SC puts brakes on trial in Rizwanur Rehman case
New Delhi, Oct 13: The Supreme Court today said that the trial in the Rizwanur Rehman case would not commence till the Calcutta High Court decides a petition filed by industrialist Ashok Todi challenging CBI’s decision to chargesheet him in the case.
However, the apex court remained silent on the issue of framing of charges in the case in which the investigating agency in its report alleged that Todis used pressure tactics to drive Rizwanur to commit suicide.
A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan asked the High Court to dispose of the petition filed by Todi, Rizwanur’s father-in-law, at the earliest.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Todi whose daughter Priyanka married Rizwanur, had sought a stay on the trial court from framing the charges in the case.
He submitted that the registration of the FIR by the CBI was illegal as the High Court had only asked the agency to probe the cause of death of Rizwanur, whose body was found near railway tracks.
Todi, along with six others, was chargesheeted by the CBI on September 22 for alleged abetment of Rizwanur's suicide. A Metropolitan Magistrate in Kolkata has asked the accused to appear before it on October 27.
Todi sought a stay on the proceedings in the trial court alleging that the CBI was only allowed to find out the nature of the death of Rizwanur but it filed a charghesheet.
Besides Todi, the chargesheet named his brother Pradeep, brother in-law Anil Saraogi, IPS officer and former Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police Ajoy Kumar, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Sukanti Chakraborty, sub-inspector Krishnendu Das and Rizwanur’s neighbour S M Moinuddin alias Pappu. The lawyer appearing for the victim’s family opposed Todi’s plea and even wanted the Bench to give a time-frame to the High Court for disposing of the pending petition. (PTI)
Allahabad HC orders status quo on rail factory land row
Lucknow, Oct 13: In a breather to the Railways, the Allahabad High Court today ordered status quo regarding possession of land alloted to the Centre by the Mayawati government to set up a rail coach factory in Sonia Gandhi’s constituency Raebareli and later cancelled by the State government.
“Both parties shall maintain status quo over the land in question regarding possession,” Justices Pradeep Kant and Subeeh-ul-Hasnain of the Court’s Lucknow Bench observed while hearing a petition filed by the Centre challenging the UP government’s decision to cancel the land allotment.
The court also directed the state government to file a counter-affidavit in a week’s time. The petition was moved by the Union of India through Secretary, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways and two others.
The petitioners had challenged the UP government order issued yesterday cancelling the land allotment on the basis of an October 10 report of the Raebareli district magistrate apprehending law and order problems in case the possession of land was handed over to the Centre.
The court passed the order after state government's counsel, L P Mishra, submitted that the possession of 189.25 hectare of land for a rail coach factory shall not be taken back by the UP government nor shall it be alloted to anyone else. The foundation stone of the project was scheduled to be laid by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi on October 14.
Arguing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Ashok Nigam submitted that the Railways had paid Rs 9 crore to the state government as land value and even the mutation of the land in question had been carried out. (PTI)
Dasmunsi stable after heart attack
New Delhi, Oct 13: Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi was in a serious but stable condition after he suffered a second heart attack in three months, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said on Monday.
“He is in stable condition. His blood pressure, heart rate, respiration etc have been maintained. But he continues to be in a serious condition,” DK Sharma, medical superintendent of AIIMS, told IANS.
Dasmunsi was rushed to the hospital at around 2.30 a.m. Monday after he complained of breathlessness due to lung congestion caused by heart failure, Sharma said.
He said the senior Congress leader had a 10-year history of diabetes. “The improvement in his health since he has been admitted has been minimal. He is under close observation,” Sharma said. Dasmunsi, also head of the West Bengal Congress Committee, was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) in AIIMS.Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited Dasmunsi, 63, who is on ventilator, and spent some time with his family, hospital sources said.Dasmunsi had suffered a heart attack July 8. “He had undergone an angioplasty and stenting of two coronary arteries,” the doctor said. (IANS)
I won’t play a mother again: Vidya Malvade
MUMBAI, Oct 13: Chak De! girl Vidya Malvade, who to everyone’s surprise played Minissha Lamba’s mother in Kidnap, says she won’t play a mom again.
