet Kamble (Akola and Jalna). The Congress has been demanding 27 seats, while the NCP has already finalised its list of 22 candidates who would contest Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra.

“Congress-NCP seat sharing talks are at a preliminary state. Praful Patel and Chief Minister Chavan have already held discussions. Congress’ internal meetings are on,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

Hindi film actor Nana Patekar has reportedly turned down an offer by the BJP to contest the upcoming 2014 General Elections from Mumbai North Central constituency against Congress’ Priya Dutt.

As per reports in a leading daily, Nana Patekar was one of the actors who was approached by the BJP to take on the Congress MP.

Priya Dutt is the sister of Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt and daughter of legendary actor Sunil Dutt, who was a Congress leader and an MP from the Mumbai North Central constituency. Priya started contesting from the seat after her father’s death.

According to sources, the BJP leaders has asked the Shiv Sena to allow a candidate from BJP to contest election from south Mumbai which will enable the party to defeat Milind Deora as the majority of the residents in this area belong to Jain community.

Let the parliament function

Adjourning the parliament is not the new thing. BJP is expert in creating ruckus in parliament and stall it for their demands. In the recent years, I don’t know how, India became a country with so many issues and contradictions. Probably, a common culture but this bond is not that strong anymore. If the countrymen don’t get their act on place then they simply disintegrate. In a year, Parliament runs for eighty days during sessions. Each day, businesses in both Houses are transacted for around six hours. If we take into account the total annual expenditure on Parliament, then for each minute of running the House costs Rs. 2.5 lakh. 77 per cent of the session’s business time in Lok Sabha and 72 per cent in Rajya Sabha were lost due to disruptions in this session; our MPs should realize this. India is a developing country and Parliament loses its relevance and significance if only disruptions take place in the House.

In our parliament, majority of the members are ‘crorepati’, they are not even bothered about expenses or efforts spent on one single session. Why there is any need to pay crorepatis who perform tamasha every day and we call the place as parliament in its place of circus tent. It’s high time; Supreme Court revisits such privileges and disciplines these swindlers. Constitution does not vest such disruptive powers to these MPs. Such disruptive sessions are anti-constitutional and anti-national and they can be imprisoned for such anti-constitutional acts. Enough is enough. Sooner or later people would take cudgels against these anti nationals. Who is in our country the least performing force this era? Why should the tax payer’s money be given to the MPs and the Parliament who do nothing for the betterment of the country but wasting a good amount of money? The entire salary along with perks for the last 5 years should be taken back from all the MPs from both the houses, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha for making the people fools during the last five years. It is pathetic that we call ourselves the large Democratic country, where only the handful of 550+ people making fools of the entire country.

Is the value of an Indian voter only this much? We picked and send our leaders to parliament to work for us. Instead, they are just bunking it and getting back to their posh MP Guest houses in Delhi? All parties must work on the forthcoming weekends (12 hours a day) to pass all the pending bills. No matter whatsoever happens. When true gentlemen are elected to Indian parliament by the voters the august house can be turned into a fish market where one can witness all the drama that one usually experience at a building which is purposely built for fish traders and brokers. Where is the President, whose partymen were the ones who made the house a place which is unworthy of its name? He made a speech on the Independence Day as president of India pointing his fingers towards anarchy created by a chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal and advised everyone to behave responsibly to make India a strong and respectable country. What a shame? Parliament in recent times is not doing any job except shouting and yelling. These MPs are not setting an example for the people of India. I hope the next parliament after the election will enact a law preventing this unruliness. India’s MPs have given themselves a threefold hike in salary, now earning 68 times the country’s average salary. However, no conditions of service have changed. In the USA, members of Congress cannot earn more than 15 per cent from outside of their Congressional salary. In India, the average assets of 304 MPs who contested in 2004 and then re-contested in 2009 grew 300 per cent. The increase in the salaries of MPs and pension to former MPs would cost the government an additional Rs.103.76 crore every year. The increase in the daily, constituency and office expenditure allowances will cost the government an additional Rs. 38.50 crore every year.

