NEW DELHI: A miniature Padma Bhushan award plaque and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees were reportedly found stolen from the residence-turned-museum of late Hindi writer Nirmal Verma at patparganj in east Delhi on Tuesday night, police said.
After the writer's death, his wife Gagan Verma had turned the ground-floor flat at Sehvikas Apartments in Patparganj into a museum. Gagan lives in Greater Noida.
Police suspect the role of someone known to the family in the crime.
"The thieves entered by sliding open the door at the rear of the flat with a wire. They took out the keys of the locker kept in one of the drawers and decamped with a miniature Padma Bhushan plaque and the jewellery. They did not touch anything else," said Dharmendra Kumar, joint commisionerof police (New Delhi rANGE).
He added the original Padma Bhushan award presented to the author in 2002 were safe at the Greater Noida residence to his wife. He was awarded the Jnanpith in 1999.
It was on the complaint of Gagan on Wednesday afternoon that a case was registered at Mandawali police station.
"She visits the flat once in a fortnight and reported the thefton Tuesday night," said the officer. Police is questioning a servant employed by the writer to take care of the house.
Verma, who died in 2005 at the age of 76, is credited as being one of pioneers of the 'Nayi Kahani' (new story) movement of Hindi literature. He penned five novels, eight short-story collections and nine books of non fiction.
His novels include Ve Din (Those Days) and Antim Aranya (The Last Wilderness).
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Teen's cell phone video helps cops catch burglars
NEW DELHI: Sandeep Sharma and his elder sister did not know that an impromptu video of some "suspicious people" that they shot on their mobile phone would help the police arrest three men involved in 27 cases of theft in government colonies.
Using the clip, the police arrested the three men who disguised themselves as members of a "religious group."
Sharma, 18, and his sister, children of a Supreme Court employee, were home when they saw some men trying to break open the house of a neighbour in Lodhi Colony, on October 20.
"I heard some noise and saw a man carrying pliers trying to enter a house opposite ours. I smelled a rat and informed my sister. Without wasting any time, I made their video with my mobile phone," said Sharma, a student of BA-Ist year at Delhi University.
The teenager said when the accused entered the house, he bolted the door from the second floor house and run.
"I called the police and gave them the clip. I did not know this could be helpful. I did not fear for my life then, and still I don't," said a cheerful Sharma.
Police said the three accused, identified as Akhil, Sunil, and Ajay, all in their early twenties, started committing thefts in 2002 and have been arrested in Defence Colony, CR Park, Sangam Vihar and the Trans-Yamuna area.
"We circulated the video clip to our sources and contacts. We arrested them a day ago when they were planning to strike at another house in Lodhi Colony," said HGS Dhaliwal, deputy commissioner of police (south).
Police said the gang met at a video game shop in Kotla and procured a note book of 'Mata ka Jagran' from a book store.
"They named themselves as 'Jagran gang'. One of the accused, Sunil, was a fan of a famous film actor and was given the alias of Govinda due to his dancing skills," said the officer.
Police said the accused were drug addicts and spent money on their girl friends. They were members of a gymnasium in Kota and rented a house for Rs 2, 500. Police recovered stolen jewellery and electronics items worth Rs 4 lakh and house breaking implements from them.
Using the clip, the police arrested the three men who disguised themselves as members of a "religious group."
Sharma, 18, and his sister, children of a Supreme Court employee, were home when they saw some men trying to break open the house of a neighbour in Lodhi Colony, on October 20.
"I heard some noise and saw a man carrying pliers trying to enter a house opposite ours. I smelled a rat and informed my sister. Without wasting any time, I made their video with my mobile phone," said Sharma, a student of BA-Ist year at Delhi University.
The teenager said when the accused entered the house, he bolted the door from the second floor house and run.
"I called the police and gave them the clip. I did not know this could be helpful. I did not fear for my life then, and still I don't," said a cheerful Sharma.
Police said the three accused, identified as Akhil, Sunil, and Ajay, all in their early twenties, started committing thefts in 2002 and have been arrested in Defence Colony, CR Park, Sangam Vihar and the Trans-Yamuna area.
"We circulated the video clip to our sources and contacts. We arrested them a day ago when they were planning to strike at another house in Lodhi Colony," said HGS Dhaliwal, deputy commissioner of police (south).
Police said the gang met at a video game shop in Kotla and procured a note book of 'Mata ka Jagran' from a book store.
"They named themselves as 'Jagran gang'. One of the accused, Sunil, was a fan of a famous film actor and was given the alias of Govinda due to his dancing skills," said the officer.
Police said the accused were drug addicts and spent money on their girl friends. They were members of a gymnasium in Kota and rented a house for Rs 2, 500. Police recovered stolen jewellery and electronics items worth Rs 4 lakh and house breaking implements from them.
NSE GETS AN EXTRA WORK HOUR, TO MAKE MORE MONEY
NEW DELHI: India's premier stock exchange, the National Stock Exchange (NSE), has advanced its working hours by an hour.
Beginning Friday (December 18), trading hours will be between 9 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. instead of the current 9.55 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
The move comes a day after the Bombay Stock Exchange advanced its opening trading hour by 10 minutes from 9.55 a.m. to 9.45 a.m., effect Friday.
The extension will help curb the outflow of trade to Hong Kong and Singapore.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India had in October permitted the exchanges to extend trading hours by two-and-a-half hours - from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"This is a result of our meeting with market participants through the day, who said it was inevitable for the NSE to revise trading hours. The consensus was to bring it down to 9 a.m.," Ravi Narain, managing director, NSE, told Hindustan Times.
The NSE has, however, decided not to extend trading hour in the afternoon session. "This is because of fund transfer issue later in the afternoon and the broker's back office is not ready to cope with stretched hours."
