Month: August 2010

Johri requests for more time to appear before CBI

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Ahmedabad, August 09: Geetha Johri, a former investigation officer in the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, today sought more time from CBI in appearing before the agency in connection with the case.

Johri who resumed today work as police commissioner of Rajkot city after a long leave, made the request to CBI to grant her more time, officials said.

CBI had asked her to appear before it on August 10.

In her request, Johri said that since she has joined after a break, she needs to get appraised about the case, before answering CBI questions, they said.

Tata Motors joins CWG as transport sponsor

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Mumbai, August 09: The beleaguered Organising Committee of the Delhi Commonwealth Games got a shot in the arms when it signed Tata Motors as the official motor transport sponsor for the October 3-14 sports extravaganza.

As per an MoU signed today, Tata Motors would provide turnkey transport solutions during the Games and the Queen’s Baton Relay, a media release said.

Narendra Modi reviews situation after heavy rains

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Ahmedabad, August 09: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today reviewed the situation emerging after heavy rains across the state in the past few days and directed the district officials to take measures to prevent outbreak of any kind of epidemic.

Modi asked officials at a meeting held today to work on war footing to drain out water from low lying areas of the city and those districts and to monitor the water level in Ukai and Narmada dam.

Modi directed to offer quick assistance to families who lost their kins due to heavy rains.

Law and order much better in UP: Govt

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Lucknow, August 09: The Uttar Pradesh government today said the law and order situation in the state was much better than in rest of the country.

The government informed the Legislative Assembly the state stood at 34th position in terms of crime records.

The situation in other states was worse, it said citing state-wise National Crime Record Bureau statistics.

Satish Mahana, a BJP MLA, ridiculed the government claim saying “just as it is forging crime records, it has also forged the number of states in the country.”

Maoists kill tribal leader in Orissa

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Koraput (Orissa), August 09: Suspected Maoists today allegedly gunned down a Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) leader in this district.

Kendruka Arjun, secretary of CMAS’s Bandhugaon unit was shot dead and the body was found in a pool of blood near Katulpeta village, police said here.

A group of armed rebels waylaid Arjun near Katulpeta, shot him from close range and slit his throat, SDPO (Laxmipur) Y J Rao said.

Arjun had contested Assembly election last year as an independent candidate from Laxmipur seat.

Libyan detained in illegal recruitment drive

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Chennai, August 09: The Protector of Emigrants (POE) has detained seven persons, including a Libyan, in connection with an alleged illegal recrutiment for medical and paramedical jobs in Libya.

POE, D Jai Sankar said in a statement here that action was taken based on an alert from the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, Delhi and that the detained persons were handed over to city police last week.

I’m looking forward to IPL 4: Warne

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New Delhi, August 09: Australian spin wizard Shane Warne today expressed his willingness to play in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League next year.

The Rajasthan Royals skipper, who lead his team to a title win in the inaugural edition two years ago, had a three-year contract with his twenty20 franchise which expired after the last edition.

Although a fresh auction will be held in September for IPL-IV, the Australian legend is not in favour of IPL franchisees retaining any player for the next season.

Rupee up by 3 paise at 46.12/13 against US dollar

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Mumbai, August 09: The Indian rupee today gained 3 paise to 46.12/13 against the US dollar, its highest close since June 21, 2010, on the back of firm domestic equity markets amid strong capital inflows.

The domestic currency started firm at 46.02/04 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange as against last weekend’s close of 46.15/16 a dollar.

Katie Price hates France

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Mumbai, August 09: Katie Price is in Paris with hubby Alex Reid to celebrate his birthday, but it seems the model is not enjoying her stint there as she describes it “as the worst holiday of her life”.

“Everything was in French. The food was shocking. It was appalling – a complete and utter rip off. And it was full of French people,” web media quoted Price as saying. “It is the worst holiday of my life.”

Both Price and Reid are in France for their “second honeymoon” and are hoping the holiday will spice up their marriage.

—Agencies

Uproar in Lok Sabha over CWG graft

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New Delhi, August 09: Allegations of corruption in the preparations for the Commonwealth Games generated much heat in the Lok Sabha on Monday with a key government ally calling for a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and two opposition parties demanding a parliamentary probe into the issue.

Sensex ends 143 points up

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Mumbai, August 09: A benchmark index for Indian equities on Monday climbed 143 points, backed by gains in realty, banks and metal stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), closed 0.79 percent or 143.51 points higher at 18,287.50 points.

At the National Stock Exchange(NSE),the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed 0.86 percent or 46.90 points higher at 5,486.15 points.

The market breadth was strong. Out of 3,072 stocks traded on the BSE, 1,958 advanced while 1,002 declined.

CPI-M admits it lost support due to ‘shortcomings’

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Vijayawada, August 09: In an effort at soul-searching, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has admitted that people have moved away from the Left Front due to “certain shortcomings” and vowed to re-build the links.

In the political resolution adopted at the extended meeting of the central committee meeting here Monday, the party said it was in the process of correcting the shortcomings.

“The Left Front is determined to reforge links with the people who have moved away due to certain shortcomings that have been identified and are in the process of being corrected,” it said.

Infected foodgrain being supplied to poor in Mumbai: BJP

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New Delhi, August 09: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has alleged that infected foodgrains were being supplied to poor people and tribals through ration shops in Mumbai and Thane.