An MP’s wage is tax-free and comes with additional perquisites such as free petrol, free telephone calls and free housing, some of it in the most expensive real estate in the country’s capital. Most household expenses – furniture, electricity, water, laundry – is also paid for by the State. MPs can travel anywhere in the country by rail, first class, and get 34 free air tickets for themselves or a companion a year. Spouses of MPs can travel free by air from their residence to New Delhi eight times a year when Parliament is in session and unlimited number of times by rail. Compared to developing countries, Indian MPs have unparallel freedom to fix their own salaries and perks. In France and Japan, salaries of MPs are determined in relation to the salaries of the highest paid bureaucrats. In Germany, Article 48 (3) of the Basic Law says that the members of Bundestag will get remuneration adequate enough to ensure their independence. In Switzerland, parliamentarians do not get any salary or allowance. They just get paid leave from their employers on the days of session.

Our beloved MPs should understand that delaying parliament will not fetch the result. Let the topic be discussed properly and a solution be defined. Stalling Parliament will only lead to wastage of public money and performance less sessions. This is really unfortunate that Parliament which enjoys the status of Temple of Democracy is being disrespected by few goons like MPs. Unfortunate, Unexpected and Unacceptable. Be Ethical, not callous. Let the parliament function.

Aseemanand denies implicating RSS Bhagwat in terror attacks

Aseemanand-deniesA day after a magazine claimed that Swami Aseemanand had implicated RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in several terror attacks, the former has denied giving any such interview.

In a handwritten letter, Aseemanand said he never gave any interview to the magazine or implicated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or its chief for sanctioning several recent terror attacks.

The letter has been accessed several news channels and the details have been shared on air.

While dubbing the magazine report as fabricated, Aseemanand said he was planning legal action against the publicaton.

The magazine has however stood by its report.

While Aseemanand has admitted to meeting the magazine’s reporter who he said came disguised as a lawyer, he has denied giving any such interview.

“On 9th January, 2014, Leena R came to meet me in the jail. I saw her several times as a reporter in the Panchkula court. But on 9th January she came as an advocate and wanted to help me. I refused her proposal… Then she requested me to discuss social work… The story she mentioned in the article is totally false and fabricated. I will take legal action,” he wrote in the letter.

The magazine had yesterday quoted Aseemanand as saying that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had sanctioned the 2007 Samjhauta Express, Hyderabad Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Dargah blasts.

Aseemanand is himself an accused in these blasts.

As per the magazine, Aseemanand had claimed that Bhagwat sanctioned the attacks when he was the RSS general secretary. Bhagwat had specifically told Aseemanand that the attacks should not be linked to the RSS, the magazine report alleged.

The magazine had issued a press release and quoted Bhagwat as telling Aseemanand that “it is very important that it be done. But you should not link it to the Sangh”.

As per the magazine, the article was based on a series of interactions held with the blasts accused.

The magazine yesterday also released audio tapes and transcripts of the interview to prove its claim.

The Sangh has rubbished the allegations as baseless, dubbing the interview as “rubbish and concocted”.

Sangh spokesperson Ram Madhav said “attempts have been made earlier also to defame the organisation”.

“The timing gives a feeling that it is a political conspiracy. Someone is seeking political advantage by raking up this old issue,” Madhav said.

“Aseemanand himself has denied making such statements both inside and outside court… the authenticity of the interview is suspected,” he added.

SC won’t interfere; government reaches out to all parties for Telangana formation

Telangana-formationEven as the Centre works to find a middle way out of the Telangana tangle, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay tabling of the Telangana bill in Parliament, saying it did not want to interfere at this stage.

The apex court declined to pass any direction to the Centre on a batch of petitions challenging the carving of the new state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.

A bench comprising justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde referred to its earlier order of November 18, 2013, when it had said that it was premature at that time to entertain any petition relating to the opposition to the bifurcation of the state.

