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Court grants bail to SAR Gilani in sedition case

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SAR Geelani

New Delhi: Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Gilani was today granted bail by a Delhi court in a sedition case related to an event conducted at the Press Club here last month.

Additional Sessions Judge Deepak Garg granted the relief to Gilani on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of the like amount.

Gilani’s counsel, Satish Tamta sought bail for him, claiming there is nothing on record that Gilani shouted anti-India slogans or asked others to do so. It was a meeting of intellectuals to discuss the Kashmir issue, he said.

“There was nothing in the event which led to any violence as there was nothing that could be called incitement,” Tamta said, adding that as per the Supreme Court order, shouting slogans merely doesn’t amount to offence under section 124-A(Sedition) of IPC.
However, Delhi Police had opposed the bail plea saying the event was “an attack on the soul of India” and it was “contempt of court.”

“The incident was in the continuation of what had happened in JNU a day earlier. As per the statements of Press Club of India officials, anti-India slogans were shouted and Gilani was also involved in it. Gilani had violated the law of the land and the offence was grave,” the prosecution added.

Earlier on February 19, a magisterial court had dismissed the bail plea of Gilani, who was arrested on February 16, after the police had alleged that “hatred” was being generated against the government.

Police had told the court that an event was held on February 10 in which banners were placed showing Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat as martyrs.It had also said the hall in the Press Club was booked by Gilani, through his associate Ali Javed by using his credit card and another man Mudassar was also involved.

At the Press Club event, a group had allegedly shouted slogans hailing Afzal Guru, following which the police had lodged a case under sections 124A (sedition), 120B(criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC against Gilani and other unnamed persons.

The police had claimed to have registered the FIR taking suo motu cognizance of media clips of the incident. Following registration of the FIR, the police questioned DU professor Javed, a Press Club member, who had booked the hall for the event, for two days.

Gilani was arrested in connection with the 2001 Parliament attack case but was acquitted for “need of evidence” by Delhi High Court in October 2003, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in August 2005.

(PTI)

2 Muslim cattle traders tortured, hanged to death by Hindutva extremists

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hang-muslims-cattle

Ranchi: Two Muslim men herding eight buffaloes on their way to a local Friday market were bashed up and hanged to death from a tree by unknown assailants at Balumath forests in Latehar district, 100km from here, in the wee hours on Friday. The buffaloes were freed by the men and locals claimed the assailants were Hindutva radicals.

The deceased Muhammad Majloom, 35, was a relative of Azad Khan alias Ibrahim who is around 15-years-old. The two had their hands tied together behind and their mouth was closed with a cloth. “The sight suggested that the two of them were subjected to extreme levels of brutality. It means that the assailants were moved by extreme hatred,” a police officer said.

In Jhabbar village of Balumath the sight of the hanging men engaged in cattle trade, sparked protests by locals. The protests turned violent when police tried to take down the bodies. SDO Kamleshwar Narayan and six cops were injured when locals pelted stones at officials who arrived in the morning to manage the situation and ensure that it does not take communal turn.

Injuries to senior officials forced police to resort to firing and baton charge. “The policemen resorted to air firing, but it did not hurt anyone,” Latehar SP Anoop Birthary said.

According to sources protesting locals claimed that the assailants targeted them because they were engaged in cattle trade. “Four months ago a group of men had tried to kill a cattle trader in Gomia village of Balumath. The man managed to escape,” Latehar MLA Prakash Ram said.

Locals blocked Latehar-Chatra National Highway 99 for hours. They demanded immediate arrest of the assailants and refused to clear the blockade unless the criminals were arrested and hanged to death.

A large number of armed forces were deployed in the village to thwart possible villagers’ attempts to create communal disturbance. “A meeting of the peace committee was held in the evening to develop a climate of calm in the area,” DIG Saket Singh said. The police were asked to check rumor mongers and locals were appealed not to monger rumours.

The investigation into the murder has not progressed much. An FIR was lodged against unknown for murder and another FIR was lodged against unknown persons and a few known locals for hurting the SDO and other officials. “It is not yet known if business enmity or other motive was behind the murder,” SP Birthary said.