Beginning Friday (December 18), trading hours will be between 9 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. instead of the current 9.55 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
The move comes a day after the Bombay Stock Exchange advanced its opening trading hour by 10 minutes from 9.55 a.m. to 9.45 a.m., effect Friday.
The extension will help curb the outflow of trade to Hong Kong and Singapore.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India had in October permitted the exchanges to extend trading hours by two-and-a-half hours - from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"This is a result of our meeting with market participants through the day, who said it was inevitable for the NSE to revise trading hours. The consensus was to bring it down to 9 a.m.," Ravi Narain, managing director, NSE, told Hindustan Times.
The NSE has, however, decided not to extend trading hour in the afternoon session. "This is because of fund transfer issue later in the afternoon and the broker's back office is not ready to cope with stretched hours."
Court acquits Dawood aide
NEW DELHI: Romesh Sharma, an alleged frontman of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, has been acquitted in the 1999 murder of his fashion-designer girlfriend Kumjum Budhiraja.
A lower court had sentenced the former Congress leader to life imprisonment in February 2008.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court also acquitted co-accused Tejender Verdi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment. It upheld the life sentences of four others: Sharma's nephew Surinder Mishra and hired killers Hemchand, Santram and Ramesh alias Bobby.
According to the prosecution, Sharma, who had an affair with Budhiraja, conspired to eliminate her because she was usurping her assets. The prosecution said he also feared Budhiraja would "expose his illegal activities".
It was alleged that Sharma planned the murder while lodged in Tihar jail in connection with other cases.
Budhiraja was found stabbed to death at Sharma's south Delhi farmhouse on March 20, 1999.
"We hold that far from the motive being established as alleged by the prosecution, the reverse stands established: that Romesh Sharma and Kunjum Budhiraja were in love and desired the company of each other," the court said. "It does not establish that Sharma had got fed up with her."
Sharma is an accused in 16 cases, mostly for Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) offences.
He has been convicted in one case of tax evasion and another of FERA violation.
A lower court had sentenced the former Congress leader to life imprisonment in February 2008.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court also acquitted co-accused Tejender Verdi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment. It upheld the life sentences of four others: Sharma's nephew Surinder Mishra and hired killers Hemchand, Santram and Ramesh alias Bobby.
According to the prosecution, Sharma, who had an affair with Budhiraja, conspired to eliminate her because she was usurping her assets. The prosecution said he also feared Budhiraja would "expose his illegal activities".
It was alleged that Sharma planned the murder while lodged in Tihar jail in connection with other cases.
Budhiraja was found stabbed to death at Sharma's south Delhi farmhouse on March 20, 1999.
"We hold that far from the motive being established as alleged by the prosecution, the reverse stands established: that Romesh Sharma and Kunjum Budhiraja were in love and desired the company of each other," the court said. "It does not establish that Sharma had got fed up with her."
Sharma is an accused in 16 cases, mostly for Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) offences.
He has been convicted in one case of tax evasion and another of FERA violation.
In Delhi fog, Rs. 1, 000-cr runway is a no-show
NEW DELHI: Air traffic congestion over Delhi will worsen once fog sets in, when pilots would insist on landing on the tried and tested older runway than the new one built at a cost of Rs. 1, 000 crore.
The fog is denser around the second runway, called 29, than the rest of the airport complex. And there is a Lord Shiva statue right under the flight path - and at the mouth of the runway - adversely of affecting descent.
Also, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the air transport watchdog for India, has not given the runway a permanent license because of technical deficiencies.
Runway 29 operates under six-monthly temporary permits, the last came earlier this week and a copy is available with HT.
"Pilots always prefer the old runway 28 to 29," said Shailendra Singh, President of the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association. "Visibility is always comparatively poor at the new runway."
Though Runway 29 is longer than 28 - 4.4 km to 3.4 km - the 62-foot Lord Shiva statue delays touchdown, reducing the effective runway length available for landing to 3 km.
This may not be an impossible feat in normal times, but pilots are not comfortable trying it in foggy conditions.
"During dense fog most pilots are jittery about using Runway 29," said a senior official of the Airport Authority of India, which runs this and all other state-owned airports in India.
That it's equipped with a CAT IIIB landing system, which helps pilots land in zero-visibility conditions, doesn't help its case much with pilots.
There are other problems then, as pointed out by DGCA in its letter granting Runway 29 another temporary license.
It wants urgent attention on two technical issues to manage tarmac traffic better, specially in dense fog.
One is the Surface Movement Radar (SMR). It tracks aircraft moving around on the runway, either taxiing to a bay after landing or preparing to take off.
The two runways have separate radars now, but air traffic control needs feed from both in an integrated manner.
"Tracking an aircraft for such a long distance (Runway 29 is 2.9 km from the disembarking bays) in dense fog without integrated SMRs becomes a safety issue," said an air traffic official refusing to be identified.
The second are ground lights near the two runways. They too are controlled separately and the watchdog wants them integrated.
The fog is denser around the second runway, called 29, than the rest of the airport complex. And there is a Lord Shiva statue right under the flight path - and at the mouth of the runway - adversely of affecting descent.
Also, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the air transport watchdog for India, has not given the runway a permanent license because of technical deficiencies.
Runway 29 operates under six-monthly temporary permits, the last came earlier this week and a copy is available with HT.
"Pilots always prefer the old runway 28 to 29," said Shailendra Singh, President of the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association. "Visibility is always comparatively poor at the new runway."
Though Runway 29 is longer than 28 - 4.4 km to 3.4 km - the 62-foot Lord Shiva statue delays touchdown, reducing the effective runway length available for landing to 3 km.
This may not be an impossible feat in normal times, but pilots are not comfortable trying it in foggy conditions.
