Month: March 2013

Attacking the SP government in Uttar Pradesh over the killing of a police officer, Congress today alleged there is no law and order in the state and demanded a CBI probe into the matter. “UP’s law and order is very bad. There is in fact no law and order in the state. If a police officer is killed and those facing the charge for the killing include a minister of the state government, then what is left. “If a DSP rank officer of the police is not safe there, what can be said about the plight of the common man,” party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told reporters here.

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal today said Wharton India Economic Conference’s invitation to him and cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s lecture at the event were not linked. “I confirmed about 10 days back with Wharton that I would speak there. I am not a substitute. This is mere media speculation. Wharton’s invitation to me has nothing to do with Modi’s controversy,” he said. Kejriwal’s comments came against the backdrop of reports that he will be replacing Modi as the keynote speaker of the event.

Union Minister Manish Tewari today sought setting up of a special trauma centre at the Civil Hospital in Ludhiana. In a letter to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said Ludhiana is the biggest city in the North with a population of over 30 lakh. Tewari, who is the minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, said though there are private medical centres in the city, there is no specialised unit in the government-run Civil Hospital for common people.

The Delhi High Court has directed a District and Sessions Judge to “reconstruct” within two weeks the records pertaining to a 20-year-old rape case, in which judicial and police files went missing. A bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice V K Jain also said that the trial court could proceed with the matter if the case had not been settled between the parties and the trial to be concluded within three months. In addition, the bench also directed for appropriate action against the officers responsible for missing of the files.

The Bombay High Court today granted bail to suspended Gujarat ACP Narendra Amin, an accused in the 2005 alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and subsequent murder of Kausar Bi, on medical grounds. The High Court also accepted Amin’s argument that he has already spent six years behind the bars in the alleged fake encounter case. Justice Abhay Thipsay, however, stayed the operation of the order for two weeks after CBI counsel Hiten Venegaokar sought time to move the Supreme Court to challenge the bail.

President Pranab Mukherjee is wowed by the welcome given to him on his maiden visit to his ‘sasural’ at a village in Bangladesh’s Narail district, saying he was received there like a “bridegroom”. “Oh, they (the people of Bhadrabila village) received me like a bridegroom”, said a beaming President when asked how he felt about visiting the ancestral house of his inlaws for the first time. Mukherjee said though he got married in 1957, it was for the first time that he visited his inlaws’ house. Mukherjee’s wife Shuvra was born at Bhadrabila and spent her early years there.

Shiv Sena’s elected public representatives, including MPs, legislators, have decided to contribute their one month’s salary towards drought relief work in the state. This was announced by the Sena group leader in Legislative Assembly, Subhash Desai, who said the funds so collected would be part of the “Shiv Sena relief fund” and would be used to launch programmes like cattle camps in the affected areas. The initiative would be launched by Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Marathwada shortly, Desai said.

A probe into the death of Kamran Mudasir, a PhD student of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), has revealed that he allegedly used to make “physical advances” towards his roommate, police said today. Kamran Mudasir, 29, a native of Parigam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, committed suicide by hanging himself in his EFLU room campus on the night of March 2. Police had said he committed suicide due to differences with his roommate and fellow PhD student Vasim Salim Tamboli.

Curfew was imposed tonight in 10 police station areas of Kashmir Valley as a precautionary measure with the authorities apprehending law and order problem following the killing of a youth in firing allegedly by security forces in Baramulla district. Curfew has been imposed in Rainawari, Khanyar, Navhatta, Safar Kadal and Maharajganj police station areas of old city and Zadibal, Maisuma and Kalan Khaud in the new city, a police spokesperson said. He said curfew has also been imposed in Baramulla and Sopore.

Curfew continued today in Tanda town of Ambedkar Nagar district, where violent protests had erupted after killing of a Hindu Jagran Manch leader.

State BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpai was stopped by police when he was going to the town from Barabanki, leading to criticism of the move by the party.

As many as 32 persons have so far been arrested for indulging in violent protests over killing of Gupta, district president of the Manch who was shot dead Sunday night, Home Department officials said.

The Manch had called for a bandh today in protest against the killing.

The government has proposed to lower the age for consensual sex from 18 to 16 and reintroduce the word ‘rape’ instead of ‘sexual assault’ in the new criminal law amendment bill.

The draft of the bill has been readied by the government to replace the recently-promulgated criminal law amendment ordinance.

Official sources said the Union Cabinet is expected to discuss the draft of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013 in its next meeting.