Month: February 2012

Woman IAS officer Ratna Prabha grilled by CBI

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Hyderabad, February 05: CBI investigators probing the YSR Congress president, Y.S. Jagan’s assets case, questioned senior IAS officer and former principal secretary (Information Technology), Ms Ratna Prabha, for three and a half hours on Saturday at 10.30 am.

The CBI was seeking clarifications from her regarding the IT Special Economic Zones when she was at the helm of affairs in the department during YSR’s regime. The CBI is collecting evidence against the SEZs that invested in Jagan’s firms such as, Jagati Publications and Indira Television.

Hajj 2012 schedule to be finalized tomorrow

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Hyderabad, February 5: A meeting of executive officers of state Hajj committees across the country will be held on February 6, in Mumbai in which schedule of Hajj 2012 will be finalized. Executive officer state hajj committee, Prof. S A Shukoor will leave to attend the meeting.

He will leave for Mumbai in the morning of February 6 and will return the same day. The meeting will review problems faced by Hajj committees of various states.

After taking charge of the post of executive officer, Prof. S A Shukoor will attend Central Hajj Committee meeting for the first time.

Another Cong MLC resigns from Priviliges Committee

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Another Congress MLC from Telangana region K Yadav Reddy on Saturday resigned from the Privileges Committee alleging that injustice have been done to party seniors in the appointment of committees in the legislative council.

BV Raghuvulu elected as CPI (M) secretary for the fifth term

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Khammam, February 05 (INN): BV Raghavulu has been elected as the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for the fifth consecutive term.

Raghuvulu was unanimously elected for the post during the party’s national convention here on Saturday. His election was announced in the presence of party’s national secretary Prakash Karat and central committee member Sitaram Yechury. Raghuvlu was first elected to the post in 1997 during a convention held at Nalgonda.

Man uploads obscene images of woman colleague

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Hyderabad, February 05: The Andhra Pradesh police have arrested a man for allegedly opening a fake Facebook account of his former woman colleague and publishing obscene pictures.

T Satish, an engineer working with an MNC in Bangalore, was arrested on Thursday and officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) seized a laptop and a hard-disk from his possession, used for uploading allegedly obscene images of the victim, Cyber Crime SP U Rammohan said.

IAS officials should expose ministers: Cong MLC

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Congress MLC P Venkat Rao on Saturday advised the IAS officers to disclose the names of ministers who forced them to commit irregularities.

Talking to reporters at the Congress Legislature Party office, Venkat Rao said that instead of complaining of harassment and pressure from the ministers, the IAS officials should reveal their names who have pressurised them to commit irregularities. He advised the officials to submit the details of irregularities along with the list of ministers to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Kashmir Girl Dies As Ambulance Driver Demanded

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Srinagar, February 05: In a shocking case of medical negligence, a girl Nazeem lay dying on Friday, even as the ambulance driver at the Anantnag hospital persisted in his demand to be paid Rs 850 first before taking her to Srinagar.

Bashir Ahmed Rather’s daughter Nazeem had consumed poison in a bid to commit suicide. She was rushed to Anantnag hospital, where doctors referred her to the Srinagar main hospital.

The driver of the ambulance in which Nazeem was supposed to leave demanded Rs 850 in advance from her father.

3,000 candidates approved for Iran polls

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Tehran, February 05: Iran’s high legislative body, the Guardian Council, has approved more than 3,000 candidates for the parliament elections, Press TV reported.

Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, spokesman of the Guardian Council, said more people would be reviewed by Feb 10, according to Xinhua.

Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar announced in December last year that 5,395 people, including 428 women, had registered their candidacy.

The parliamentary polls are slated for March 2, where the candidates will contest for the 290-seat Majlis.

Italian Writer Criticizes Aish For Poor Acting

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Mumbai, February 05: An Italian historian and author of about 17 historical novels, Valerio Massimo Manfredi has criticised Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s acting in the movie The Last Legion, adapated from his own book.

The author of ‘The Last Legion’ says Aishwarya Rai acted as if the film was for kids.

While talking to Indo Asian News Service, Manfredi said not only was the character that Aishwarya Rai played in the movie changed completely from what it was in the book, she acted badly on top of it.

AP Wakf Board demands increase in grants, manpower

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Hyderabad, February 05: The Andhra Pradesh State Wakf Board has sought an enhancement in the grant-in-aid of Rs. 12 crore in the budget for year 2012-13. Last year, the government released a mere Rs. 37.5 lakh against the budget estimate of Rs. 1.50 crore. The Board has also demanded to fill up the vacancies for the efficient administrative functioning of the Wakf properties worth Rs thousands of crore.

Israel well within Iran missile reach

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Tehran, February 05: A senior Iranian lawmaker says the Israeli regime is very vulnerable at present and threats to launch a military strike against Iran are merely a bluff.

Member of the Majlis Presiding Board Mohammad-Hossein Farhangi said Saturday that based on international and regional developments, Tel Aviv is bluffing in making war threats against Iran.

Rift widens between Telangana supporters in Cong, CM

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Hyderabad, February 05: The growing rift between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the Telangana protagonists within the ruling Congress appears to have reached a flashpoint.