"During dense fog most pilots are jittery about using Runway 29," said a senior official of the Airport Authority of India, which runs this and all other state-owned airports in India.
That it's equipped with a CAT IIIB landing system, which helps pilots land in zero-visibility conditions, doesn't help its case much with pilots.
There are other problems then, as pointed out by DGCA in its letter granting Runway 29 another temporary license.
It wants urgent attention on two technical issues to manage tarmac traffic better, specially in dense fog.
One is the Surface Movement Radar (SMR). It tracks aircraft moving around on the runway, either taxiing to a bay after landing or preparing to take off.
The two runways have separate radars now, but air traffic control needs feed from both in an integrated manner.
"Tracking an aircraft for such a long distance (Runway 29 is 2.9 km from the disembarking bays) in dense fog without integrated SMRs becomes a safety issue," said an air traffic official refusing to be identified.
The second are ground lights near the two runways. They too are controlled separately and the watchdog wants them integrated.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Class VII student crushed by Tempo
NEW DELHI: A Class VII student was killed by a speeding tempo in Gokalpuri area of northeast Delhi on Tuesday morning, police said.
The incident was reported around 8.30 am on Tuesday when the victim identified as Manju, who goes by her first name, was on way to school with her cousin, the police said.
The girl's cousin is admitted in a critical condition.
The girls were students of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya. The injured has been identified as Mohini, a class VIII student.
"The two girls were crossing the road when the tempo hit them. Manju died on the spot before she could be rushed to the hospital," said a police officer.
The police said Mohini sustained several injuries and she is battling for her life at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital.
The police said they had registered a case of rash and negligent driving.
The police said it was the tempo's helper who was driving the vehicle and he has been arrested. The vehicle has been impounded.
The girls were residents of a nearby colony and used to walk to school everyday.
In another accident, a 22-year -old man was killed when he was hit by a container near an under-construction metro site at Nangloi in West Delhi, police said.
The police said the victim was identified as Dinesh Kumar.
The incident took place late on Monday night.
Kumar, who was returning home when he met with accident, died on the spot.
The driver of the container fled from the scene.
The container has been impounded and the case has been registered.
In another incident, three people were injured when their Honda City overtuned in Patparganj area of East Delhi. The vehicle was speeding and the driver lost control when it hit the road divider, police said.
The incident was reported around 8.30 am on Tuesday when the victim identified as Manju, who goes by her first name, was on way to school with her cousin, the police said.
The girl's cousin is admitted in a critical condition.
The girls were students of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya. The injured has been identified as Mohini, a class VIII student.
"The two girls were crossing the road when the tempo hit them. Manju died on the spot before she could be rushed to the hospital," said a police officer.
The police said Mohini sustained several injuries and she is battling for her life at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital.
The police said they had registered a case of rash and negligent driving.
The police said it was the tempo's helper who was driving the vehicle and he has been arrested. The vehicle has been impounded.
The girls were residents of a nearby colony and used to walk to school everyday.
In another accident, a 22-year -old man was killed when he was hit by a container near an under-construction metro site at Nangloi in West Delhi, police said.
The police said the victim was identified as Dinesh Kumar.
The incident took place late on Monday night.
Kumar, who was returning home when he met with accident, died on the spot.
The driver of the container fled from the scene.
The container has been impounded and the case has been registered.
In another incident, three people were injured when their Honda City overtuned in Patparganj area of East Delhi. The vehicle was speeding and the driver lost control when it hit the road divider, police said.
Traffic cops for hiking taxes on private vehicles
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Traffic police on Tuesday suggested hiking various taxes on private vehicles to make them more expensive.
The motive behind the suggestion is to reduce the use of private vehicles and encouraging public transport to ease the worsening traffic situation.
Vikas Pahwa, counsel for the Traffic Police, told a Bench headed by Chief Justice A.P. Shah that they had submitted suggestions to the government and they were under consideration.
"To ease out the traffic on the road, the first and foremost step is to put on hold on the registration of the vehicles. We are in favour of slapping more taxes on private vehicles in the form of road taxes, parking charges, area pricing, road congestion charges and other such taxes," Pahwa submitted.
As per traffic police figures, 30 per cent of vehicles plying on the road are cars. Sixty two per cent are two-wheelers.
Appreciating the traffic police's suggestion, the bench asked the government to consider them.
The court was hearing a petition by NGO Manushi, which said that the ban on rickshaws from arterial roads and Chandni Chowk area in Old Delhi violated the fundamental rights of rickshaw pullers.
During the hearing, the court terming the ban as "arbitrary", has been asking authorities why they were not fixing a limit on the number of cars a person can possess.
"It seems the total number of cars in Delhi are more than combined number of cars in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata", the bench had noted in September this year.
"We find the guidelines on cycle rickshaws are unrealistic. Why are you so enthusiastic in banning them? Why do not you issu guidelines limiting the number of cars a person can have in the city?" the bench observed.
The motive behind the suggestion is to reduce the use of private vehicles and encouraging public transport to ease the worsening traffic situation.
Vikas Pahwa, counsel for the Traffic Police, told a Bench headed by Chief Justice A.P. Shah that they had submitted suggestions to the government and they were under consideration.
"To ease out the traffic on the road, the first and foremost step is to put on hold on the registration of the vehicles. We are in favour of slapping more taxes on private vehicles in the form of road taxes, parking charges, area pricing, road congestion charges and other such taxes," Pahwa submitted.
As per traffic police figures, 30 per cent of vehicles plying on the road are cars. Sixty two per cent are two-wheelers.
Appreciating the traffic police's suggestion, the bench asked the government to consider them.
