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DK Ravi's death: Sonia Gandhi requests CM Siddaramaiah for CBI probe

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Photo: Raveendran/AFP

Photo: Raveendran/AFP

New Delhi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to recommend CBI probe into the mysterious death of IAS office DK Ravi.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also reportedly spoken to Siddaramaiah advising that the state should opt for a CBI inquiry.

According to media reports the state government has decided to change its stand on this issue and it may now agree to handover the probe to CBI.

Today, the Opposition members once again created uproar in the Karnataka Assembly demanding a CBI probe in the incident. Following this, the Assembly was adjourned till Monday 11 am.

The latest development came after CM Siddaramaiah’s earlier decision to refuse demand of CBI probe. He had said, “This is not a case to be handed over to CBI.”

35-year-old Ravi, a popular bureaucrat for being honest and gutsy in taking on the sand and land mafia and tax evaders, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his room in a flat here on Monday evening.

On Thursday, IAS officers from state had signed an online petition to Narendra Modi to press for their demand of CBI probe.

The case is currently with the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

(Agencies)

Documenting hate and communal violence under the Modi regime

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Photos: Gufran Khan

Photos: Gufran Khan

by John Dayal

The rape of a 70 year old Nun in West Bengal in an attack on a convent and school in February 2015 sent shock waves throughout India, and the world. “Protect not just Cows, but human beings also,” said Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference. At least 43 deaths in over 600 cases of violence, 149 targeting Christians and the rest Muslims, have taken place in 2014 in India till March this year, marking 300 days of the National Development Alliance government of Mr. Narendra Modi. The number of dead is other than the 108 killed in Assam in attacks by armed tribal political groups on Muslims. Desecration and destruction of churches, assault on pastors, illegal police detention of church workers, and denial of Constitutional rights of Freedom of Faith aggravate the coercion and terror unleashed in campaigns of Ghar Wapsi and cries of Love Jihad. Since May 2014, there has been a marked shift in public discourse. There has been a relentless foregrounding of communal identities, a ceaseless attempt to create a divide between ‘us’ and ‘them’. The BJP leaders guaranteed to abuse, ridicule and threaten minorities. Hate statements by Union and state ministers, threats by Members of Parliament, state politicians, and cadres in saffron caps or Khaki shorts resonate through the landscape. But most cases go unreported, unrecorded by police.

The Prime Minister refuses to reprimand his Cabinet colleagues, restrain the members of his party members or silence the Sangh Parivar which claims to have propelled him to power in New Delhi. Mr. Modi calls for a ten-year moratorium on communal and caste violence. His government soon declares Christmas to be a “Good Governance Day” in honour of the BJP leader and former Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee. There are fears at a severe whittling down of the 15 Point Programme for Minorities, a lifeline for many severely economic backward communities, and specially their youth seeking higher education and professional training. Anyway, Mr. Modi’s “assurance” to religious minorities is challenged and countered by Mr. Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the powerful Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, who asserts, repeatedly, that every Indian is a Hindu, and minorities will have to learn their place in
the country.Speaking at the 50th Anniversary of foundation of its religious wing, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Mr. Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS Sarsanghchalak bluntly stated that “Hindutva is the identity of India and it has the capacity to swallow other identities. We just need to restore those capacities.” In Cuttack, he asserted that India is a Hindu state and “citizens of Hindustan should be known as Hindus”. Sadhvi Prachi, a central minister, Members of Parliament Sakshi Maharaj and Adityanath are among those urging measures to check Muslims, including encouraging Hindu women to have from four to ten children each. In Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and other states, the terror, physical violence and social ostracizing of Dalit and Tribal Christians, in particular, continues.

The 300 days have also seen an assault on democratic structures, the education and knowledge system, Human Rights organizations and Rights Defenders and coercive action using the Intelligence Bureau and the systems if the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act and the Passport laws to crack down on NGOs working in areas of empowerment of the marginalized sections of society, including Dalits, Tribals, Fishermen and women, and issues of environment, climate, forests, land and water rights. This report is focused on issues of communally targeted violence and the politics of hate and divisiveness that emanates from a thesis of religious nationalism.