(Agencies)

Minor girl molested in public; police search for accused

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rape

Ballari: The police are on the lookout for an unidentified person who allegedly molested a minor girl as she was returning home from school in Ballari on Thursday.

As per police sources, the 8-year-old girl was on her way home at around 5 pm. As soon as the stranger approached her and touched her inappropriately, she raised an alarm. The man immediately fled the scene.

The girl’s parents filed a complaint and the police looked through CCTV footage from nearby establishments but were not able to identify the man. Investigations are on.

(Agencies)

Umar Khalid, Anirban get six month interim bail

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Umar Khalid

New Delhi: A court here on Friday granted six months interim bail to JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested on charges of sedition.

Both have been asked to furnish a bail bond of Rs.25,000 each.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh also asked the two Jawaharlal Nehru University students not to leave Delhi without the court’s permission.

Both had sought bail on the ground of “parity”, saying that JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was also arrested on the same charge, was already granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court.

Granting six-month interim bail to them on parity with Kanhaiya Kumar, the court noted that there was no previous criminal record against them and “nothing has been brought on record which could indicate that they are likely to abscond from jurisdiction of the court”.

“No submission has been made (by police) to the effect that both the applicants Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya have been involved previously in any criminal case. No record has been placed by the state regarding any such past conduct of both these persons.

“Although the allegations levelled against Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya are per se serious in nature, but as claimed by police themselves, the video footage of the incident has been sent to the forensic science laboratory. Its analysis and final report will certainly take some time,” it added.

Delhi Police had opposed the bail plea saying their case was different from that of Kanhaiya Kumar as they were the organisers of a controversial event on the varsity campus on February 9 where anti-national slogans were raised and he was not.

Both the students surrendered before police last month. A case was registered against Khalid and Bhattacharya at the Vasant Kunj police station in south Delhi, soon after Kanhaiya was arrested on the same charge on February 12.

(Agencies)

We send ‘signals’ to govt, hold no remote control: RSS

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rss

New Delhi: RSS has said it sends “signals” to the BJP-led government at the Centre but dismissed suggestions it held a “remote control” over it.

It also said that it has a right to give suggestions to the government like any other organisation in a democracy and is proud to have produced two prime ministers– Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi.

“There is no control, but certainly remote is there. Remote is there, signal is there. RSS is not having any remote control on BJP or any other political party.

“RSS swayamsevaks are working actively and are participants in BJP. BJP also subscribes to certain views and ideology of RSS and the inspiration they take in public life. If family members come to RSS for suggestions, is it remote control or affection. There is no complaint from BJP and there is no wish from RSS,” RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at the India Today Conclave.

Asked if RSS was an ‘extra-constitutional authority’ in the present government, he said, “Where is the extra- constitutional authority? We are not doing any hide and seek. Presentations at RSS meeting is not wrong. If they make presentations before RSS, they can make presentations before this conclave. It is a democracy. We have every right to make suggestions to any government.”

Rejecting criticism that RSS gave diktats to the Modi government, he said RSS swayamsevaks are working actively in BJP and they are like “family members”.

Hosabale said in a democracy the RSS can make suggestions to any government of the day, be it BJP or Congress, even though Congress will not listen to them.

“We are proud that RSS has produced two prime ministers. Both are listening to the voice of the people,” he said, adding both Vajpayee and Modi listened to them.

“Vajpayee also listened and Modi also is listening. But, listening does not mean he is heeding (to) it. We are proud. I wish Vajpayee also had the opportunity to become prime minister at Modi’s age,” the RSS leader said.

He said, “We wanted that a budget of this kind should come. We had also suggested to Congress.”

Asked if RSS has asked for a temple, Hosabale said, “We have asked for a mandir at Ayodhya. That is our dream. It is the wish of the people. It is for the country and government to take up the issue. We are hopeful. We are also confident that they will also fulfil the aspirations of people. They have included it in their manifesto.”

To a question on whether homosexuality is a crime as considered under Article 377 IPC, he said, “I don’t think homosexuality should be considered a criminal offence as long as it does not affect the lives of others in society.”