The court was hearing a petition by NGO Manushi, which said that the ban on rickshaws from arterial roads and Chandni Chowk area in Old Delhi violated the fundamental rights of rickshaw pullers.
During the hearing, the court terming the ban as "arbitrary", has been asking authorities why they were not fixing a limit on the number of cars a person can possess.
"It seems the total number of cars in Delhi are more than combined number of cars in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata", the bench had noted in September this year.
"We find the guidelines on cycle rickshaws are unrealistic. Why are you so enthusiastic in banning them? Why do not you issu guidelines limiting the number of cars a person can have in the city?" the bench observed.
Karol Bagh woman's death increases swine flu toll to 45
NEW DELHI: With another swine flu death at Safdarjung Hospital, the death tally in Delhi has reached 45.
Delhi has recorded the highest number of H1N1 caes in the country so far with 7, 642 positive, 4, 500 of which are kids. Health Minister Kiran Walia said, "It was expected that the cases would rise with the onset of winters but we are at our job. Our hospitals are managing the positive cases very well."
"The total number of positive cases recorded today was 136, which is the lowest in the past two weeks," said Anjan Prakash, nodal officer appointed by the Delhi government for swine flu cases.
A 25-year-old Karol Bagh resident (name withheld by the government) breathed her last on Monday night.
She remained in the care of respiratory experts for 15 days, but could not recover. She had to be put on ventilator support ultimately.
"Hers was a timely admission but she died because of other health complications like uncontrolled blood sugar and a history of brain haemorrhage," said Dr Prakash.
Delhi has recorded the highest number of H1N1 caes in the country so far with 7, 642 positive, 4, 500 of which are kids. Health Minister Kiran Walia said, "It was expected that the cases would rise with the onset of winters but we are at our job. Our hospitals are managing the positive cases very well."
"The total number of positive cases recorded today was 136, which is the lowest in the past two weeks," said Anjan Prakash, nodal officer appointed by the Delhi government for swine flu cases.
A 25-year-old Karol Bagh resident (name withheld by the government) breathed her last on Monday night.
She remained in the care of respiratory experts for 15 days, but could not recover. She had to be put on ventilator support ultimately.
"Hers was a timely admission but she died because of other health complications like uncontrolled blood sugar and a history of brain haemorrhage," said Dr Prakash.
Court bills desi Woods Rs 2 lakh
Adultery does not pay.
Tiger woods found out the hard way. And now, a city court has ordered a playboy husband to pay his wife Rs 2 lakh in compensation for cheating on her for most of their married life.
Also, he has to pay her house rent as they've been living separately since 2006.
"The man has caused insult to his wife by having adulterous relations with various women and enjoying expensive holidays across the globe with them," the metropolitan magistrate ruled. "He left his wife with the onerous duty of taking care of two school-going adolescent daughters."
Laviral, a south Delhi businessman, and Sheila (names changed on request) married in 1993. When she found out about his philandering, she moved court seeking damages under the Domestic Violence Act. She also submitted evidence to back her claim - airline tickets, photocopies of hotel bills from his trips abroad, from as far as back as 2002.
She alleged Laviral had affairs with numerous foreign women and travelled the world lavishly with them. She also accused him of paying a monthly rent of Rs 34, 000 for a one-year while he had a live-in-relationship with one woman.
Laviral claimed the trips were business-related but failed to prove it in court.
Tiger woods found out the hard way. And now, a city court has ordered a playboy husband to pay his wife Rs 2 lakh in compensation for cheating on her for most of their married life.
Also, he has to pay her house rent as they've been living separately since 2006.
"The man has caused insult to his wife by having adulterous relations with various women and enjoying expensive holidays across the globe with them," the metropolitan magistrate ruled. "He left his wife with the onerous duty of taking care of two school-going adolescent daughters."
Laviral, a south Delhi businessman, and Sheila (names changed on request) married in 1993. When she found out about his philandering, she moved court seeking damages under the Domestic Violence Act. She also submitted evidence to back her claim - airline tickets, photocopies of hotel bills from his trips abroad, from as far as back as 2002.
She alleged Laviral had affairs with numerous foreign women and travelled the world lavishly with them. She also accused him of paying a monthly rent of Rs 34, 000 for a one-year while he had a live-in-relationship with one woman.
Laviral claimed the trips were business-related but failed to prove it in court.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
GET READY FOR A MORE COSTLY 2010: DIKSHIT
NEW DELHI: "You wait, you'll have to pay more."
This is what Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said when asked if her government planned more hikes after preparations for the Commonwealth games were over.
She said the next round of hikes might come sooner than that. In March 2010, the government will raise the value added tax (VAT) rates of several items under the 12.5 per cent slab to 20 per cent. These might include expensive pens, mobile phones and luxury cars.
"You have to pay more for better services," Dikshit told HT. "Our collections have to be better. You travel in lovely low-floor buses and AC buses, you'll have to pay more."
Dikshit said the proposal to raise VAT rates for luxury items would be tabled in the assembly during the budget session in March. "I beleive people should pay more VAT on luxury items," she said.
Dikshit said the recent hikes had been long overdue and were required, even if they were unpopular.
Over the past months, charges for various amenities in Delhi have gone up. These include average hikes of 70 per cent in bus fares, 36 per cent in Metro fares, and between 57 and 160 per cent in water tariffs.
This is what Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said when asked if her government planned more hikes after preparations for the Commonwealth games were over.
She said the next round of hikes might come sooner than that. In March 2010, the government will raise the value added tax (VAT) rates of several items under the 12.5 per cent slab to 20 per cent. These might include expensive pens, mobile phones and luxury cars.
"You have to pay more for better services," Dikshit told HT. "Our collections have to be better. You travel in lovely low-floor buses and AC buses, you'll have to pay more."
