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Revanth Reddy denies links with Tara Chowdhary

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Telugu Desam Party MLA A Revanth Reddy on Friday dismissed reports that appeared in a section of media that he had links with Tara Chowdhary, who was arrested by city police in connection with a sex racket.

Talking to media persons at the Telugu Desam Legislature Party office, Revanth Reddy rubbished the media reports as ‘baseless’ and ‘far from truth’ and challenged them to come up with proper evidence to substantiate their charges. “It is not good for media to link my name with Tara Chowdhary and tarnish my political image,” he said.

Gadar resigns as TPF’s chairman

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Noted balladeer Gaddar on Friday resigned from the post of chairman of Telangana People’s Front, an organisation that he himself floated, to achieve statehood for the region.

Expressing total displeasure over the ongoing mode of agitation, Gaddar said that the Telangana State could not be achieved only through electoral process. He said statehood could not be achieved unless people from the region join the agitation. He stressed the need for changing the present mode of agitation.

Shankar Rao lodges police complaint against CM

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Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Friday lodged a complaint against Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and executive members of Congress Legislature Party Office under the SC/ST Atrocity Act for not allowing him to speak at the CLP office.

Talking to media persons in front of the CLP office, the former minister said that he has decided to lodge a complaint against the Chief Minister and CLP’s executive members with the Hyderabad City Police under SC/ST Atrocity Act. He said that the leaders were showing discrimination towards him as he was a Dalit.

Gali gets bail in OMC illegal mining case

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The CBI special court on Friday granted conditional bail to mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in the illegal mining case of Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC).

The special court while granting bail to Reddy, directed him to deposit two sureties and a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh and advised him not to leave the country and cooperate with the CBI in the investigations.

Cabinet clears bill to protect women at workplaces

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The Cabinet on Thursday cleared the Women Protection Bill. The new bill is aimed to protect women against sexual harassment at workplace.

The new law will cover all women staff including domestic help. According to the Women Protection Bill, workplaces will have a panel for redressal of complaints.

In a major decision in the Cabinet Committee meeting, according to sources, the clause that allowed the accused to prove innocence has been removed.

–Agencies

Zakia seeks probe copy against Modi

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Zakia Jaffery, wife of Congress leader Ehsaan Jaffrey slain in post-Godhra riots, today moved a court seeking documents from SIT related to the probe carried out by the agency, based on her complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others, with regards to the 2002 violence.

In an application to the metropolitan court here, Zakia’s lawyer Sadik Sheikh demanded 18 different documents related to SIT investigations.

‘CBI actions may generate sympathy for Jagan’

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The three charge-sheets filed against Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and freezing of bank accounts of his Sakshi media house could be perceived as a “political witch-hunt” in the ongoing election season in Andhra Pradesh, observers feel.

Barring a few leaders in Congress and TDP, several others are questioning the manner and motive of the CBI investigation.

And the bottom line is the “sympathy” that the whole episode could potentially generate for Jagan ahead of the by-polls to 18 Assembly constituencies.

Botsa denies Congress role in action against Sakshi

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Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Thursday dismissed reports that the government colluded with some media houses to take revenge on Sakshi newspaper and TV channel.

Talking to media persons while participating in by-election campaign in Nellore district, Botsa Satyanarayana claimed that the government has no role in the freezing of bank accounts of Sakshi newspaper and TV channel by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

TDP demands Jagan’s arrest in assets’ case

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Telugu Mahila state president Sobha Hymavathi on Thursday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation arrest Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy immediately and seize remaining bank accounts of Jagathi Publications in connection with illegal assets case pending against him.

Talking to media persons at S Kota in Vizianagaram district, Sobha Hymavathi alleged that the Sakshi Newspaper and TV channel were established with tainted money of Jagan Mohan Reddy. She said the media organisations owned by Jagan never acted impartially and were used to tarnish the image of TDP leaders.

Rupee down by 25 paise to 51.37 against US Dollar

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The Rupee slipped further today by 37 paise
to 53.50 in the opening session against the greenback on
persistent demand for Dollars by banks and importers and sliding equity
market,dealers at the Interbank Foreign Exchange said.

The local unit registered intra day high and low at 53.53 and
53.40 against the US Dollar with a major oscillation.
Yesterday, the Rupee was down by 22 paise to 53.13 against the
US Dollar.

–Agencies

Sonia tells Congress MPs to avoid factionalism

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Asking partymen to draw lessons from the previous polls, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that leaders must shed factional behaviour and fight as one disciplined team as the party braces to face a series of state elections in the coming months.

