Month: September 2012

Esha Gupta says no to body double for ‘Raaz 3’

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Actress Esha Gupta, who is just a film old in the industry, has reportedly shot a nude scene in her forthcoming 3-D horror flick “Raaz 3” without the help of any body double.

The 23-year-old former Miss India plays a newcomer in the film who follows the journey of a fading superstar’s revenge against a rising star.

The near-to-nude scenes were crucial to the script of the film. And while Esha was offered a body double, she insisted on doing the scenes herself.

She had no qualms shooting for the scenes since she comes from an extensive modeling background… She completely

Sonia goes abroad for medical check-up

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi today travelled abroad for a routine medical check-up a year after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed ailment.

“The Congress President has gone abroad for check-up,” AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

He said Gandhi would return in a week.

Gandhi, who had undergone a surgery August last year for an undisclosed ailment, had been abroad in February this year for medical check up.

——PTI

Modi demands strong action against Thackeray

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Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today lashed out at MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his ‘Bihari’ bashing and asked the Centre to take strong action against him.

Thackery was in the habit of making inflammatory speeches particularly against migrants from Bihar to further his regional and chauvinistic political agenda, Modi told reporters here.

Criticising the Centre for failure to take steps against Thackeray, Modi said that it appeared that he enjoyed the patronage of the Congress party in Maharashtra.

No proposal to swap Afridi for Aafia: ISI chief

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Pakistan is not considering any proposal to swap a doctor arrested for running a vaccination campaign to trace Osama bin Laden for Aafia Siddiqui, convicted in the US for links to terrorism, ISI chief Lt Gen Zahir-ul-Islam has said.

There is no proposal under consideration to hand over the doctor, Shakeel Afridi, to the US since he is facing judicial proceedings and a three-stage appeal process is yet to be disposed of, Islam was quoted as saying in media reports.

The Inter Services Intelligence chief spoke to reporters on the margins of a military function late last night.

A peek inside a crime don’s lair

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In a narrow, congested bylane in south Mumbai’s Saat Rasta area is the Dagdi Chawl headquarters of mafia boss Arun Gawli, sentenced to life for the 2008 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar, his first conviction in a four-decade-long career in crime in the notorious underworld of India’s commercial and entertainment capital.

Unlike the man, the chawl – local euphemism for a slum – is nondescript and easy to miss for those unfamiliar with the packed city.

Flesh trade racket busted, five women among ten held

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City police today claimed to have busted a flesh trade racket operating in Koh-e-Fiza area and arrested ten persons, including five women in this case.

Acting on a tip-off that some suspicious activity was taking place at a residence in the locality, police conducted a raid last night and arrested ten persons including five women, a senior police officer said.

The place was taken on rent by one Neha Singh and her two male assistants Pankaj and Manish, superintendent of police (SP) north Arvind Saxena told reporters today.

Syria releases 225 detainees

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The Syrian government Saturday released a total of 225 detainees who were arrested during the 18-month-old unrest but were not involved in acts of homicide acts, reported Xinhua, citing the state-run SANA news agency.

The released detainees are from the capital Damascus and its suburbs, according to the SANA report.

The Syrian authorities have released several batches of detainees that were arrested during the government troops’ operations on opposition strongholds and later turned out to have not committed any killings.

Sonia Gandhi meets Sushma Swaraj over Parliament logjam

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Keen to break the logjam in Parliament over the CAG report, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has reached out to Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj but the BJP appeared unrelenting on its stand. Taking the initiative, Gandhi talked to the senior BJP leader on Friday coinciding with her hectic consultations with the party top brass including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said.

BJP, however, said there is no change in their stand of seeking the Prime Minister’s resignation on the issue.

Cong MP withdraws resignation after meeting CM

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Nandyal Congress MP S P Y Reddy who had resigned his Lok Sabha Membership in protest against the release of water from the Srisailam Reservoir into Nagarjuna Sagar much to the disadvantage of the people of Rayalaseema yesterday withdrew his resignation after talking to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today.

Virat Kohli, M S Dhoni raise Indian fight back against NZ

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Virat Kohli (93 batting) and skipper M S Dhoni (46 batting) led the Indian fight back as hosts reached 283 for five wickets in their first innings in reply to New Zealand’s 365 at stumps on the second day of the second and final test match played at M Chinnaswamy stadium here today. The Indians, who bundled out the Black Caps in their first innings at 365 in the morning, an addition of just 37 to the overnight total of 328 for 6, were in deep trouble at 80 for four after the top order batsmen were done in by the Kiwi pacers Tim Southee 3/35 and Doug Bracewell 2/66.

Cong MP withdraws resignation after meeting CM

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Nandyal Congress MP S P Y Reddy who had resigned his Lok Sabha Membership in protest against the release of water from the Srisailam Reservoir into Nagarjuna Sagar much to the disadvantage of the people of Rayalaseema yesterday withdrew his resignation after talking to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today.