Dikshit said the proposal to raise VAT rates for luxury items would be tabled in the assembly during the budget session in March. "I beleive people should pay more VAT on luxury items," she said.
Dikshit said the recent hikes had been long overdue and were required, even if they were unpopular.
Over the past months, charges for various amenities in Delhi have gone up. These include average hikes of 70 per cent in bus fares, 36 per cent in Metro fares, and between 57 and 160 per cent in water tariffs.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Woman burnt to death in car fire
FREAK ACCIDENT Couple's car suddenly caught fire; husband critical with 70 pc burns
A woman was charred to death and her husband suffered 70 per cent burns when their Wagon R car caught fire on Saturday afternoon.
S. Kanjilal (38) and his wife Shubha (35) were on Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj around 5:45 p.m. when Lal suddenly noticed smoke coming out from the car's bonnet. The couple were coming from Gurgaon.
"The man tried to move his car to one side of the road but the fire spread immediately. They didn't have time to escape, "
A woman was charred to death and her husband suffered 70 per cent burns when their Wagon R car caught fire on Saturday afternoon.
S. Kanjilal (38) and his wife Shubha (35) were on Nelson Mandela Marg in Vasant Kunj around 5:45 p.m. when Lal suddenly noticed smoke coming out from the car's bonnet. The couple were coming from Gurgaon.
"The man tried to move his car to one side of the road but the fire spread immediately. They didn't have time to escape, "
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Supreme Court to 72-yr-old woman's rescue in divorce case
Supreme Court has come to the rescue of a 72-year-old breast cancer patient who has been struggling for the past 50 years to save her marriage.
A bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam issued notice on retired professor Vimla Balani's petition challenging a Delhi High Court judgement that permitted divorce to her 83-year-old retired IPS officer husband.
The bench, however, in its compassion came to Vimla's aid. It did not suspend the high court direction to the Central Government Health Service Scheme (CGHS) to provide her the life saving drug. Tykerb.
A bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam issued notice on retired professor Vimla Balani's petition challenging a Delhi High Court judgement that permitted divorce to her 83-year-old retired IPS officer husband.
The bench, however, in its compassion came to Vimla's aid. It did not suspend the high court direction to the Central Government Health Service Scheme (CGHS) to provide her the life saving drug. Tykerb.
There are no biker gangs in city: Police
There are no organised 'biker gangs' but only criminals who use motorcycles to commit crimes.
This is what the Delhi Police has told the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The police also said the term 'biker gang' is used by the media to describe criminals who use motorcycles in the commission of crime.
"It is generally seen that criminals prefer to use motorcycles to commit robberies and snatchings. Last year in July a few incidents involving criminals operating on motorcycles were highlighted by the media as crimes committed by biker gangs," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
"The South Delhi Police neutralised Om Prakash alias Bunty, who extensively used motorcycles to commit crimes, in an encounter. After that the term is being used haphazardly."
The police have also told the MHA that in their effort to curb the number of motorcycle related robberies and snatchings, they have started a drive to register motorcycles through Division and Beat Officers at police stations.
The drive was started on February 18 this year, the police said. "This drive has helped us identify 142 people with criminal background, besides 102 criminals who were apprehended. This drive helped a lot in reducing motorcycle-related-crimes this year," added the officer.
The police started door-to-door verification drive of ownership of two-wheelers through beat staff.
"They check if the owner of the motorcycle has the means to afford it," he added.
According to Delhi Police records, 3, 74, 159 motorcycles have been verified so far.
This is what the Delhi Police has told the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The police also said the term 'biker gang' is used by the media to describe criminals who use motorcycles in the commission of crime.
"It is generally seen that criminals prefer to use motorcycles to commit robberies and snatchings. Last year in July a few incidents involving criminals operating on motorcycles were highlighted by the media as crimes committed by biker gangs," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
"The South Delhi Police neutralised Om Prakash alias Bunty, who extensively used motorcycles to commit crimes, in an encounter. After that the term is being used haphazardly."
The police have also told the MHA that in their effort to curb the number of motorcycle related robberies and snatchings, they have started a drive to register motorcycles through Division and Beat Officers at police stations.
The drive was started on February 18 this year, the police said. "This drive has helped us identify 142 people with criminal background, besides 102 criminals who were apprehended. This drive helped a lot in reducing motorcycle-related-crimes this year," added the officer.
The police started door-to-door verification drive of ownership of two-wheelers through beat staff.
"They check if the owner of the motorcycle has the means to afford it," he added.
According to Delhi Police records, 3, 74, 159 motorcycles have been verified so far.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Student got gun to school, arrested
DANGER The 16 year-old claimed someone gave him the gun
A Class X student of a private senior secondary school has been arrested for illegally carrying a country-made revolver to his school on Tuesday.
Gurgaon police recovered the revolver and a live cartridge from the 16-year-old student who carried the weapon in his class today.
The gun was found tucked in under his waist belt when a police team from Farrukhnagar police station raided the school following a tip-off this afternoon.
But the boy has claimed that he had no intention of using the gun and that someone from his village, Khera Khurrampur, had given him the gun on Monday evening to keep for a few days.
"One Bijender Singh gave me the gun on Monday evening . He was on a motorbike and just gave it to me and sped away," the boy told HT.
"But before that he said he would take it back after a couple of days. He also warned me against telling anyone. I carried it to the class just like that and have no amenity against anyone. I had no intention of using it on anyone," he added.
Authorities of Dhankar Senior Secondary School , who refused to speak with the media, reportedly told the police that the boy had been absent for the last six days and attended the school on Tuesday.
This is the third such incident in Gurgaon of a student carrying a revolver inside the school premises.
In August last year, a class IX student of a school of an Old Delhi Road was caught carrying an air-pistol in his school bag.
