Month: September 2013

Asaram and his aide’s judicial custody extended till October 11

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The judicial custody of self-styled godman, Asaram, who was arrested for sexual assault of a minor girl has been extended till October 11.

The controversial 72-year-old Asaram had earlier moved a bail application in Rajasthan High Court which was rejected.

Asaram was sent to judicial custody by a local court in the after a 16-year old girl lodged a complaint of sexual assault against him at his Jodhpur ashram with the police on August 20.

Sheila Dikshit hits back at Narendra Modi

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Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday mounted a counter offensive against BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, rapping him for “lowering the norms” of politics by indulging in personal attacks and stoking controversy on a “non-issue”.

Dikshit’s strong reaction comes a day after the Gujarat Chief Minister kick-started the campaign in her bastion ahead of the November assembly polls and accused Rahul Gandhi of committing the “sin” of insulting the Prime Minister on the ordinance protecting convicted lawmakers.

Yuvraj returns for Australia series

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Rewarded for his recent good form, all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was Monday recalled in the Indian team for the first three One-day Internationals of a seven-match series and a one-off Twenty20 against the touring Australia.

The selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-man squad for the series here Monday, making four changes in the squad that won the Champions Trophy in June.

Yuvraj, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed Shami and Jaydev Unadkat have been picked in place of Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan and Umesh Yadav.

No compromise with discipline, Mamata warns party rebels

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Issuing a stern warning apparently aimed at rebel party MPs, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday said the party will not compromise on disciplinary issues.

“There are one or two people, not many, who win elections riding on Trinamool’s shoulders, but when their pension is assured, and the next election draws near, they say ‘I am bigger than the party’. People will decide who is bigger,” Banerjee remarked without naming anyone during her address at a party programme here.

Jagan allowed to visit Kadapa, father’s samadhi

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The special CBI court here on Monday allowed YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, an accused in a corruption case, to visit Kadapa district to pay homage at the ‘samadhi’ of his father, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

However, the court did not allow him to visit Guntur district, where he was to participate in a farmer’s meet organised by his party in support of united Andhra Pradesh cause on October 4.

Jagan, who was released from jail after getting bail in the case on September 24, had sought permission to visit his father’s grave at Idupulapaya on October 1 and 2.

Cabinet meet on October 2

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The Union Cabinet is meeting on October 2 to take a call on possible withdrawal of the controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers, whose fate appears to have already been sealed after Rahul Gandhi’s strong denunciation of the measure.

India needs a realistic PM, not an economist: Rajnath Singh

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BJP president Rajnath Singh on Monday opined that the country was passing through a deep economic crisis for the first time since Independence, there was grave mistrust among Indians for politicians and country needed a ‘realistic’ prime minister and not an economist like Manmohan Singh.

Singh, an MP, said, “The Prime Minister is on the silent mode and soch raha hai (thinking what to do). The Prime Minister is a big economist. Vajpayee was not an economist but a realist. You compare the economy during the NDA and UPA regimes.”

Australia detains 18 Indian asylum seekers

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Australian authorities have detained 18 Indian asylum seekers, who are likely to be sent back to India in line with newly elected Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s policy to combat people smuggling.

The Indians were among 128 asylum seekers, travelling in three boats, intercepted last week and sent for offshore processing, the Australian Associated Press reported today.

“The first vessel was found on Tuesday carrying 18 people from India, who are being interviewed in Darwin,” Operation Sovereign Borders Acting Commander Air Marshall Mark Binskin was quoted as saying.

TN CM’s assets: SC quashes prosecutor’s withdrawal

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In a relief to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court Monday quashed the withdrawal of Special Public Prosecutor Bhavani Singh in a disproportionate assets case against her.

The apex court also asked the state high court to consider giving, in consultation with the state government, an extension to the presiding judge in the case who is retiring Monday upon his superannuation.

Will appeal in high court, says Lalu’s son

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Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad’s eldest son Tejasavi Yadav said Monday that the conviction of his father in a fodder scam case by a Special CBI court here would be challenged in the high court.

Tejaswi Yadav added that the matter would also be taken to the court of the people, in the elections.

After Lalu Prasad was held guilty in the fodder scam case by the special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation Monday, he was taken to the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. His son said an appeal for bail would be made.

Muzaffarnagar riots: 3 women allege gang-rape

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Three women from Fugana village in the district have lodged separate police complaints that they were gang-raped during the riots and their homes burnt down, police said on Monday.

“Three women, in their written complaints to police yesterday, have separately alleged that rioters attacked their houses and gang-raped them during the riot in Fugana village,” Additional SP (Rural) Alok Priya Darshi told reporters here.

Police have registered three cases against 17 people in this connection at Fugana police station, he said.

Seemandhra ministers call on CM

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Senior ministers from Seemandhra region called on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp office at Begumpet here on Monday.