“We do not see any change in the stage between November 18, 2013 and today. So we decline to interfere at this stage,” the bench said. However, it clarified that the averment made in the writ petitions are open to be entertained at an appropriate stage.
Those who were opposing the proposed creation of Telangana sought stay of tabling of the bill, saying that there was all likelihood that the bill will be tabled in Parliament on February 10 and if it becomes a law, it will become an irreversible process.

They also submitted that since the Andhra Pradesh Assembly has unanimously rejected the draft bill, it should not be allowed to be tabled in the same form. The bench passed the brief order after almost one-and-a- half hours of hearing during which all the petitioners were heard.

Govt asks all parties to settle issue

Asserting that Telangana is something that has already been promised, the government today asked all parties to settle the issue finally as factions for and against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh continued disruption of Parliamentary proceedings.

“Let us see. This is something, which is already promised,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters outside Parliament.

He was asked whether the Union Cabinet will clear the Telangana bill in its meeting this evening so that it can be brought before Parliament for passage. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said disruptions over Telangana are not a Congress versus other parties issue.

“This issue is not about Congress MPs. It’s a question of Seemandhra MPs versus TDP MPs. My appeal is to all members is that they have to understand that if the issue is not solved in the 15th Lok Sabha, it will have to be settled in the next.

“Even then there will 17 MPs from Telangana and 25 from Seemandhra. This matter can only be put to rest by Parliament and by vote because there will always be members from Telangana and from Seemandhra. You can oppose it but opposing is different from obstruction. Disrupting Parliament proceedings weakens democracy and Parliamentary system,” Nath told reporters.

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung a Congress agent: AAP

In an unprecedented attack, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday dubbed Lt Governor Najeeb Jung as an “agent of Congress”.

Raising doubts over the credentials of Jung, AAP leader Ashutosh questioned: “How come a number of conversations held within the premises of the LG office were leaked?”

The former journalist also alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to destabilise the Aam Aadmi Party government, which entered the corridors of power in Delhi in last year’s Assembly Elections with the external support of Congress.

“The Lieutenant Governor is meant to look after the interests of the people of Delhi, not work as an agent of the Congress,” said Ashutosh.

“My opinion is that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung is trying to spoil the image of the Aam Aadmi Party. As soon as the letter reaches the Lt Governor it gets leaked to the media,” Ashutosh told the media.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has reportedly cancelled his meet with the LG, which was scheduled to be held this evening to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress leaders held talks with Jung at his office. Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely told reporters that his party is not against Jan Lokpal Bill but the way it is being brought up, which he termed as unconstitutional.

Taking note of Ashutosh’s comments, Congress leader JP Agarwal said that the LG is a respectable man and the AAP cannot throw muck at people.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader VK Malhotra took a jibe at Congress for giving support to the AAP.

It is incomprehensible why the Congress is still extending support despite AAP’s rebuke and defiance, Malhotra said.

Notably, Ashutosh made the statements a day after the AAP government’s plans to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill in a public venue next week faced fresh hurdles with Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran insisting that the Lt Governor’s prior approval is necessary.

Parasaran, whose opinion was sought by Jung on the constitutionality of the Delhi Government’s proposal to enact the bill without seeking Centre’s clearance, is understood to have conveyed to him that it will be illegal if enacted without the consent.

SC tells NTPC not to cut power supply to Delhi till March 26

In a relief for the citizens of Delhi, the Supreme Court on Friday instructed the NTPC not to act on its threat of cutting power supply to Reliance Infra-run power discoms BRPL and BYPL.

Hearing a plea of the BSES whose subsidiaries supply power to nearly 70 percent of the city, the SC said the people of Delhi should not be made to suffer because of the payment dispute between BSES and NTPC.

Asking NTPC to keep supplying power to power discoms till March 26 when it will hear the matter again, the court ordered the BSES to pay Rs 50 crores to NTPC within the next two weeks.

BRPL and BYPL had approached the apex court yesterday against NTPC after it threatened to cut off power supply for non-payment of outstanding dues.

The plea was today heard by an SC bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam.

Last week, NTPC had served notices to BSES Rajdhani Power Limited and BSES Yamuna Power Limited on the issue of payment security mechanism and non-payment of outstanding dues to the state-run company.