In December 2007, one class VIII student killed his classmate on the campus in Sector 45 with an imported pistol (.32 mm Harrison USA) belonging to his father's friend.
"We raided the school around 12.30 p.m. and asked the principal to call the student to his room. Escorted by one of our staffers in plain clothes, a school staff accompanied the student to his room," said SHO Jaswant Singh.
"As we frisked him and pulled his sweater up, we recovered a country-made revolver tucked under his waist belt."
He said the student was arrested on charges of illegally carrying a firearm without license under Indian Arms Act.
Singh also claimed that there was definite information of the boy was carrying an illegal firearm some months ago but the police could not recover it from his possession then.
The boy's father died some time back and his mother is a homemaker. His elder sister is married while the younger one studies in the same school in Class VIII.
A Class X student of a private senior secondary school has been arrested for illegally carrying a country-made revolver to his school on Tuesday.
Gurgaon police recovered the revolver and a live cartridge from the 16-year-old student who carried the weapon in his class today.
The gun was found tucked in under his waist belt when a police team from Farrukhnagar police station raided the school following a tip-off this afternoon.
But the boy has claimed that he had no intention of using the gun and that someone from his village, Khera Khurrampur, had given him the gun on Monday evening to keep for a few days.
"One Bijender Singh gave me the gun on Monday evening . He was on a motorbike and just gave it to me and sped away," the boy told HT.
"But before that he said he would take it back after a couple of days. He also warned me against telling anyone. I carried it to the class just like that and have no amenity against anyone. I had no intention of using it on anyone," he added.
Authorities of Dhankar Senior Secondary School , who refused to speak with the media, reportedly told the police that the boy had been absent for the last six days and attended the school on Tuesday.
This is the third such incident in Gurgaon of a student carrying a revolver inside the school premises.
In August last year, a class IX student of a school of an Old Delhi Road was caught carrying an air-pistol in his school bag.
In December 2007, one class VIII student killed his classmate on the campus in Sector 45 with an imported pistol (.32 mm Harrison USA) belonging to his father's friend.
"We raided the school around 12.30 p.m. and asked the principal to call the student to his room. Escorted by one of our staffers in plain clothes, a school staff accompanied the student to his room," said SHO Jaswant Singh.
"As we frisked him and pulled his sweater up, we recovered a country-made revolver tucked under his waist belt."
He said the student was arrested on charges of illegally carrying a firearm without license under Indian Arms Act.
Singh also claimed that there was definite information of the boy was carrying an illegal firearm some months ago but the police could not recover it from his possession then.
The boy's father died some time back and his mother is a homemaker. His elder sister is married while the younger one studies in the same school in Class VIII.
Visa games China plays - with Kashmiris
The Chinese are playing mind games. And New Delhi is not amused.
After refusing to issue stamped visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir to make the point that the state was still a "disputed territory", Chinese authorities have issued just such a visa to former Jammu University vice-chancellor Amitabh Mattoo.
To most Kashmiris, China issues visas on a separate sheet of paper, whic is stapled to their passports. India refuses to recognise these as legitimate visas, and has stopped several Kashmiris with such visas at the airport, preventing them from boarding their flights.
Professor Shakeel Ahmad Romshoo of Kashmir University was one of them.
But Mattoo had no such problems.
The Jawahar Lal Nehru University professor said his visa was stamped on his passport issued to him in Kashmir. He did go to Beijing. "I had to attend an international conference on nuclear disarmament," he told Hindustan Times.
What kind of visa then will Mirwaiz Omar Farooq get? The separist leader, who has recently been harping on a role for Beijing in Kashmir, was invited by an NGO there to deliver a lecture. But foreign minister S.M. Krishna said the Mirwaiz could go only if he had a valid visa.
"Given how sticky Beijing can be about rules, they are clearly playing games... stamping vidas when they really want someone to come to China and stapling the visa for ordinary people," a miffed senior government offiial said.
After refusing to issue stamped visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir to make the point that the state was still a "disputed territory", Chinese authorities have issued just such a visa to former Jammu University vice-chancellor Amitabh Mattoo.
To most Kashmiris, China issues visas on a separate sheet of paper, whic is stapled to their passports. India refuses to recognise these as legitimate visas, and has stopped several Kashmiris with such visas at the airport, preventing them from boarding their flights.
Professor Shakeel Ahmad Romshoo of Kashmir University was one of them.
But Mattoo had no such problems.
The Jawahar Lal Nehru University professor said his visa was stamped on his passport issued to him in Kashmir. He did go to Beijing. "I had to attend an international conference on nuclear disarmament," he told Hindustan Times.
What kind of visa then will Mirwaiz Omar Farooq get? The separist leader, who has recently been harping on a role for Beijing in Kashmir, was invited by an NGO there to deliver a lecture. But foreign minister S.M. Krishna said the Mirwaiz could go only if he had a valid visa.
"Given how sticky Beijing can be about rules, they are clearly playing games... stamping vidas when they really want someone to come to China and stapling the visa for ordinary people," a miffed senior government offiial said.
Obama, PM talk strategy
PARTNERS US Prez rings Manmohan before announcing policy on Afghanistan
NEW DELHI: India was included in a round of conversations with world leaders that United States President Barack Obama made before announcing he would send 30, 000 more US troops to fight in Afghanistan.
Obama communicated that the US broadly held the same view as India regarding Afghanistan: a US withdrawl would make the country a terrorist safe haven.
Obama's phone call, said US diplomatic sources, was the first time the president had consulted New Delhi before a major policy statement - a practice common during the (George W.) Busg administration.
The prime Minister's Office said the two leaders hels a "brief conversation" and discussed ways to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
They also spoke about the upcoming Copenhagen climate change conference. Singh assured Obama that "India will play a constructive role in the negotiations".