Gas tanker tragedy: Special Cabinet meet on Sep 3

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A special Cabinet session will be convened on September 3 to discuss compensation to the victims of the gas tanker tragedy in Kannur. A decision would be taken only after holding discussions and reviewing of relief measures with various heads of departments in Kannur District, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in a press release here.

2 killed as motorcycle rams parapet wall of bridge

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Two youths were killed and another critically injured when the motorcycle on which they were riding dashed against the parapet wall of a Bridge at Saalaipudur village near Paavurchathiram, here today. Police said the trio– M Joseph Goldwin (22), his friends J Anand (23) and G Jabis Jacob (22)– were returning to their houses at Palayamkottai, after a trip to Courtallam waterfalls, when the mishap occurred.

Joseph Goldwin and Anand succumbed to head injuries while Jabis was battling for life in the government medical college hospital.

Further investigations were on, police added.

‘China developing new class of guided missile destroyer’

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The Chinese Navy is developing a brand new class of guided-missile destroyer, a “new type” of naval warship with upgraded air-defence missiles, anti-ship and anti-submarine missiles, official media reported.

The new destroyers are equipped with two 32-unit vertical launch systems capable of launching HQ-9B air-defence missiles, anti-ship and anti-submarine missiles, official media quoted China Military News as saying.

Not seeking mid-term polls: BJP

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BJP had not yet given a thought to who would be its Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections, it said on Saturday.

Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde told a news agency here that there had been no discussion on the issue within the party. He also ruled out the possibility of mid-term polls.

“BJP will decide collectively who would be its (Prime Ministerial) face,” he said, adding that the party had not even decided whether it wanted to project a candidate before the polls.

“It is too early to talk about these things,” he said.

PMO unhappy over inaction by Coal Ministry

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Amidst the storm over CAG report on coal block allocation, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has expressed displeasure over inaction by the Coal Ministry in cancelling blocks where mining has not taken place and asked it to expedite the matter by September 6.

The PMO communication to the Coal Ministry came ahead of the Inter-Ministerial Group Meeting (IMG) on Monday to take a decision on the fate of 58 coal blocks including 25 blocks allocated to private companies like Tata Power, Reliance Power and ArcelorMittal.

Ramdev announces agitation from Oct 2, demands PM’s resignation

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Yoga guru Baba Ramdev Saturday sought resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a huge presumptive loss to the exchequer in coal blocks allocation and announced fresh agitation against the Congress-led UPA government from Oct 2.

Ramdev hinted that the agitation would start from Himachal Pradesh in view of the upcoming assembly elections in that state and Gujarat towards the end of this year.

The yoga guru’s campaign against the United Progressive Alliance government will continue till the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

SP protests to ensure normal functioning of Parl: Jaiswal

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Union Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Saturday dismissed suggestions that SP chief Mulayan Singh Yadav has joined hands with the opposition on coal block allocation issue by holding a protest and claimed the action was aimed at ensuring normal functioning of Parliament.

BJP urges Mamata to pull plug from UPA

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Observing that Mamata Banerjee’s “clean image” did not gel with a “tainted Congress”, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday urged the Trinamool Congress supremo to pull the plug from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the wake of the controversy over coal block allocations.

“It is hard to fathom why Mamataji, who has such a clean image, is continuing her association with the Congress which is draped in scams from head to foot. We appeal to her to immediately withdraw support from the tainted UPA,” BJP national spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said here.

Have right to seek accountability of PM: BJP

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BJP on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over his criticism of the party, saying it is its right to seek his political, Constitutional and moral accountability.

“The right to ask questions and seek political, Constitutional and moral accountability of the Prime Minister is indeed the constitutional and parliamentary obligation of the Opposition. And Mr Prime Minister this is not ‘tu-tu main main,” BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Veteran Congress leader Sat Mahajan passes away

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Veteran Congress leader and five time minister Sat Mahajan died here Saturday morning following a brief illness.

Mahajan, 85, is survived by a son and a daughter.

He was ailing for some time and had undergone angioplasty at a hospital here on August 22. He was discharged from the hospital four days ago and was staying with his daughter.

His body is being brought to Nurpur and the cremation would be held tomorrow.

Mahajan emerged as an important leader of Kangra after its merger with Himachal in 1966.

Sonia meets Sushma to break Parliament logjam

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Keen to break the logjam in Parliament over the CAG report, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has reached out to Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj but the BJP appeared unrelenting on its stand.

Taking the initiative, Gandhi talked to the senior BJP leader yesterday coinciding with her hectic consultations with the party top brass including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said.

BJP, however, said there is no change in their stand of seeking the Prime Minister’s resignation on the issue.

Over 270 government websites hacked till July

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Over 270 government websites were hacked till July this year, Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot informed parliament.

“A total number of 201, 303, 308 and 273 government websites were hacked during the year 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 (till July) respectively,” Pilot said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha this week.

Asked if computer security analysts have issued alerts for internet users, the minister said the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) regularly issued alerts for users and operators on vulnerabilities.