Somaiya, a national secretary of the BJP, said in a statement that he visited a Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouse in Borivli, Mumbai, along with some party leaders and found “dead rats and rotten, infected foodgrains” in the storage facility.

Mamata’s convoy hit by lorry

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Kolkata, August 09: A lorry hit a car of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s convoy Monday evening at Kolaghat bridge in East Midnapore district when she was returning to the city after her meeting in Maoist-affected Lalgarh. The Trinamool Congress leader alleged that the lorry had targeted her car.

“When the convoy was crossing the congested Kolaghat bridge in East Midnapore district, a lorry coming from the opposite direction seemed to lose control and hit a car of the convoy,” East Midnapore district magistrate Archana told IANS over phone.

Two arrested in Gyaneshwari case remanded in judicial custody

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Kolkata, August 09: Two pro-Maoist activists arrested Sunday for their alleged involvement in the Gyaneshwari Express tragedy, in which 148 people were killed, were remanded in three days judicial custody by a court in West Midnapore district Monday.

The accused were Tapan Mahato and Altab Hossen, members of pro-Maoist tribal body People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA). They were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths along with state policemen from a jungle near Sardiha station in the district.

Godavari floods claim 13 lives in Andhra

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Hyderabad, August 09: The incessant rains and floods in Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh during the last four days have claimed 13 lives and damaged standing crops in over 30,000 hectares, an official said Monday.

The overall food situation in the affected districts barring two Godavari districts improved Monday with flood waters beginning to recede.

The death toll mounted to 13 Monday as officials reported three more deaths. Eight people were killed in rain related incidents in Warangal, three in East Godavari and two in Adilabad.

Maulana Wahiduddin to get Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award

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New Delhi, August 09: The 18th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award will be given to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan for his contribution towards promotion of communal harmony and peace, it was announced Monday.

Congress treasurer Motilal Vora, who is member secretary of the advisory committee of the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award, said in a statement that the award will be given to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan for his “outstanding contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, peace and goodwill”.

Priyanka Chopra to be India’s green ambassador

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New Delhi, August 09: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has agreed to be the national green ambassador to initiate eco-friendly campaigns in India, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh announced Monday.

“I have been talking to Priyanka about how she can be a part of environment friendly campaigns nationally and be involved with projects such as tiger conservation and river cleaning, especially the Ganga river. I have said that this would be like her public service,” Ramesh said at a press conference here.

Spl ‘mosquito terminator’ train to check breeding

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New Delhi, August 09: To get rid of the mosquito menace, Northern Railway has launched a special train equipped with power sprayer to check its breeding in the water bodies along rail tracks in Delhi.

The ‘mosquito terminator’ train launched in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will run twice in a fortnight till November covering the city from New Delhi to Shahdara and from Anand Vihar to Nizamuddin.

According to a Northern Railway official, an engine will haul a truck mounted power sprayer stationed on a special kind of low flat surface rail wagon.

More fiscal, monetary steps to ease inflation:FM

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New Delhi, August 09: Concerned over rising prices, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said more fiscal and monetary steps could be taken to ease inflation, if required.

“The Reserve Bank is constantly watching monetary expansion. To improve the supply position, import doors are kept open and as and when some steps are called for, we will be in a position to take them,” he said in an interview to private news channel CNBC TV18.

Oil leak off Mumbai coast plugged: Coast Guard

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Mumbai, August 09: The oil spill from Panamanian ship MSC Chitra, which ran aground off Mumbai harbour after Saturday’s collision with another vessel, has stopped, the Coast Guard said today.

“The leakage of oil from the ship has stopped on its own,” S P S Basra, IG Coast Guard (Western Region) told PTI.

“It is observed that in the last six hours, the fuel from the ship tank has stopped coming out. So, it is a relief kind of a thing,” Basra said.

10 kg RDX recovered in Poonch

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Jammu, August 09: About 10 kg RDX was today seized along with a cache of arms and ammunition when the Army unearthed a hideout in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Acting on a tip off, troops of 39 Rashtriya Rifle (RR) and Special Operation Group (SOG) launched a search and cordon operation in Magnar forest area late this afternoon, they said.

They unearthed a hideout and recovered 10 kg RDX, 3 kg gun powder, a Chinese hand grenade, two Rocket Projectile Grenade (RPG), a wireless set (Icom), 25 AK rounds and 70 pencil cells, police said.

–Agencies

Ex-RSS chief Sudarshan does a Gadkari

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Bhopal, August 09: Former RSS chief KS Sudarshan did a Gadkari invoking “son-in-law” term to target Congress leaders over issues relating to minorities.

Sudarshan asked are minorities the “son-in-law” of prime minister Manmohan Singh for his 2006 remark advocating that minority communites, especially Muslims, should have first claim on resources so that benefits of development reach them equitably.

ISI completely accountable to civilian government: Zardari

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London, August 09: Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that he is in full control of the powerful ISI and that it is “completely accountable now” to the civilian government.

Zardari also insisted that the days when the country’s spy agencies, which have long been accused of working with militant outfits in the region, were more powerful than the country’s elected leaders are over.

Four get life term for murder

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New Delhi, August 09: A Delhi court today sentenced four men to life imprisonment for killing a boy at New Delhi Railway Station as he failed to obey their commands.

Additional Sessions Judge Poonam Chaudhary awarded the prison term, along with a fine of Rs 4,000 each on Chandan, Sujeet Kumar, Balmukund and Pradeep Kumar, after holding them guilty of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence under the IPC.