The ministers – Pithani Satyanarayana, Kondru Murali Mohan, K Parthasarathy and Galla Aruna Kumari reportedly discussed the latest political situation in the State with Kiran Kumar Reddy. The ongoing criticism both by the opposition parties and Congress leaders from Telangana region against the Chief Minister was also discussed. However, the ministers advised Kiran Kumar Reddy to maintain his stand on Samaikhyandhra.

Ponguleti slams KCR for not thanking Sonia

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AICC Secretary and MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy condemned Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao for not thanking Congress president Sonia Gandhi during the Sakala Janula Bheri held at Nizam College Grounds on Sunday.

I’m in touch only with Jagan: Sabbam Hari

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Anakapalli Congress MP Sabbam Hari on Monday claimed that he was in touch with YSR Congress Party president Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Talking to reporters here, Sabbam Hari tried to counter the remarks of YSRCP’s deputy floor Shobha Nagi Reddy who on Sunday stated that there was no place for the Anakapalli MP in her party. She also condemned his certain remarks and said that Sabbam Hari was not even a member of the party.

CBI Court permits Jagan to visit Idupulapaya

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The CBI Special Court on Monday permitted YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s petition to visit Idupulapaya in Kadapa district for two days.

While permitting Jagan to visit Idupulapaya on October 1 and 2, the CBI Court refused to permit him to visit Guntur on October 4.

Andhra DGP V Dinesh Reddy retires

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AP Director General of Police (DGP) V Dinesh Reddy, against whom a CBI probe is pending on charges of acquiring disproportionate assets, today retired from service.

Reddy, who was accorded a ceremonial farewell on superannuation, took the salute at the Parade Grounds at Central Police Lines in Amberpet here.

India, China agree to keep peace on border

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India and China Monday ended two days of talks on issues related to their border dispute, saying it was vital to maintain peace in order to develop their relationship.

The fourth meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held in Beijing Sep 29-30.

“The talks were held in a candid, constructive and forward looking atmosphere,” an official statement said.

Don’t detain innocent Muslims in terror cases: Shinde to CMs

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Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday urged Chief Ministers of all the states to ensure that no innocent person of minority community is unduly detained in the name of terror.

In a letter to all the states, Shinde wrote: “The central government has received several representations alleging harassment of innocent Muslim youth by law enforcement agencies. Some of the minority youth have started feeling that they are deliberately targeted and deprived of their rights.”

He further urged the CMs to “ensure that no innocent Muslim youth is wrongfully detained in the name of terror”.

Sonia Gandhi launches ‘zero landless’ scheme

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday launched a “zero landless” scheme here to ensure that one lakh families in Kerala get to own land by 2015.

“This is a historic moment as the ultimate dream of everyone is to own a piece of land,” Gandhi told a meeting after inaugurating the programme.

“By 2015 in Kerala, this (wish) will be fulfilled. Kerala will be the first state in the country to have achieved this,” she said.

Under the scheme, all the targeted one lakh families in Kerala will own at least three cents (one acre is 100 cents) of land by 2015.

Japan seeks to ban Google maps incompatible with country’s territorial claims

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The Japanese government has reportedly asked public organizations to not use Google maps because some of the names mentioned while charting Japan, undermine the country’s territorial claims.

The disputed islands include the South Korean-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in the South, Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea claimed by China as Diaoyu and by Taiwan as Tiaoyutai, and four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido.

Sources said that some registrations in the electronic maps on the home pages are incompatible with Japan’s stance.

Smart phones turn eye disease detectors

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Smartphones are now being used more routinely in ophthalmology to document patients’ ocular conditions.

Commercial retinal or fundus cameras can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, making the technology out of reach for smaller ophthalmic practices and to physicians in third-world countries.

In a recent study, Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers describe the relatively simple technique of fundus photography in human and rabbit eyes using a smartphone, an inexpensive app for the smartphone, and instruments that are readily available in an ophthalmic practice.

Musharraf’s `Why I returned to Pakistan` to hit book stores soon

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Former military dictator Pervez Musharraf is reportedly to pen down another book titled, ‘Why I returned to Pakistan’, narrating the dictator’s purpose of returning to the land in order to ‘salvage the country from crises.’

Sources said that according to Musharraf, Pakistan country was facing uncertain, volatile and disfigured anarchy, which the rulers seemed to be helpless controlling; hence he decided to return to the country.

White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite secretly married Kenyan Naval officer after husband’s death

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WHITE Widow Samantha Lewthwaite is secretly married to a Kenyan Navy officer after her suicide bomber husband died in the London 7/7 attacks. Police are hunting Abdi Wahid in the hope it will lead them to Lewthwaite, who is feared to be behind the Nairobi mall massacre. According to the Daily Star, the 29-yeard-old woman fled Britain to Africa in 2009. Scotland Yard files have revealed she started a new life with Wahid and turned his house into a bomb factory. He was arrested in 2011 after police found a huge stash of home-made explosives in his Mombasa pad, but he was never charged. (ANI)