“I have played a mother’s role in Kidnap, (but) that doesn’t mean I will be doing these types of roles again. I won’t accept an offer from any producer or director if he comes to me with a mother’s role,” Vidya told IANS. Kidnap was offered to Vidya before the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chak De! India, in which she played the captain of a women’s hockey team. Kidnap came to me when I had nothing on hand and I accepted it as it was an interesting role. Moreover, what excited me was that I was offered a role opposite Sanjay Dutt whom I have known for a long time and respect a lot,” Vidya said. Although Vidya has decided not to play a mother’s role again, she doesn’t regret doing Kidnap.
“As I don’t belong to a film family, I don’t have many options. I have to be content with what I get,” said the model- turned actress who debuted in 2003 with Inteha. Chak De gave me recognition and I am happy that people know me now. Now I want to be a complete actress playing diverse roles. I don’t want to stick to a particular image. I want to move on,” she quipped.
The actress currently has three films in her kitty. In Tum Milo To Sahi, she plays Suniel Shetty’s wife. Directed by Kabir Sadanand, the film also stars Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia.
The another film she is doing is a comedy titled King Con. “It’s a fun film where I play the part of a car racer”, she said. Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, King Con will also feature Govinda, Rimii Sen and Celina Jaitley. (IANS)
Michelle Yoeh wants to work with Shah Rukh
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Actress Michelle Yoeh, best known for acting in multiple-Oscar winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Bond film Die Another Day, loves to deliver punches on screen but her ultimate desire is to pair with India’s romantic idol King Khan.
Yoeh, whose science-thriller Babylon A D released in Indian theatres recently is also hoping that the film would be liked in India. “I know Shah Rukh Khan is quite famous in India and I would love to star opposite him. But unfortunately no calls yet. But, yes I wish I could get to work with him as a lead actress, be it a Hollywood or Indian film,” says Yoeh.
This Asian actress is a Bollywood fan too. “I am an Asian and I like Indian films a lot. Have seen a couple of them in subtitles,” Yoeh told PTI in an email interview. Michelle Yoeh stars opposite Vin Diesel in Babylon A D, which is set against the backdrop of not-too-distant future where much of the planet is in a war zone left by nuclear meltdowns. In the film, Diesel is playing the character of an mercenary, who is assigned to smuggle a young woman Aurora (Melanie Thierry) from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City with Sister Rebeka (Michell Yoeh) as Aurora’s guardian. “Kassovitz wanted a nun who could fight, so I was roped to play a feisty French nun, someone who could stand up to Vin, physically and mentally,” Yoeh describes her character in the film.
The actress says she enjoyed playing the role of a fighter nun as she got the chance of doing what she loves best—kicking and punching. “In one scene where I had to kick someone and by mistake I hurt him. I felt embarrassed as his nose just couldn’t stop bleeding but somehow Vin controlled the situation,” says Yoeh recalling the incident. “Since the incident the talk on the sets was about this Asian girl who kicks too hard and warned each other to either better stay away while stunts or take maximum precautions,” says an amused Yoeh.
Yoeh admits that she takes special pride in her capability to do dangerous stunts. “For me stunts are the greatest challenge. I love what I do. I love the physical aspect of it. I do take a lot of pride, and I do respect the people that I work with, particularly the stunt people.” The actress is not ready to reveal much about her future plans though. “There are 4-5 untitled projects in queue. Well 2009 might see a couple of biggies. I am keeping my fingers crossed. But I am very much concerned about Babylon A D’s success in India,” she says. (PTI)
Maharashtra to recommend ban on Hindu group
MUMBAI, Oct 13: The Maharashtra government Monday said it would recommend a ban on the Sanatan Sanstha, terming it a “fundamentalist organisation” allegedly involved in the recent bomb blasts in Thane district. The group, however, defended itself and accused the government of political bias.
Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, who holds the home portfolio, said earlier Monday that the state government would recommend to the Central Government to ban the Sanstha, which he termed as a “fundamentalist” organization. The government’s contention is that it is allegedly involved in the blasts that took place at the Gadkarari Rangaytan, a theatre in Thane, and another explosion in Panvel, six months ago.
