Law sacrosanct, let's not take it into our hands

PATNA: "What is illegal in the police raiding a journalist?" an IG of police asked a TV journalist defending Nawada SP Lalan Mohan Prasad and slamming the TOI report, 'Journalist raided after news on SP thumbing nose at judiciary' on February 28. "Nothing," the journalist replied and retorted, "how much it is legal for SP Prasad to sit on a non-bailable warrant of arrest against a sub-inspector...

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Tourism ministry seeks VoA facility for 16 more countries

NEW DELHI: Tourism ministry has sought greater travel flexibility by proposing visa-on-arrival (VoA) facilities in 16 more countries. Tourism minister K Chiranjeevi met home minister Sushilkumar Shinde for extension of services to countries like Germany, France, Brazil, South Africa, Russia and other CIS countries. "The extension VoA facilities for tourists to the countries is important as we feel...

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Sariska villagers block tourists’ entry

ALWAR: About 2,500 villagers on Thursday blocked the main entrance of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, protesting their relocation from areas near the sanctuary. Sariska field director RS Shekhawat said the villagers had locked the entrance and didn't allow tourists to enter the park. "We are trying to sort out the problem on a priority basis," Shekhawat said. The villagers, who are on an indefinite sit-in,...

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Cash-in-bag case: HC notice to CBI on Yadav's plea regarding prosecution sanction

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday issued a notice to the CBI on a petition filed by Justice Nirmal Yadav (retired), an accused in cash-in-bag case, seeking photocopies of the record of ministry of law and justice pertaining to her prosecution sanction.While issuing notice to the CBI for March 21, Justice Ranjit Singh asked CBI to file its reply on the demand of Yadav, who...

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IB sulks over govt bid to place NCTC outside its ambit

NEW DELHI: As it tries to assuage the concerns of states over the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which sees the concept as an encroachment on their turf, now the Centre also has to contend with the resentment of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to the proposed mechanism. Anxious to win over the states on the issue of NCTC which it sees as imperative for better co-ordination among counter-terror...

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Army renews hunt for bunker-bursting rifles 8 years after bribery scandal

NEW DELHI: The Army is launching a fresh hunt for anti-material rifles, meant for "bunker-bursting" as well as "penetrating" light-armoured vehicles, eight years after its earlier project with South African company Denel got derailed mid-way due to kickback allegations and political mudslinging. The Army is now ready with the technical parameters, or GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements),...

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How Indian diplomacy ended crisis in Maldives

NEW DELHI: It was an "understanding" between India and Maldives that resolved an embarrassing political situation in the island country after former president Mohamed Nasheed took refuge inside the Indian high commission, drawing India into the heart of the ongoing political crisis there. The resolution, which showcased Indian diplomacy at its most effective, confirmed India's position as the...

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Plaint against Baba Ramdev for slamming Gandhis

BELGAUM: A complaint has been registered against yoga guru Baba Ramdev in the fourth JMF Court for allegedly making derogatory statements against AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Former KPCC member Shankar Munavalli filed the case. In a complaint, he alleged that Baba Ramdev, during his visit to Hubli on February 20, said that corruption had increased in the country...

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Laptops to be Samajwadi Party's anniversary gift to students

LUCKNOW: UP chief minister AkhileshYadav is set to mark his first year in power by distributing free laptops to students who passed their intermediate examination last year during the anniversary week celebrations of his government from March 10 to 15. Free laptops were promised by Akhilesh as a poll sop for the youth. In the first phase, 10,000 laptops will be distributed in Lucknow and Mainpuri...

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Now, Jamiat divided over Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: The Jamiat Ulema-Hind, which virtually controls the Islamic seminary Darul-Uloom at Deoband, appears sharply divided over Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.Jamiat president Maulana Arshad Madni said on Thursday that there was no question of accepting the Gujarat strongman as India's prime minister. "Modi was wholly and solely responsible for the 2002 Gujarat riots. He is protecting...