Sources say Obama made it clear the US would not be disengaging from Afghanistan. They denied reports that he had asked India to train Afghan soldiers or send Indian troops to Afghanistan.
India has over 4, 000 para-military soldiers in Afghanistan to protect aid workers and bring Afghan soldiers to India to teach them English.
Obama noted that Afghan stability would be helped if there were less tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. But in keeping with the joint statement issued during Singh's recent visit to the US, Obama was supportive of the Indian presence in Afghanistan.
Obama's renewed commitment to Afghanistan is being seen as a rejection of the Pakistan military's argument: allow the Taliban a share of power in Kabul and Pakistan would take care of US concerns about renewed terrorism.
Instead, the US has come to the conclusion that a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would lead to a similar takeover in Pakistan.
This partly reflects repeated Indian warnings against a US withdrawl from Afghanistan and its consequences. During their recent meeting Obama had noted that he had taken "counsel" from Singh about the region.
Obama also spoke with a number of other world leaders, including Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and the contributors to the NATO force in Afghanistan.
NEW DELHI: India was included in a round of conversations with world leaders that United States President Barack Obama made before announcing he would send 30, 000 more US troops to fight in Afghanistan.
Obama communicated that the US broadly held the same view as India regarding Afghanistan: a US withdrawl would make the country a terrorist safe haven.
Obama's phone call, said US diplomatic sources, was the first time the president had consulted New Delhi before a major policy statement - a practice common during the (George W.) Busg administration.
The prime Minister's Office said the two leaders hels a "brief conversation" and discussed ways to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
They also spoke about the upcoming Copenhagen climate change conference. Singh assured Obama that "India will play a constructive role in the negotiations".
Sources say Obama made it clear the US would not be disengaging from Afghanistan. They denied reports that he had asked India to train Afghan soldiers or send Indian troops to Afghanistan.
India has over 4, 000 para-military soldiers in Afghanistan to protect aid workers and bring Afghan soldiers to India to teach them English.
Obama noted that Afghan stability would be helped if there were less tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. But in keeping with the joint statement issued during Singh's recent visit to the US, Obama was supportive of the Indian presence in Afghanistan.
Obama's renewed commitment to Afghanistan is being seen as a rejection of the Pakistan military's argument: allow the Taliban a share of power in Kabul and Pakistan would take care of US concerns about renewed terrorism.
Instead, the US has come to the conclusion that a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would lead to a similar takeover in Pakistan.
This partly reflects repeated Indian warnings against a US withdrawl from Afghanistan and its consequences. During their recent meeting Obama had noted that he had taken "counsel" from Singh about the region.
Obama also spoke with a number of other world leaders, including Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and the contributors to the NATO force in Afghanistan.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
YES, WE FAILED ONLINE CAT, ADMITS IIM(A) DIRECTOR
Prometric, the organisation conducting the IIM entrance test this year, admitted on Monday that the first online format of the exam had been a failure.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) too have admitted errors in holding the test. One three consecutive days, including Monday, there were reports of technical glitches while holding the exam.
Candidates could not take the test a few centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Ghaziabad due to computer malfunctioning.
The government sought a report from the convener of the entrance test (Common Admission Test), Satish Deodhar.
Samir Barua, director, IIM Ahmedabad, told Hindustan Times : "We have failed in delivering an error-free system ... We feel responsible and will move forward (in correcting these errors)."
Prometric Chief Operating Officer Charles Kernan said : "We were not able to detect some viruses that intruded the systems."
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) too have admitted errors in holding the test. One three consecutive days, including Monday, there were reports of technical glitches while holding the exam.
Candidates could not take the test a few centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Ghaziabad due to computer malfunctioning.
The government sought a report from the convener of the entrance test (Common Admission Test), Satish Deodhar.
Samir Barua, director, IIM Ahmedabad, told Hindustan Times : "We have failed in delivering an error-free system ... We feel responsible and will move forward (in correcting these errors)."
Prometric Chief Operating Officer Charles Kernan said : "We were not able to detect some viruses that intruded the systems."
Accused let off in zoo murder case
Five years after a 'jilted lover' - 24-year-old graphic designer Nikhil Chaudhary - was arrested for allegedly murdering his 'girlfriend' inside the Delhi Zoo, Delhi High Court on Monday acquitted him of all charges.
The body of Kanchan was found lying in a drain near the enclosure of a Royal Bengal Tiger on July 17, 2004. Her throat had been slit.
As per the prosecution story, Chaudhary had even confessed to the crime and had said that he had killed Kanchan, living in his neighbourhood because she used to threaten him that she would never ties with him if he did not marry her soon. Police said Chaudhary also suspected that she was having an affair with another youth.
A two-judge bench upheld his acquittal by the trial court on March 24, 2007, slamming the Delhi police for 'shoddy investigation' and not making an effort to complete the chain of circumstantial evidence in the absence of direct eyewitnesses to the crime.
"The respondent (Chaudhary) cannot be convicted in the absence of a complete chain of circumstances consistent with the hypothesis of guilt of the respondent. The trial court, has, thus, rightly given the benefit of doubt to the respondent acquitting him of the charges albeit the same being as a result of a shoddy investigation,: said judges justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajit Bharihoke.
The bench found that crucial witnesses had not been examined and crucial evidence had been tampered with.
Pulling up the police for the sloppy probe, the bench wondered why the police had not made witness and produced before the court one Sukhbir Singh who had told the girl's father Pradeep Kumar that he had seen her in a heated exchange with a boy and he could identify him.
