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Court grants bail to HCU students

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Hyderabad University

Hyderabad: The Miyapur court Monday granted bail to 24 students and two faculty members of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who were arrested for staging protest against varsity vice-chancellor Appa Rao.

The bail has been granted on one time surety of Rs 5,000 and on the condition that all accused will have to appear before the police once a week.

They were arrested in connection with violent protests by a section of students opposing the return of Vice Chancellor Prof P Appa Rao to the university.

(Agencies)

India, Pak start talks on Pathankot attack probe

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Photo: AFP

Photo: AFP

New Delhi: India and Pakistan Monday began formal discussions on investigations into the terror attack at the Pathankot IAF base, making it the first-ever visit of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from the neighbouring country that included an ISI official.

The five-member Pakistani JIT is headed by Chief of Punjab’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Muhammad Tahir Rai and comprises Lahore’s Deputy Director General, Intelligence Bureau, Mohammad Azim Arshad, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) official Lt Col Tanvir Ahmed, Military Intelligence official Lt Col Irfan Mirza and Gujaranwala CTD Investigating Officer, Shahid Tanveer.

The team was received at the headquarters of National Investigation Agency by Inspector General Sanjiv Kumar Singh.

They are being given a detailed presentation on the probe done by Indian agencies so far and evidences that show that the attack was planned in Pakistan, official sources said.

The team, which arrived yesterday, will on Tuesday visit Pathankot for the probe into the attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group on January 2, which left seven security personnel dead.

In the post-lunch session, the Pakistani team would be raising questions to clear their doubts, if any, before they fly to Pathankot in a special plane on Tuesday morning, the sources said.

The IAF base will be visually barricaded by NIA to prevent any view of critical areas.

The NIA team would show some of the areas where the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were engaged in an 80-hour-long gun battle with security personnel.

India plans to provide the Pakistani team access to all witnesses in the case, but not to the security personnel from National Security Guard or BSF.

The witnesses include Punjab Police Superintendent of Police Salwinder Singh, his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma, cook Madan Gopal and 17 injured persons.

The sources said that cooperation to the Pakistani team would be based on the principle of reciprocity hoping that an Indian team would be allowed to travel to Pakistan at a later date.

In the 26/11 Mumbai attack case, Pakistan had sent a judicial commission to cross-examine some of the witnesses in the case.

(Agencies)

Court convicts JIPL, its two directors in a coal scam case

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coal-scam

New Delhi: A special court today convicted Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL) and its two directors R S Rungta and R C Rungta in a case pertaining to irregularities in allotment of a coal block in the state to the firm, the first judgement in the coal scam.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar held the company and its two directors guilty of the offences under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC.

This is the first coal block allocation scam case in which the special court, which was set up to exclusively deal with all the coal scam matters, has delivered its judgement.

The court ordered that R S Rungta and R C Rungta, who were out on bail, be taken into custody and fixed the matter for March 31 for hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence.

The case pertains to irregularities in allocation of North Dhadu coal block by the 27th and 30th screening committees jointly to JIPL and three other firms M/s Electro Steel Casting Ltd, M/s Adhunik Alloys and Power Ltd and M/s Pawanjay Steel and Power Ltd.

While pronouncing the judgement, the court said that R S Rungta is acquitted of the charges under sections 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of IPC while R C Rungta is acquitted of the alleged offences of 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 and 471 of IPC.

“I am convicting you (Rungtas) for the offences under sections 120B and 420 of IPC and the company is convicted under sections 120B read with 420 of IPC,” the judge said.
An offence under section 420 (cheating) of IPC entails a jail term of upto seven years.
JIPL and its two directors were charged with acquiring the coal block on the basis of false and forged documents.

The court had in March last year framed charges against them for the offences punishable under sections 120B read with 420, 467, 468 and 471 of IPC.
They had pleaded not guilty and claimed trial, while refuting the submissions made against them by CBI.

On December 23, last year, the court had dismissed R S Rungta’s plea to summon former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao as defence witnesses in the case.

The court had enlarged Rungtas on bail on January 14, last year on a personal bond of Rs one lakh each and with one surety of the like amount.

In its charge sheet, CBI had said that during the probe, it was found that JIPL had “grossly misrepresented” a number of aspects before Ministry of Steel (MoS) and Ministry of Coal (MoC) to inflate their claim and thereby induced the MoC officers and the screening committees to allocate the coal block to them.

It had said no efforts were made by the screening committees to verify the claims made by the applicant firm and that MoS also did not develop any methodology for assessment of the applicant companies.