The pro-Telangana leaders delivered a big blow to the Chief Minister by successfully scuttling the launch of his pet scheme “Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu” (RYK), an employment programme for the youth. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to visit the state today to formally launch the scheme and hand over appointment letters to the beneficiaries.

Ravindra Jadeja hits $ 2 million jackpot

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Mumbai, February 05: As the hammer went down at the Indian Premier League auction on Saturday morning, life came full circle for Ravindra Jadeja. A day after he put in a Man-of-the-Match performance to give India their first overseas win in any format after 16 games, the all-rounder became the most expensive player among those sold for season five of the lucrative Twenty20 league.

Jadeja is unlikely to indulge in any wild celebrations, however. At 23, the youngster has already experienced enough highs and lows in his career to know how quickly fortunes can change.

Do Rahul-Priyanka have Aladdin lamp: BSP

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Lucknow, February 05: Ruling BSP on Saturday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi for promising to change the face of Uttar Pradesh in five years, wondering if they have acquired “Aladdin’s lamp” to make the turnaround.

“The star campaigners of Congress are promising to change the picture and future of the state, including Amethi, Raebareli and Sultanpur in five years time but we fail to understand if the brother and sister(Rahul and Priyanka) have got hold of Aladdin’s lamp to achieve it,” state unit president of the BSP, Swami Prasad Maurya said.

Scams not possible without ministers’ involvement: BJP

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Bharatiya Janata party senior leader Bandaru Dattatreya on Saturday accused the State Government of targeting the senior officers in the scams that surfaced in the State.

Talking to media persons at State BJP Headquarers, Dattatreyya said that the IAS officers would not have acted on their own without getting necessary approvals from the ministers concerned in the Emaar and mining scams. He said that the government should first order probe against the responsible ministers, instead of targeting the IAS officers and making them scapegoats.

Puja Gupta To Star In Saif’s Home Production

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Mumbai, February 05: Actress Puja Gupta, who made her acting debut with ‘Faltu’, will be seen opposite Saif Ali Khan in the forthcoming ‘Go Goa Gone’.

Puja, the winner of the Miss India Universe title in 2007, was first seen in Vashu Bhagnani’s comic caper ‘Faltu’ alongside Jackky Bhagnani, Ritesh Deshmukh and Arshad Warsi.

“It is exciting to work with a star like Saif Ali Khan. I feel I couldn’t have asked for anything better in my second film,” Puja said.

No talks if strike continues, DL to Jr docs

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Health Minster DL Ravindra Reddy on Saturday categorically stated that the State Government would not hold any talks with the junior doctors till they end their strike.

Talking to reporters after attending a private function in the city, the minister said that the junior doctors’ strike was immoral. He said the government does not propose to hold any discussion with the junior doctors, if they continue the strike.

Probe ministers’ role in scams, Shankar Rao

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Saturday demanded that the State Government order a probe into the role of ministers into Obulapuram Mining Corporation, APIIC-Emaar and other scams.

Talking to reporters at the Congress Legislature Party office, Dr Shankar Rao extended the support to the IAS Officer Association which has raised questions on the on-going CBI probe into various scams. He said that the IAS officers should not be made scapegoats and the concerned ministers should also be punished for irregularities.

Increase mess bill for SW hostels: Jaipal Yadav

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Telugu Desam MLA Jaipal Yadav on Saturday came down heavily on the state government for not providing nutritious food to students studying in the social welfare hostels.

Talking to media persons at Telugu Desam Legislature Party office, Jaipal Yadav said that the State Government was paying only Rs 16 per day as mess bill for hostel inmates. Comparatively, the criminals in jails are getting Rs 30 as mess bill per day, he said.

Register cases against ministers, demands TDP

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Telugu Desam MLAs Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy and Mandava Venkateswar Rao on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy disclose the names of ministers against whom the senior IAS officers have given complaint of harassment in connection with the mining and Emaar scams.

TP-JAC issues new dictat against political leaders

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Hyderabad, February 05 (INN): Telangana Political Joint Action Committee Chairman Prof M Kodandaram on Saturday called upon pro-Telangana activists not to allow any political leaders in the entire region until their parties make their stand clear on the separate statehood issue.

Kareena spotted with a baby bump

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Mumbai, February 05: According to the latest buzz, Kareena Kapoor is rumored to be pregnant. She was clicked at the airport covering her belly with a shawl. She was spotted wearing an oversized olive green coloured t-shirt and it appeared as if the actress was trying to hide something.

Kareena looked tired; she did not see left or right but moved on covering her belly. February 10th has been confirmed for their engagement. Saif and Kareena will tie the knot soon a week after the release of ‘Agent Vinod’.

Belgian Politician Campaigns Against Islam Using His Daughter Wearing Bikini Inside Burqa

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Brussels, February 05: Filip Dewinter, leader of a far-right Vlaams Belang party in Belgium has started a ‘Women Against Islamization’ campaign featuring his 19-year-old daughter wearing bikini inside a burqa, reports Daily Mail.

The politician’s daughter An-Sofie Dewinter is shown wearing a dark blue bikini for the political campaign inside a burqa.

The report said, the provocative image is likely to inflame tensions among Islamic groups and nationalists in racially-divided Belgium.