The Sanstha is also accused of involvement in the Rabodi riots last fortnight in which one person was killed. However, Sanstha trustee and spokesman Abhay Vartak told mediapersons that “banning it would be like banning Hindu culture” and termed the move as politically motivated and biased.
Vartak said that the ban recommendation was nothing but an attempt by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders like Patil and central minister Sharad Pawar to victimize the Sanstha and appease the minorities.
Referring to the post-blasts arrests by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Vartak said that the accused might have attended the Sanstha’s cultural discourses, but “they are not our members or activists.” The ATS had nabbed Ramesh Gadkari, Mangesh Nikam, Santosh Angre and two others in connection with the blasts in theatres in Thane, Panvel and the recovery of an unexploded bomb from a theatre in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He pointed out that immediately after the explosions, the Sanstha had condemned the blasts and the acts of those behind the terror incidents.
Vartak said it was unfair on the part of the government to compare it with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is an extremist organization engaged in subversive activities. “On the other hand, we are a cultural organization, imparting knowledge and training in Indian culture to thousands of people. Any attempt to ban us would be sheer injustice,” he said. (IANS)
Amar Singh says he never called the Delhi encounter ‘fake’
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: After sparking a furore by demanding a judicial inquiry into the killing of militants in Delhi’s Batla House, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today said he had never called the encounter “fake” but felt that the issue of insecurity among minorities should be addressed.
“I am not saying Batla Nagar encounter was fake and the martyrdom of the police officer was fake but I feel minorities are feeling insecure,” Singh, whose inclusion in the National Integration Council by the UPA government drew flak from BJP, said on the sidelines of the NIC meet.
Minorities were feeling a sense of insecurity in Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country, he told reporters. Asked about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism over non-inclusion of “terrorism” on the agenda for the NIC meet, Singh said “extremism was included in the agenda. I am not bothered about articulation. I am bothered about hard facts and apprehension in the mind of minorities need to be addressed.” When asked to comment on Modi’s charge that the UPA government was indulging in vote-bank politics, Singh said “Modi has polarised Gujarat for winning elections there.
“Politics of hatred and contempt against one community is not good,” the SP general secretary said. On the series of bomb blasts that rocked the country, Singh said “this is the failure of the intelligence.” Asked about National Security Adviser M K Narayanan’s remark on Bajrang Dal and SIMI, Singh said “Narayanan is an officer and not a public figure.” “He does not have to face the public. That is why he has said these things. I have regard for Narayanan,” he said. Narayanan has suggested a ban on Bajrang Dal may not be sustainable and refused to term the Sangh Parivar outfit and SIMI as two sides of the same coin. (PTI)
Patil hails Indo-US nuclear deal
GAWEDEWADI (PUNE), Oct 13: President Pratibha Patil today hailed the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, noting that India’s tradition of peace and brotherhood helped it gain international acceptance to trade in nuclear energy without signing the NPT or the CTBT.
“Because of India’s tradition of brotherhood ingrained in our psyche the world recognises India as a peaceful nation. This has helped us gain acceptance from international community to use nuclear energy peacefully, despite not signing the NPT or the CTBT,” Patil said. She was speaking at a function in Gawedewadi village, which is one of the three self-reliant villages in Maharastha and one that has seen reverse migration from cities. The president expressed happiness over the economic well being of the villagers. “After Independence we thought by educating the youth our problem of unemployment would be solved but the youth started migrating to cities,” she said.
Quoting from Thomas Friedman’s ‘The World is Flat’, Patil said “there was a time when in Britain people told their children to have their breakfast else children from India or China would take it away. Today they say do your homework or else, they will take your jobs.” Praising veteran Gandhian Mohan Dharia, Patil said she wanted to his visit his village to see the “commendable” work done there by Dharia’s social organisation- Vanarai. (PTI)
Pay issue of armed forces to be resolved shortly: Mukherjee
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: A ministerial committee, set up to look into the armed forces’ grievance about pay “anomalies”, is likely to sort out the matter soon.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the three-member committee, today said he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony.
“Shortly, I am going to discuss with the Finance Minister (P Chidambaram),” he told reporters here when asked about the issue.