It had contended that some records of MoC relating to the case were stated to be missing and a separate preliminary enquiry has been registered by CBI.

CBI had said that no involvement of any of the public servant was found in the entire process during its probe.

The court had summoned the Rungtas on December 18, 2014. CBI had filed the FIR in the case in 2013.

(PTI)

Haryana Cabinet clears Jat reservation Bill

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rohtak-jat

Chandigarh: The Haryana Cabinet today passed a Bill to provide reservation in government jobs and education to Jats who had set an April 3 deadline for their demand to be met following their violent agitation last month.

The draft Bill on reservation to Jats and four other castes was cleared at a Cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here, official sources said.

The Bill is likely to be tabled in the ongoing budget session of the state Assembly, which is scheduled to continue till March 31, they said.

The BJP government had assured that it would bring the Bill in the ongoing Budget session. Jat leaders had announced that no protest would be held till April 3 if the state government got the Bill passed before that.

The Bill proposes reservation for Jats and four other castes — Jat Sikhs, Rors, Bishnois and Tyagis — by creating a new classification in the Backward Classes category, sources said.
The government plans to provide 10 per cent reservation in educational institutions and Class-III and IV government jobs for these communities, they said.

It has proposed 6 per cent reservation for Jats and the four other castes in Class-I and Class-II jobs, sources said.

Apart from giving reservation to Jats, Haryana government has also proposed to bring a separate Bill for the setting up of a permanent Haryana Backward Classes Commission, they said.

Jat leaders have been demanding reservation in the existing Backward Classes (BC) category. The BC quota is bifurcated into two — BC-A and BC-B — having 16 and 11 per cent reservation, respectively.

Jats had last month launched a stir demanding reservation in BC category. The agitation, which had taken a violent turn, left 30 people dead and 320 persons injured and resulted in huge damage to property.

Jat leaders have told the government that in case the reservation breaches the overall 50 per cent ceiling, then the government should include the proposed legislation in the ninth Schedule of the Constitution to save it from judicial review.

“We want that whatever Bill is tabled should be legally tenable,” All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti President Yashpal Malik had said.

The decision that no protest would be held till April 3 if the reservation Bill is passed in the ongoing session was announced by Malik here after talks with Haryana Chief Secretary DS Dhesi and DGP Yashpal Singhal on March 18.

(Agencies)

Muslim teacher among dead in Brussels attack

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Students and teachers mourn the loss of Loubna Lafquiri, a young mother of three, after she was killed on the metro.

Loubna Lafquiri

by Jacky Rowland, Al Jazeera

A popular teacher who worked at an Islamic school in Brussels was among those killed in the Brussels attacks.

Teachers and students have been mourning the loss of Loubna Lafquiri, a young mother of three, after the confirmation of her death.

They had been fearing the news since Tuesday, the day of the attacks, when she did not show up to work. She had been travelling via the metro.

Coordinated attacks on the Zaventem airport and Maelbeek metro station in the Belgian capital left 31 people dead, and were claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

“We can’t be anything but angry and reject the beliefs of these people who claim to be Muslims,” said Mohamed Allaf, secretary-general of the Muslim Schools Association. “There is no religion in the world that advocates killing human beings.”

The gym teacher’s students have been encouraged to express themselves in drawings, poems and messages. Other teachers said they hoped this would help the children to come to terms with their loss.

In mosques across Brussels, talk of the attacks has dominated Friday prayers. Muslims have been thinking about their place in Belgian society and they are worried about the future.

Khadija Zamouri, a Muslim parliamentarian in Brussels, said her children are beginning to ask questions about their faith.

“I hear … from my own children. It’s like, ‘Can we still say that we are Muslim? Shouldn’t we be secret about it? Can we say Allahu Akhbar?’ It’s like everything to do with religion has become contaminated,” she told Al Jazeera.

The victims of the attacks came from several countries, including the US, UK, India, Morocco, Peru and China.

West Indies beat South Africa to enter World T20 semis

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West Indies South Africa

Nagpur: The West Indies produced an all-round performance to outclass South Africa by three wickets in a Group 1 clash at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) stadium here on Friday to enter the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Batting first, South Africa were never in control of the game as they lost wickets at regular intervals to post a meagre total of 122/8 in 20 overs.

In reply, riding on Marlon Samuels’ impressive 44, the West Indies batted sensibly as they chased down the target posting 123/7 in 19.4 overs.

Chasing a tricky target of 123, the West Indies lost hard-hitting opener Chris Gayle (4) in the very first over, thanks to pacer Kagiso Rabada who cleaned him up after the latter was hit for a boundary by the left-handed batsman.