PDF - 1.6 Mb300 DAYS Documenting Hate and Communal Violence under the Modi Regime
(With inputs from Kiren Shaheen, Liris Thomas, Mansi Sharma, Shabnam Hashmi, Shahnaz Husain, Tehmina Arora, and Vijayesh Lal)

DK Ravi's death: Demand for CBI probe gains momentum

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The people's protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore. Photo: Flickr

The people’s protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore. Photo: Flickr

Bengaluru: The death of a young IAS officer – DK Ravi in Karnataka disrupted proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the third day, stalled business in the State Legislature on Thursday.

In the Lok Sabha, BJP member Prahlad Joshi said the 2009-batch officer, who was found dead in his apartment in Bengaluru on Monday evening, was murdered, and accused the State government of a cover-up as he had initiated action against the real estate lobby.

The protest continued on Friday in several pockets of Karnataka and outside, demanding a CBI probe. Several organization and political parties apart from parents and friends of D.K Ravi are hitting the streets for not handing over the case to the CBI.

Intervening in the matter, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre would order a CBI investigation if the State government made a recommendation. Further, Mr. Singh informed the House that he had been in touch with the Chief Minister on this case and had been told that a detailed report would be sent to the Centre within two days.

The people's protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore. Photo: Flickr

The people’s protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore. Photo: Flickr

In Bengaluru, a united Opposition, led by the former Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar of the BJP and H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal(S), met Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala and submitted a petition seeking a CBI investigation.

However, the State government, which has handed over the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police, maintained that “it is prima facie a case of suicide.”

Chief Minister Siddaramiah was quoted in a Kannada newspaper as revealing details of Ravi’s call records.

Taking strong exception to the government declaring details of an investigation and stating on the floor of the House the cause of death before the investigations have been completed, former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan told : “The first mistake was for the Police Commissioner and the State government to have declared it as a suicide even before a post mortem was conducted”.

Congress leaders call for CBI probe

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and a few ministers were engaged in a war of words during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday after a section of the Congress, led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara, favoured a CBI probe into the death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi, who was found dead on Monday.

While Higher Education Minister R.V. Deshpande, Minister of State for Food & Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao and Parameshwara are in favour of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, ministers owing allegiance to Siddaramaiah like Home Minister K.J. George, Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa and Cooperation Minister H.S. Mahadeva Prasad, are opposed to it.

(Agencies)

15 dead, 150 injured after Dehradun-Varanasi Janata Express derails in UP

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Dehradun-Varanasi-train

Lucknow: At least 15 passengers were feared killed and 150 injured after four bogies of Dehradun-Varanasi Janata Express derailed at Bachhrawan in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district on Friday.

According to preliminary information, the four bogies derailed as the train was passing through Bachhrawan railway station, 50km from Lucknow, around 9am. The reason behind the mishap was yet to be ascertained.

Lucknow IG Zaki Ahmad, who is supervising the relief operation, one of bogies was badly damaged and efforts were being made to cut it to rescue the trapped people.

The state government rushed medical teams and ambulances to the spot for relief work, and railway officers from Lucknow also reached the spot soon after the accident.

UP cabinet minister Manoj Pandey, who visited the site, said relief measures had been launched. He said senior police officers had also reached the spot to supervise relief operation.

He added arrangements had been made in hospitals in Lucknow and Rai Bareli for the treatment of injured people.

Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha is likely to visit the spot in the afternoon.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, expressing concern over the mishap, announced Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of those who were killed and Rs. 50,000 each to the injured people.

Train accidents are common in India. The country’s railroad network is one of the world’s largest and carries more than 23 million passengers each day. Most accidents are blamed on poor maintenance and human error.

Helpline Nos:
Lucknow: 09794830973, Varanasi: 0542-2503814, Pratapgarh: 0534-2223830, Rae Bareli: 0535-05352211224

(Agencies)

Militants attack Jammu police station, kill two policeman

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Kathua

Jammu: Militants wearing army fatigues attacked a police station in Kathua district of the Jammu region on Friday, and killed two policemen and injured six others in a gunfight which is still on, police said.