Without giving details of his discussions with the Prime Minister, Mukherjee merely said “I do hope we will be able to sort out the issue shortly”.
The committee, which also includes Antony and Chidambaram, was set up by the Prime Minister on September 25 in the wake of deep resentment in the armed forces, who complained that there were “anomalies” in the 6th Pay Commission recommendations and that it had lowered the status of their officers.
After the government notification was issued on August 29, the issues of “anomalies” in the pay for officers was first raised by Air chief Fali Homi Major in his letter in his capacity as acting Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC).
Chiefs of Navy and Army too have been voicing their resentment. Antony has strongly favoured resolution of core issues raised by the three services chiefs in their representation to the government.
He wrote to Chidambaram, raising issues of disparities”, including the ones relating to Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBORs). (PTI)
After 96 hours, two-year-old’s body recovered from borewell
Agra, Oct 13: The slender hope that he may miraculously survive the ordeal snapped on Monday when rescue workers finally reached two-year-old Sonu, who fell into a 150-foot-deep borewell, but came out with his lifeless body. With their prayers unanswered and hopes dashed, a pall of gloom has descended upon his village near here.
Sonu’s body was recovered by rescue workers more than 96 hours after he fell into an open borewell while playing near his home in Leharkapura village near Agra at 10 am on Thursday.
“Sonu’s dead body has been recovered from the deep borewell,” Senior Superintendent of Police Raghuvir Lal told IANS at around 11.30 am.
The body was taken in a waiting ambulance to the SN Medical College in Agra for postmortem. An Army rescue team had dug a horizontal tunnel to reach Sonu, who was stuck halfway down the pit. Mounds of earth caved in thrice, delaying the operation work by at least 24 hours.
The child’s parents, who are farmers, were grief-stricken. His mother had not been eating properly for the past few days and fainted Sunday. She was given glucose and her health too is being closely monitored, an official said.
Villagers and officials were doubtful about Sonu’s survival since Saturday - even though oxygen was being pumped into the borewell - as there was no sign of life. Doctors now say the child may have died Thursday itself. “For all you know it would require supernatural powers to survive in that death hole,” an official had said on Sunday. Villagers had gathered at the site, conducting special prayers for days and hoping against hope for a miracle, but Sonu could not survive the ordeal. (IANS)
Birju Maharaj prayed for Amitabh during concert
MUMBAI, Oct 13: Love, concern and get well wishes for the ailing superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been pouring in ever since he was hospitalised on his birthday. Close friend and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali says Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj prayed for the icon’s recovery in the middle of a concert.
On Saturday evening Bhansali witnessed a moment of spontaneous affection for India’s most enduring star. It was a classical concert, a jugalbandi between veteran vocalist Girija Devi and the Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan here.
“Birju Maharaj, Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan are my three heroes. So when Birju Maharaji invited me I had to go, as I always do. I had no idea what awaited me there.
At the concert, Birju Maharaj suddenly stopped the performance to pray for the quick recuperation of the Big B.
“It was such a spontaneously emotional moment. No one had planned it. But suddenly Birju Maharajji said, ‘Let’s say a silent prayer for our very own Amitji’. And all of us in the audience fell silent to pray,” said Bhansali who worked with Amitabh in “Black”.
“And mind you, Amitji isn’t a part of the classical world. He’s very much a popular entertainer. It just went to prove that when it comes to art and culture all categories and segregation vanish. And look at Amitji’s reach. He was remembered with such genuine emotion at a classical concert,” Bhansali added.
Amitabh was taken to hospital following abdominal pain Saturday when he was celebrating his 66th birthday at his bungalow Pratiksha in Juhu.
He was recovering Sunday after being treated for the ailment and doctors attending on him said his test results were normal and that he would be released soon.
Talking about his illness, son Abhishek said: “Pa has a condition known as intestinal obstruction. He’s responding well to treatment. Doctors want to keep him in hospital for a minimum of two days for observation.”
The entire family and close friends including Reliance ADAG head Anil Ambani and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh are stationed at Lilavati. Amitabh’s daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, who was shooting in Goa for Shankar’s “Robot” on Friday, rushed back to join the family on Saturday. (IANS)
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