After the loss of the first wicket, Johnson Charles (32) and Andre Fletcher (11) used their experience to good effect to hold on for a couple of overs but the sixth over saw some outstanding fielding followed by an electrifying throw by Rilee Rossouw ended Fletcher’s stay on the crease.

Despite the wicket of Fletcher, Charles played positively alongside incoming batsman Marlon Samuels to take team past 50-run mark.

But South Africa struck twice in quick succession dismissing Charles and Dwayne Bravo (8) to stay alive in the game.

But Samuels used his experience to good effect to take team close to victory line before getting himself out.

Next up, Carlos Brathwaite (10 not out) and Dinesh Ramdin (1 not out) remained unbeaten to take West Indies to triumph.

Imran Tahir (2-13) was the pick of the Proteas’ bowlers.

Earlier put into bat, South Africa got off to a disastrous start losing opener Hashim Amla (1), Faf Du Plessis (9) and Rossouw (0) to have team wobbling at 20/3 in three overs.

From there on, opener Quinton de Kock (47) and AB de Villiers (10) held on to help team go past the powerplay with 39/3 on board.

But next up, the Proteas received their biggest blow when de Villiers, trying to flick through midwicket, was cleaned up by a slower ball from Bravo in the eighth over.

The batting side failed to learn from the earlier mistakes on a wicket which looked tough for batting as part-time off-spinner Gayle, who had dismissed Rossouw, struck yet again in the ninth over to shatter David Miller’s stumps and have South Africa in a spot of bother at 47/5.

Incoming batsman David Wiese (28) and De Kock took their time in the middle without trying anything silly to help team go past 90-run mark in 15 overs.

But as De Kock was chipping in with ones and twos to get close to his second T20I fifty, Russell came in to get rid of the left-handed batsman to have the former three runs short off half-century.

With wickets falling at regular intervals, life became difficult for the Proteas batsmen to post a respectable total as tail-enders Chris Morris (16 not out) and Aaron Phangiso (4) helped team reach 122/8.

Chris Gayle (2-17), Dwayne Bravo (2-20) and Andre Russell (2-28) were the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies.

Brief scores: South Africa 122/8 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 47; Chris Gayle 2-17, Dwayne Bravo 2-20, Andre Russell 2-28) vs West Indies 123/7 in 19.4 overs (Marlon Samuels 44; Imran Tahir 2-13)

(IANS)

Headley Questions Manner of NIA Recording Statement During Cross Examination

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Headley

Mumbai: Pakistani-American terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley on Saturday alleged that the India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not record his statements on various aspects of the 26/11 investigations in his “exact” words.

He said that on the fourth day of his ongoing cross-examination before a Mumbai special court that he had given details on various aspects to the NIA officials.

However, his statements were not read out to him, he did not seek a copy of his statement nor was it provided to him by the NIA, Headley said, raising serious doubts on the NIA statement.

Headley referred to certain statements he made to the NIA on the former terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Muzammil Bhatt and Thane collegian Ishrat Jahan who was killed in an encounter by Gujarat Police along with three other male friends near Ahmedabad in 2004.

Headley made the startling revelation during his cross-examination before Special Judge G.A. Sanap by lawyer Abdul Wahab Khan, who is defending Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, one of the prime accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.

Speaking via video-conferencing from an unknown place in the US, Headley said that in 2003, LeT cheif Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi had introduced him to Muzammil Bhatt as a top LeT commander who had carried out the Akshardham Temple strike and Ishrat Jahan matter, of which he had prior knowledge through the newspapers.

Headley said that the NIA recorded his statements in words different from what he had told them… for instance, he (Headley) never said that when Lakhvi introduced him to Bhatt, he (Lakhvi) referred to him (Bhatt) sarcarstically that he was top commander whose every major operation had failed.

“I cannot explain why NIA did not did not record my statement in my exact words… They never read out the statement to me after recording… I did not ask for the copy and they never gave me a copy,” Headley said.

When he was shown a copy of his statement to NIA, Headley said that he was seeing it first time, but admitted that he had told NIA about an LeT women’s wing which was headed by the mother of Abu Aiman.

(IANS)

Hyderabad varsity incidents rock Telangana assembly

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University of Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The incidents at Hyderabad Central University and Osmania University rocked the Telangana assembly on Saturday with the opposition stalling the proceedings to demand full-fledged debate.

The house was adjourned thrice since morning as the opposition Congress and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) insisted on a debate on the police brutalities on students at Hyderabad Central University (HCU).