He said, “sexual preferences are private and personal. Why should RSS express its views in a public forum? RSS has no view on that. It is for people to have their way. Personal preference of sex is not discussed in RSS and we don’t even want to discuss that.”

Section 377 of Indian Penal Code terms homosexuality as unnatural and carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail. Going by the global trends in this regard, there have been demands within the country to decriminalise homosexuality.

Hosabale said AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi was an “anti- national” as he said he would not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, a slogan not coined by RSS but during the freedom struggle.

Asked if one was a ‘traitor’ by not chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, he said, “Of course, he is an anti-national… All the political leaders except Owaisi’s party opposed what he said.”

“If someone says he/she does not want to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at all, you are not allowing others also to not chant the slogan….If anybody says so, he is anti-national.”

He said ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ are not RSS slogans, but coined during freedom struggle and it is not required that these should be chanted all the time or every morning “but there is nothing wrong in saying it”.

On beef eating, the RSS leader said one should respect the sensibilities of others too.

“Can’t you live without beef, can’t you respect the sensibilities of majority and respect feelings of other people also? Beef eating has not been acceptable in this country. Mahatma Gandhi was also against beef eating, he did not become communal, but RSS is communal,” he said.

The RSS leader expressed concern that anti-national activities are being spread in campuses in the country.

“Why anti-India feelings are being expressed in university campuses? If some students are raising slogans for breaking India into pieces and its destruction, if they raise slogans in favour of a criminal who has been hanged as per the law of the land, any nation in the world will not tolerate it. In India, being anti-national is not acceptable,” he said.

On why women are not there in RSS, he said, “It is only in field activities in public that women are not there, but in all other activities women are there. RSS is not averse to the idea of women participation in physical activities in RSS shakhas. It can happen… A day will come sooner than later. We are taking our own time for all this, anything can happen.”

He also rejected the theory that RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle saying one should read history properly.

“RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle is a baseless statement.”
On reservation, he said, “It is not the right time to do away with caste-based reservation. We support reservation till discrimination in society exists,” but called for a review by eminent people who understand society.

He also said that RSS was changing as per changing times while referring to the change in uniform.

“Changing according to time is the essential thing of Hindutva itself,” he said.
He added that those people who are taking birth in this country are Hindus because “this is Hindustan and the fear of Hindutva is created because of wrong understanding or deliberate intentions”.

“Hindutva as we say is that it is Hinduness and not Hinduism. Radhakrishnan has said he practiced the Hindu way of life and I am proud of it, and he is not communal. Mahatma Gandhi said I am a proud Hindu, but he is not communal,” Hosabale said.

“I don’t know why people are afraid of hearing words like Hindutva, Hinduism or Hinduness, because Hindus are never aggressive in entire history of mankind. They have not enslaved anyone on any part of the world. It is only a few created on wrong interpretations or wrong intentions,” he said.

He said RSS’s vision 2020 is for an India which is united and one which prosperous, “a Bharat which takes pride in its culture and heritage”.

(PTI)

Siddaramaiah presents Rs 1,63,419 crore budget; abolishes agri income tax

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Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: The rate of growth of Karnataka’s economy has slowed down from 7.8 per cent during 2014-15 to 6.2 per cent during 2015-16.

Reading out the State budget for 2016-17 in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, attributed this slowdown solely to decline in growth rate of the agriculture sector.

The agriculture sector is estimated to decline by 4.7 per cent during this year, mainly due to drought in 137 taluks during kharif and 62 taluks during the rabi crop seasons.

Presenting his 11th budget overall, and the fourth after he assumed office, Chief Minister said decline in farm growth mainly attributable to fall in foodgrains production from 126 lakh tones during 2014-15 to 110 lakh tones in 2015-16 due to drought.

He said the service sector is growing at 9.1 per cent while the industrial sector is expected to register a growth of 4.5 percent during the current year.

In a major relief to planters, the budget proposed to abolish agriculture income tax and it would benefit coffee, tea and rubber and other plantation crop growers.