After issuing notices to BRPL and BYPL on February 1, NTPC had on February 4 said it was in trouble and unless its dues are cleared, the company may have to stop power supply to these discoms.

These bills, due to BSES Rajdhani and Yamuna, are for the amount of power consumed in December and billed in January to be payable by the end of January, PTI added.

Khap Panchayats are NGOs, says Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda described Khap Panchayats as “NGOs” and a part of Indian culture, unfazed by his Congress party’s condemnation of the village councils often accused of dispensing medieval-style justice.

“Khap Panchayat is an NGO. It’s like if you go to Gurgaon there is a welfare association,” said Mr. Hooda.

Two days ago, Finance Minister P Chidambaram had said it was “appalling” to see anybody say that khap panchayats are a part of Indian culture, a direct reference to Arvind Kejriwal’s comments in their support. “(There are) many forces (like Khaps) that spread poison. How can someone tell a young girl or a boy what to wear or not? People know what they are expected to do. Who is this khap panchayat to say, do this or do that?” he said at a gathering of Delhi college students.

Mr. Kejriwal was criticised for saying that he saw no reason to ban these councils, as they serve a “cultural purpose”. His Aam Aadmi Party had to clarify that they didn’t support any decision that violates law. “All castes tend to have their social organisations, which do internal dispute resolution. We certainly acknowledge the right of all such organisations to exist,” senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav had said.

Khap panchayats, which are all-male unelected village bodies, are notorious for issuing extra-judicial diktats in parts of rural India, especially in northern states, and enjoy immense political influence. The Haryana chief minister and other politicians in the state have rarely spoken against these bodies, no matter what their parties say.

‘It looked like dogs had attacked them’: shock, politics over alleged gang-rape of two women in Bengal

Two women of a family are in a hospital in West Bengal after being allegedly gang-raped by eight men in a village in the Howrah district, neighbouring Kolkata, on Tuesday.

The women looked like “dogs had attacked them”, according to people of their village.

The alleged assault apparently had political overtones; the women are from a family of CPM supporters and the alleged rapists, seven of whom have been arrested, are said to be linked to the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress.

An eighth person named in the FIR, Barun Makal, is reportedly an election agent of a Trinamool legislator. He is still missing.

The women were attacked in their home in village Muktirchak that is said to be dominated by CPM supporters. The older woman, who is in her 40s, is the younger woman’s husband’s aunt. Their husbands had reportedly fled about a month ago after a fight with Trinamool supporters, so no one was around to help on Tuesday night when the attackers allegedly barged in after cutting off power to the village and allegedly took turns raping the women.

Villagers have said the attackers “punished” the women as their husbands are Left supporters.

“This is completely political and barbaric, the message the Trinamool Congress is sending is those who have not voted for them will be targeted like this,” said Politburo member Brinda Karat.

Trinamool MP Mukul Roy was furious when asked if those arrested for the double gang rape were supporters of his party. “The rapists have no caste or colour. I know you are from a specific news channel (24 Ghanta) because you are holding a logo. Were the arrested men carrying Trinamool ID cards? What you are doing is paid journalism,” he shouted.

Congress in the dock over molestation charges against minister

The Congress is in the dock in Jammu and Kashmir, after one of its leaders was accused by a woman doctor of molesting her in his office.
Health Minister Shabir Khan has been accused by the woman doctor of calling her to his office on the pretext of some official work and then molesting her.
The BJP is carrying out protests in the state demanding action against him.
The Congress has asked him to step down. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, while condemning the incident, said the claims needed to be verified first.
“I read the news. I am not aware of this. I will go to Jammu and find out. We are all against any such act. In all circumstances, it needs to be proved true. If true, then action must be taken as per law,” Abdullah said.
The opposition PDP has demanded a probe into the claims while the CPM has demanded Khan’s resignation.
“Where is the safety of the women in this state? This is a last nail in the government’s coffin,” PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said.
The police have registered an FIR against Khan.