“We must all shed all manner of factional behaviour, and fight as one disciplined team at all levels. That will be the single-most important factor to decide whether we win or lose.

Kiran accuses Jagan of joining hands with TDP, TRS

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Ahead of the June 12 by-elections in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today claimed that Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had “colluded” with TDP and TRS to “topple” the state government and grab power.

“Jaganmohan Reddy has colluded with Telugu Desam party president N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao only to topple the present government in the state,” he said, while addressing a public meeting as part of an election campaign at Gokulapadu village in Payakaraopeta Assembly constituency, about 80 kms from here.

Osmania university assistant professor held for accepting bribe

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The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday caught an assistant professor of Osmania University here while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000.

Chand Basha, the assistant professor at the Microbiology Department, allegedly sought the bribe from the complainant, a research scholar, in return for an official favour.

He was trapped by the agency sleuths when he was accepting Rs 20,000 from the complainant, an ACB release said.

SHRC serves notices to State, CBI on Sakhi issue

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The State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday served notices to Chief Secretary Pankaj Dwivedi, Labour Commissioner and the Central Bureau of Investigation for its move to freeze bank accounts of Sakshi newspaper, owned by Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Responding to the petition filed by Arun Kumar, a practicing advocate, the Commission issued notices and asked them to submit a comprehensive report which led the CBI to freeze bank accounts of Sakshi newspaper by June 6.

CBI move to freeze Sakshi bank accounts draws flak

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The CBI action to freeze bank accounts of Sakshi Media group has drawn wide criticism from various sections with journalist union’s giving protest call and intelligentsia condemning the onslaught on freedom of press.

“YSR Congress thanks all the organisations and individuals for extending support in the case and expressing their strong objection to the CBI move, though the ruling Congress and opposition TDP have been showing slant in their comments,’ party spokesperson Gattu Ramachandra Rao told reporters here on Wednesday.

EC clears appointment of Information Commissioners

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The Election Commission on Wednesday gave green signal to the State Government to appoint four Information Commissioners, whose names were approved by Governor E S L Narasimhan.

With the EC giving permission to appoint Information Commissioners, the government is likey to issue orders in this connection soon.

Sakshi employees, journalists hold protest

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In protest against the Central Bureau of Investigation’s move to freeze the bank accounts of the Sakshi group, YSR Congress Party supporters and journalists took out separate rallies and staged dharnas across the State.

Raising slogans against the CBI move, the employees condemned the freezing of the bank accounts of Jagati Publications and Indira TV, owned by Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

EC to act tough against use of liquor, cash in by-polls

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Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal on Wednesday warned that severe action would be taken against the candidates and political parties if they try to lure the voters in the ensuing by-elections with cash and liquor.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Bhanwarlal said that cases under Section 171 of IPC would be registered against the parties or candidates and also against the recipient of cash during the by-elections.

Tulasi Reddy defends CBI’s action against Sakshi

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Chairman of 20 points programme N Tulasi Reddy on Wednesday took serious note on Sakshi newspaper for using strong words ‘Freedom of press murdered in democracy’ in connection with CBI freezing accounts of Jagati Publications Limited.

Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, Tulasi Reddy condemned the use of such headlines by Sakshi newspaper and said that the CBI did not attack the freedom of press. He said that the CBI has taken all measures to protect the freedom of press before seizure of accounts.

CBI approaches banks for freezing Jagan’s accounts

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The CBI has approached banks for freezing accounts of Jagati Publications and Indira TV owned by Kadapa MP Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The move by the agency comes a day after a special CBI court in Hyderabad had issued summons to the YSR Congress president directing him to appear before it on May 28 in a disproportionate assets case.

Muslim leaders welcome Supreme Court’s decision to abolish Haj subsidy

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Majority of Muslim clerics and leaders on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling directing the government to eliminate in the next 10 years the subsidy given to Hajis – pilgrims to the holy Makkah.

The clerics and leaders said that instead of providing subsidies, the Haj committee, an autonomous body under the Indian government responsible for making arrangement for Haj pilgrimage, should be revamped.

Andhra Pradesh CM attacks Jagan

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Stepping up his attack on Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday sked how can a person living in a palatial palace can empathise with the poor.

“If you live in a palace with 70 rooms, how can you empathise with the poor? I don’t understand this mentality,” he said, referring to Jagan.

Kiran was addressing a campaign meeting in coastal Andhra in support of Congress candidates for next month’s bypolls to one Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly seats.