The total budget size of 2016-17 is pegged at Rs. 1,63,419 crore, of which the plan size is fixed at Rs. 85375 crore, an increase of 17.6 per cent over the plan size of Rs. 72,597 crore during the last year.

Of the 1,63,419 crore, the estimated revenue receipts is pegged at Rs. 1,30,758 crore and capital receipts at Rs. 31,198 crore including borrowings of Rs. 31,036 crore. The fiscal deficit is expected to be Rs. 25,657 crore, which at 2.12 per cent of GSDP, complies with the Karnataka Fiscal responsibility Act.

Agriculture

For redressal of grievances of farmers of the state and converge schemes of agriculture department and other departments, the Chief Minister proposed to set up a Karnataka State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Committee headed by Chief Minister. Agriculture department and other departments related to welfare of farmers would be brought under the committee.

To give more focus to farmers and effective techniques adopted by them, special agricultural zones would be identified in parts of the State on the lines of SEZs formed for industries.

The budget proposed to develop 100 villages in four districts across four revenue divisions as Model agricultural villages under the “Suvarna Krishi Grama Programme”.

Tax reliefs

The budget exempted from the tax handmade paper and hand-made paper boards, including hand-made paper products manufactured and sold by dealer recognised by the Khadi and Village Industries Board as an eco-friendly measure.

It reduced VAT on office files made of paper and paper boards from the present rate of 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

It cut VAT from the present rate of 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent on articles of nickel, titanmum falling under heading HSN 7505, 7506, and 8108 to encourage aerospace industry.

Other goods that set to become cheaper are: rubber sheet, set top boxes for viewing TV content, multi-media speakers, LED bulbs. Taxes on all these goods reduced from 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Mr. Siddaramaiah would seek a Vote on Account for the first four months of the financial year, ending July 31. This has been the norm in Karnataka.

(Agencies)

BJP MLA who broke police horse’s leg finally arrested

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horse

Dehradun: Police today arrested BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi, accused of assaulting a police horse ‘Shaktiman’ during a protest march here recently which led to amputation of one of its hind legs.

IG Garhwal range Sanjay Gunjyal said the MLA from Mussoorie was arrested from outside a hotel in Patel Nagar area on the basis of an FIR lodged against him and his associates at Nehru Colony police station here in connection with the assault on the police horse on March 14.

The official said Joshi was being interrogated. He, however, refused to disclose where the MLA has been taken.

Reacting sharply to the development, BJP lodged a protest with Governor K K Paul and alleged it was “abduction” of its MLA.

“The manner in which Joshi was picked up from outside a hotel suggests he was abducted. Those who picked him up were in plain clothes and it is not clear whether they were police personnel or goondas,” Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Ajay Bhatt said.

Bhatt said he had called on Governor K K Paul to register his protest against the manner in which the party legislator was picked up.

The action against Joshi comes a day after the arrest of another party worker Pramod Bora from Haldwani in Nainital district yesterday.

Dehradun SSP Sadanand Date said Bora along with Joshi was responsible for precipitating the fall of the horse during the protest March on March 14 which caused grievous injuries to one of its hind legs.

Meanwhile, the injured horse whose fractured hind leg had to be amputated late last night by a team of doctors at the police lines can now stand with the help of an artificial leg.

However, doctors attending on Shaktiman said it will have to be seen whether the prop is strong enough to support the horse which weighs four quintals.

Surgeon from Mumbai Feroze Khambatta, who led a team of doctors that operated on the horse, said he had performed eight similar operations in Nepal and Bhutan but on horses which weighed only two quintals.

As Shaktiman weighs four quintals it is not clear for how long he can stand and move with an artificial leg.

He is constantly under the watch of doctors and over two dozen police personnel at the police lines.

Shaktiman is a well trained horse and part of Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years. Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse’s condition.

The BJP has been demanding withdrawal of cases lodged against its workers including Joshi, asserting that they were being framed at the behest of the state government to cow down the opposition.

(Agencies)

German Bakery blast: Baig’s death sentence commuted to life term

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Mirza Himayat Baig

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted, to a life term, the death sentence to Mirza Himayat Baig after his conviction for the February 13, 2010 Pune German Bakery blast which killed 17 people, including foreigners, his lawyer said.