FATHER'S STRUGGLE
The court also dismissed a separate plea filed by the girl's father seeking Chaudhary's conviction observing : "We are conscious of the pain and anguish of the father... and find it difficult to fathom that no one is found guilty of the offence of murder of his daughter. His suspicion is that hte respondent committed the crime. Unfortunately such suspicion cannot form the basis of conviction."
The body of Kanchan was found lying in a drain near the enclosure of a Royal Bengal Tiger on July 17, 2004. Her throat had been slit.
As per the prosecution story, Chaudhary had even confessed to the crime and had said that he had killed Kanchan, living in his neighbourhood because she used to threaten him that she would never ties with him if he did not marry her soon. Police said Chaudhary also suspected that she was having an affair with another youth.
A two-judge bench upheld his acquittal by the trial court on March 24, 2007, slamming the Delhi police for 'shoddy investigation' and not making an effort to complete the chain of circumstantial evidence in the absence of direct eyewitnesses to the crime.
"The respondent (Chaudhary) cannot be convicted in the absence of a complete chain of circumstances consistent with the hypothesis of guilt of the respondent. The trial court, has, thus, rightly given the benefit of doubt to the respondent acquitting him of the charges albeit the same being as a result of a shoddy investigation,: said judges justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajit Bharihoke.
The bench found that crucial witnesses had not been examined and crucial evidence had been tampered with.
Pulling up the police for the sloppy probe, the bench wondered why the police had not made witness and produced before the court one Sukhbir Singh who had told the girl's father Pradeep Kumar that he had seen her in a heated exchange with a boy and he could identify him.
FATHER'S STRUGGLE
The court also dismissed a separate plea filed by the girl's father seeking Chaudhary's conviction observing : "We are conscious of the pain and anguish of the father... and find it difficult to fathom that no one is found guilty of the offence of murder of his daughter. His suspicion is that hte respondent committed the crime. Unfortunately such suspicion cannot form the basis of conviction."
FAMILY ROBBED
Four unidentified armed miscreants barged into the house of a garment trader, held his family hostage and robbed them of cash and jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh in Gandhi Nagar in East Delhi on Monday Morning. The incident happened at 7.15 a.m. in Chand Mohalla, where the victim, Mukut Bansal (57), lives with his wife and a son, police said.
Drop Lashkar : Obama to Pak
Pakistan's "use" of militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba for policy goals "cannot continue", US President Barack Obama has warned Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in a two-page letter.
The Washington Post, which reported that such a letter had been sent earlier in the month, called it "unusually blunt". However, it also offered Islamabad a number of incentives including an offer to "reduce tensions" between India and Pakistan.
Washington has been trying to piece together a new grand bargain with Islamabad. Its key demand is that Pakistan recognise it cannot be both an ally in the "war on terror" and at the same time, support Islamic militant groups that are fighting India and Afghanistan. If Pakistan falls in line, Obama has offered a greater amount of US economic military assistance.
Obama said Pakistan needed to end the "ambiguity" in its relations with five militant groups : Al Qaeda, Afghan Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lashkar e Tayyeba and the Tehreek e Taliban. The inclusion of Lashkar, a group that until 26/11 had avoided attacking US targets, is a gesture towards the militant group's main target, India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told Obama during his recent state visit that Pakistan was selective in taking on terrorist groups - that it was leaving Lashkar alone.
The letter, say Obama's officials is designed to push US-Pakistan relations in a new direction. Without this change the US is "not going to win in Afghanistan" which, in turn, means "Pakistan will automatically be imperiled."
The Washington Post, which reported that such a letter had been sent earlier in the month, called it "unusually blunt". However, it also offered Islamabad a number of incentives including an offer to "reduce tensions" between India and Pakistan.
Washington has been trying to piece together a new grand bargain with Islamabad. Its key demand is that Pakistan recognise it cannot be both an ally in the "war on terror" and at the same time, support Islamic militant groups that are fighting India and Afghanistan. If Pakistan falls in line, Obama has offered a greater amount of US economic military assistance.
Obama said Pakistan needed to end the "ambiguity" in its relations with five militant groups : Al Qaeda, Afghan Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lashkar e Tayyeba and the Tehreek e Taliban. The inclusion of Lashkar, a group that until 26/11 had avoided attacking US targets, is a gesture towards the militant group's main target, India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told Obama during his recent state visit that Pakistan was selective in taking on terrorist groups - that it was leaving Lashkar alone.
The letter, say Obama's officials is designed to push US-Pakistan relations in a new direction. Without this change the US is "not going to win in Afghanistan" which, in turn, means "Pakistan will automatically be imperiled."
MADHU KODA HELD AT LAST, AIDE JAILED TOO
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda was finally arrested on Monday after he repeatedly ignored summons from the state vigilance department, the income tax department and the enforcement directorate.
His former cabinet colleague and close aide, Kamlesh Kumar Singh, was also arrested.
It was the state vigilance department that arrested Madhu Koda from Chaibasa, the constituency he represents in the Lok Sabha, about 150 km southwest of Ranchi. He was remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
"They were arrested on non-bailable warrants for possessing disproportionate assets," Vigilance Bureau director-general Neyaz Ahmad said.
"The congress has implicated me in all these cases as part of a political conspiracy," said Koda, whose illegally amassed assets allegedly total Rs. 4, 000 crore.
His former cabinet colleague and close aide, Kamlesh Kumar Singh, was also arrested.
It was the state vigilance department that arrested Madhu Koda from Chaibasa, the constituency he represents in the Lok Sabha, about 150 km southwest of Ranchi. He was remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
"They were arrested on non-bailable warrants for possessing disproportionate assets," Vigilance Bureau director-general Neyaz Ahmad said.
"The congress has implicated me in all these cases as part of a political conspiracy," said Koda, whose illegally amassed assets allegedly total Rs. 4, 000 crore.
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