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Trade unions' strike: Stick backfires, Mamata Banerjee offers carrot to traders

KOLKATA: Chastened by the widespread outrage among traders—who kept their shutters down despite her brandishing a stick, making Day One of the strike called by central trade unions a partial success—chief minister Mamata Banerjee decided to hand out carrots to the few who answered her call and kept their shops open on Wednesday.Sources said Mamata asked mayor Sovon Chatterjee to work out an incentive...

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Sukhoi crashes in Rajasthan, pilots eject safely

NEW DELHI: A frontline Sukhoi-30MKI fighter crashed at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan on Tuesday evening. The two experienced pilots, Squadron Leaders G B S Chauhan and A R Tanta, managed to eject safely.While the court of inquiry will establish the exact reason behind the crash, preliminary reports blamed a "technical snag" for the mishap. The aircraft was undertaking night-flying drills as part...

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Afzal Guru's hanging: Bring-back-body clamour set to rise in Valley

SRINAGAR: The immediate response to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's hanging may have been relatively lukewarm in the state, but the demand for the return of his mortal remains seems to be galvanizing politicians and separatist groups again.Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, the independent MLA from Langate in north Kashmir, has already filed a resolution in the state assembly asking for a discussion...

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Shinde's daughter traces brother-in-law's SUV

MUMBAI: Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's daughter tracked down her brother-in-law's vehicle on Saturday night, within 48 hours of it being stolen from Lower Parel on Thursday. A large posse of cops, including those from the crime branch, had been assigned to find the missing SUV, but before they could make a headway, Shinde's daughter, Praniti, suddenly spotted the vehicle in Bandra; following...

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J&K govt forwards Guru’s family request for return of his body to Centre

SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir government has forwarded the request of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's family to the Centre seeking the return of his body for burial in their village near Sopore in north Kashmir. Sources said that the Centre may consider the request. They said chief minister Omar Abdullah, who had made a similar request earlier, would be called for consultations with Union...

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VVIP chopper scam ebbs mood in Congress camp

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders were in a sombre frame of mind with a fresh defence bribery scandal eroding the confident mood of last week when the decision to hang Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru infused a sense of purposefulness in the government. The mood swing underlines the heightened vulnerabilities of the Manmohan Singh government to corruption allegations after the 2G and Commonwealth...

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Helicopter scam: Jaswant agrees change in specifications made during NDA rule

NEW DELHI: Even as the BJP kept up its attack on the government over alleged kickbacks in the VVIP chopper deal, senior party leader Jaswant Singh on Thursday agreed with former IAF chief S P Tyagi that the change in specifications of the helicopters was done at the behest of then national security adviser BrajeshMishra. Singh, however, defended the decision, saying it was done to avoid a single-vendor...

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Most BJP legislators against dissolving House

BANGALORE: A majority of BJPMLAs, including ministers, are not in favour of dissolving the assembly early."Governor H R Bhardwaj has said he would act even if a single MLA resigns. As of now, 12 MLAs' resignations have been accepted and two are pending with speaker K G Bopaiah. By moving a vote of confidence, the CM will expose the fence-sitters. Because they will be disqualified if they defy the...

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Shiromani Akali Dal defends Rajoana clemency demand

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday took on J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah for asking for the hanging of former Punjab CM Beant Singh's assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana, saying the convict's hanging would cause unrest in Punjab. SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra said the Badal-led Punjab government would continue defending the commuting of Rajoana's death penalty. "We...

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Decision on Kurien likely before budget session: Chacko

NEW DELHI: Congress's dilemma over the controversy surrounding Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien is becoming pronounced ahead of Parliament's budget session as the opposition, mainly the Left bloc, is bound to ramp up its demand for the Kerala leader's removal. As demands for Kurien's sacking get louder, the ruling party has indicated that a decision will be taken before the coming budget...

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