“Baig has been totally absolved of all charges including conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder and other serious charges pertaining to the German Bakery blast,” said his lawyer Abdul Rehman.

“He has only been convicted under the Explosives Act and given a life sentence. This is the first step only – we plan to appeal this and we are confident he will come clear from this too,” he added.

Around 7 p.m. on the day, a powerful blast ripped through the popular eatery near the Osho Ashram in the fashionable Koregaon Park area and much frequented by the young crowd.

Among the 17 killed were an Italian woman, an Iranian and two Sudanese students.

Another 60 patrons were injured in the blast, including 12 foreigners while the eatery subsequently reopened briefly and shut down.

A Pune sessions court had in April 18, 2013 awarded the death penalty to the sole accused, Indian Mujahiddeen operative Baig, against which he had appealed before the Bombay High Court.

(IANS)

Woman kills two daughters after suspecting abuse by husband

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rape

Hyderabad: A 41-year-old woman allegedly murdered her two minor daughters by slitting their throats with broken glass after suspecting that her husband was “sexually harassing” the elder one, police said today.

The woman, a housewife, identified as Rajani, broke a glass bottle and slit throats of her two daughters aged eight and three, last night at her residence in Teacher’s Colony here and left the house, Tukaramgate Police Station Inspector T Laxmi Narayana, told PTI.

Both girls died on the spot, he said.

Her husband, Vinay, a businessman, who returned to the house at around 9.30 PM, did not find his wife but noticed the bodies of his daughters lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom and informed the police, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Gopalpuram Division) K Shiva Kumar said.

“After the incident the woman went to Tank Bund and washed her hands and legs and walked back to their house and surrendered before the police. After questioning she confessed of killing her daughters and subsequently she was placed under arrest,” the ACP said.

She suspected that her husband had allegedly been sexually harassing their elder daughter, an LKG student, for the past six months, the Inspector said, adding, the woman had also confronted her husband over the matter, but he had denied the charge.

“The woman became suspicious after seeing that her elder daughter used to get scared on seeing her father. She had a feeling that her husband sexually harassed their elder daughter,” he said.

The woman, after washing her hands and legs after the incident had felt relieved from the “stress” that her husband would no longer sexually harass her daughters, the ACP said.

“Based on preliminary investigation and after questioning Vinay, we did not find any concrete evidence as of now to prove the allegations levelled against him (Vinay),” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) N Prakash Reddy said the body of the girl was sent for medical examination to ascertain if she was sexually assaulted and the report is awaited.

“He (Vinay) has been let off after his examination. If any evidence is available we will take further action accordingly,” he said.

The woman, in the meanwhile, is being produced before a local court seeking her judicial remand. A case was booked under section 302 (murder) of IPC and probe is on.

(PTI)

Petrol prices hiked by Rs 3.07/litre, diesel gets dearer by Rs 1.90 a litre

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petrol-price

Mumbai: Petrol price was on Wednesday raised by Rs 3.07 per litre, while diesel price was hiked by Rs 1.90 per litre in Delhi. The revised prices will be effective midnight.

After today’s revision, a litre of petrol in Delhi will cost Rs 59.68, while diesel will retail at Rs 48.33/litre, said Indian Oil Corporation, the country’s largest retailer. Petrol in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai will cost Rs 63.76, Rs 65.79 and Rs 59.13 a litre respectively.

In the previous revision on February 29, petrol prices were cut, though diesel was made more expensive. (Read more)

Petrol and diesel prices are deregulated in India, which means they are linked to market rates.

Oil prices in India are influenced by global rates as well as the exchange rate. Global crude prices have been on the rise ahead of a key meeting of oil producers next month that will discuss a proposal to freeze output.

The rupee, which had pulled back below 67 per dollar, has also lost ground. However, it closed higher at 67.22 per dollar today.

State-owned fuel retailers IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) revise rates of the fuels on the 1st and 16th of every month based on average oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.

(Agencies)

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