News

Mumbai, September 15: Pulling up Maharashtra Government for not filing an affidavit in response to a petition alleging illegal detention of a COFEPOSA detenu, the Bombay High Court has asked Principal Home Secretary Medha Gadgil to pay a fine of Rs 5000 from her own pocket for this lapse.

Justice Ajay Khanvilkar and Justice U D Salvi observed that the state cannot behave in a casual manner in matters of alleged illegal detention, particularly in this case as the detenu has been confined to jail for more than six months.

Ahmedabad, September 15: One of the brothers of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Nayamuddin, who is a witness in the fake encounter killing case, has alleged CBI has altered his statement and included some portions which he never said before it.

In a two-page affidavit sent to the special CBI court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A Y Dave here today, Nayamuddin said three points, which he had not stated to CBI, have been included in his statement.

Nashik, September 15: Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Rakesh Maria today visited the city and held meetings with senior police officials here, sources said.

He held meetings with both city and rural police as well as intelligence department in connection with investigation about alleged LeT operative Shaikh Lalbaba alias Bilal, arrested from Nashik and presently under ATS custody till September 20 for allegedly preparing to carry out terror attacks in Maharashtra.

New Delhi, September 15: Mehbooba Mufti, president of Jammu and Kashmir’s principal opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Wednesday that the central government should start an “unconditional dialogue on Kashmir” and the state government should free civilian protesters who had been arrested.

She sought the immediately release of youths booked under the Public Safety Act and asked the government to “lift the siege” laid to the Kashmir Valley.

Guwahati, September 15: ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda Rajkhowa has expressed his keenness in holding talks with the government, Centre’s interlocutor P C Haldar today said.

“The ULFA chairman has expressed keenness in holding talks with the government and the process for initiating dialogue is proceeding in the right direction,” he told reporters briefly after meeting Rajkhowa and Dima Halam Daogah chief Jewel Garlosa at the Guwahati Central Jail here.

New Delhi, September 15: The Supreme Court Wednesday pulled up the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for claiming that its decision of not acting on a complaint by its former president A.C. Muthiah could not be questioned as it was an autonomous private body.

Muthiah had written to the BCCI that the award of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise of Chennai Super Kings to India Cements company was in breach of the cricketing body’s rules prohibiting its office bearers from engaging in conflict of interest activities.

New Delhi, September 15: Projecting a nine to 10 per cent growth rate, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said efforts should be made to remove “deficiencies” to enhance productivity across all sectors of the economy.

He said the country’s economic performance in the last few years has been “impressive” and is poised to move to a trajectory of sustained high economic growth which is essential for fighting persistent poverty, hunger and disease that still afflicts millions of people.

Chennai, September 15: Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa today moved the Madras High Court for discharging her from a case regarding alleged willful failure to file wealth tax returns for 1992-93.

She also pleaded for setting aside a local court’s July 8 order, dismissing her application seeking discharge from the case.

When the petition came up for hearing, Justice P R Sivakumar directed issue of notice to the Assistant Commissioner of Wealth Tax, Circle II (2) returnable by September 27.

New Delhi, September 15: The Organising Committee has refused to make public its documents of controversial contract with companies supplying overlays worth over Rs 630 crore for the Commonwealth Games.

The organising committee said disclosure of these documents would compromise commercial interests as the contracts are underway.

Replying to an RTI application, Organising Committee said, “The contracts are underway and copies cannot be provided at this stage.”

New Delhi, September 15:Demanding concrete measures like initiation of unconditional dialogue, revocation of AFSPA, phased withdrawal of army from Kashmir Valley, PDP today said there was a need to look at Kashmir from a “humanitarian angle” and it should not be made a “prestige issue”.

Emerging from the all-party meeting on Kashmir, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said all parties should rise above their “political interests” and find a solution to the crisis.

Srinagar, September 15: At least four people were killed and 20 injured in Jammu region’s Mendhar town Wednesday following clashes between police and crowds protesting the alleged desecration of the Quran in the US.

Irate mobs regrouped in the town and started targeting government buildings. The protestors attacked a police station and there were reports that the deaths triggered more protests in surrounding areas.

Kolkata, Septembe 15: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has lashed out against a section of the “big press” for allegedly supporting the Maoists and said some journalists were sympathetic to the rebels without knowing their ideology.

“A section of the big press is always supporting the cause of Maoists. Some journalists may be sympathetic to the Maoists’ cause without having a concrete idea about their ideology,” Bhattacharjee said in an interview to the newly launched website of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) state unit.