As soon as the house met for the day, the two parties demanded their adjournment motions on the issue be taken up but Deputy Speaker Padmadevender Reddy rejected this.

Members of Congress and MIM rushed to the well of the house, seeking an immediate debate. They wanted the government to respond to their demands for withdrawal of cases against students.

The Congress party also raised the issue relating to the attack on its legislator Sampath Kumar’s car in Osmania University and demanded action against those involved. The MLA’s vehicle was damaged when he visited OU campus on March 23 when students were staging a protest after recovery of a body of a man from a sump.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government, however, suggested that the debate on the university incidents be taken as part of the demand for grants for home department.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao termed as ‘unfortunate’ the incidents that occurred at the two universities. “The death of a student at HCU is unfortunate,” he said referring to the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.

He said that the attack on MLA’s car in Osmania University is condemnable. The chief minister, however, wondered as to why the Congress MLA did not lodge a complaint with police.

KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, told the house that the government is ready to discuss all the issues. He took objection to the manner in which the opposition was raising the issue and alleged that they are only interested in taking political mileage.

MIM leader in the house, Akbaruddin Owaisi said the chief minister’s suggestion that the issue be discussed as part of the demand for grants is an insult to Dalits. He condemned the arrests of students on HCU campus and the police atrocities on them.

Owaisi demanded that the house pass a resolution to urge the central government to recall HCU Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao. He also sought an inquiry into the beating up of students by police and university security.

Police arrested 24 students and two faculty members of HCU on March 22 when they were staging a protest over P. Appa Rao resuming charge as the vice chancellor. The protestors alleged that Appa Rao is responsible for Rohith’s suicide in January.

Student groups alleged that police beat up students after arresting them and also assaulted them in police stations.

Meanwhile, Congress party’s Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that police attacked the vehicle of MLA.

He said student and youth leaders of the Congress party were being harassed by police by summoning them to police stations.

(Agencies)

Sreesanth, film personalities in second BJP list for Kerala polls

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BJP S Sreesanth

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Former Indian pace bowler S. Sreesanth and several film personalities are in the second list of 51 BJP candidates who will contest the May 16 assembly polls in Kerala from Thiruvananthapuram segment.

The state BJP early this month announced its first list of 22 candidates, including all senior state leaders. The second list of 51 candidates was cleared in the national capital on Friday.

Sreesanth early this week confirmed that he was offered a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

On Friday, Sreesanth arrived at the BJP headquarters in Delhi and met with top party leaders. He later announced he had accepted the party membership and will do his best to strengthen the party in Kerala.

Malayalam actor Bheemen Reghu will be BJP candidate from Pathanapuram, to witness a triangular fight between three film stars – sitting legislator K.B. Ganesh Kumar who moved from the ruling United Democratic Front to the Left opposition and Congress’ popular comedian and character artiste Jagdish.

Friday’s BJP list also included the names of veteran film director Rajasenan from Nedumangad and another director Ali Akbar from Koduvally constituency.

The Thiruvananthapuram assembly segment, in the heart of the state capital, is presently held by Congress leader and state Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar and he is all set to contest again. The Left opposition is yet to announce its candidate.

The BJP is yet to open its account in the 140-member assembly.

Sreesanth was banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India after match-fixing allegations. He last played in the 2013 Indian Premier League. He was arrested on charge of match-fixing and lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

In July 2015, a Patiala House court in Delhi exonerated him and two other players in the case, against which Delhi Police have gone in appeal.

While his parents are settled in Ernakulam in Kerala, he keeps shuttling between Bengaluru and Kochi.

Sreesanth played 27 Tests (87 wickets), 53 ODIs (75) and 10 T20Is (seven wickets) and was part of two World Cup winning teams, in the 2007 World Twenty20 and the 2011 World Cup.

(Agencies)

Explosions heard as Belgian police carry new major raid

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State broadcaster says at least one man “neutralised” during the new raid in Schaerbeek neighbourhood of Brussels.

Brussels

by Al Jazeera

Armed police have launched a major new raid in Brussels in the wake of the suicide attacks in the capital, Belgian media reported, a day after six suspects were arrestedover the carnage.

Two explosions were heard at the start of the operation in the neighbourhood of Schaerbeek on Friday, and a man had been “neutralised”, according to the RTBF state broadcaster, but there was no immediate confirmation by officials.

Suicide bombers hit the Brussels airport and a metro train on Tuesday, killing 31 people and wounding at least 270 in the worst such attack in Belgian history.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, which claimed responsibility for the Brussels bombings, also took credit for coordinated attacks in Paris in November which killed 130 people.

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