“Three to four militants wearing army fatigues attacked Rajbagh police station in Kathua district today (Friday) morning,” a senior police officer told IANS here.

“They used automatic weapons and grenades to attack the police station.

“Two policemen have been killed and six others have been injured in the encounter between the security forces and the militants,” the officer added.

Reinforcements from the army, paramilitary forces and state police have been rushed to spot, the officer said.

Reports said after killing the sentry at the police station’s guard post, the guerrillas entered the police station, 65 kms from here on the strategic Jammu-Pathankot national highway in Kathua district.

Traffic on the highway has been stopped after the attack around 6 a.m.

“The police station is 15 kms away from the international border and it is likely that the group of attackers crossed the border recently,” a senior intelligence officer told IANS.

Twelve people were killed on September 26, 2013 when guerrillas had attacked Hiranagar police station in Kathua district and later entered an army camp on the Jammu-Pathankote national highway.

(IANS)

Cheating in Bihar Board Exams reaches new heights

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bihar-exam

Patna: Look at the photographs carefully before reading this report. That’s not a mock drill but Bihari model examination! Yes, cheating in exams is fairly common in the North Indian state, but new images have emerged which show just how large-scale and blatant the practice is.

Many students smuggled in textbooks and notes into the examination centres despite tight security – and parents and friends were photographed scaling the walls of test centres to pass on answers to students during the current secondary school examinations.

The examinations, held by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), began on Tuesday and are scheduled to go on until 24 March. Officials say more than 1.4 million students are taking the tests.

Most of the incidents of cheating this year have been reported from Saharsa, Chhapra, Vaishali and Hajipur districts.

What’s worse, instead of taking strict action, the state education minister PK Shahi tried to shrug off govt’s responsibility by saying, “the government is helpless to stop the dishonest practices unless parents and students cooperate for the same.”

Tall claims of the Bihar School Examination Board of conducting free, fair and peaceful examinations fell flat as students were seen openly cheating at various centres. At several centres, police personnel failed to stop them while at some they are seen even helping in the cheating.

Some photos even show policemen posted outside the centres accepting bribes to look the other way, our correspondent adds.

When asked about the unfair practices being used in the examination on the side-lines of Bihar legislative council, Shahi questioned the reporters in return, “Over 14 lakh students are taking the examination. You tell us what can the government do to stop cheating id parents and relatives are not ready to cooperate? Should the government give orders to shoot them?”

The education minister went on record to say the state government alone cannot stop the unfair practices is students and parents don’t help. “The orders for conduct of free and fair exams have been given to district magistrates and police officials,” he said but when it was pointed out that even cops were seen helping students, Shahi said, “It may be that even their kin are taking the exams so they may be helping.” The minister expressed helplessness in taking action even in the remaining exams.

It may be mentioned that over 14.26 lakh students are appearing at the BSEB matriculation examination being held at a little over 1,200 centres in the state. About 1,000 examinees have been expelled from the examination in the first two days, board officials said.

(Agencies)

SC extends bail to Teesta Setalvad, her husband

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teesta-javed

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended interim bail granted to advocate-activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, while referring to the larger bench the questions of personal liberty and custodial interrogation.

An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra referred to the larger bench the issue whether non-cooperation in an investigation would entitle Gujarat Police to press for custodial interrogation of Teesta Setalvad.

She has been accused of alleged misuse of funds collected by NGO Sabrang Trust for setting up a museum in Gulberg Society that witnessed carnage during 2002 Gujarat riots.

The apex court on February 19 restrained Gujarat Police from arresting the activist and her husband.

The apex court bench headed by Justice Misra said the larger bench will decide the issue of anticipatory bail in relation to personal liberty, rule of law, societal interest vis-a-vis the allegations of non-cooperation in the investigation.

(IANS)

Opposition protest over DK Ravi death forces Assembly adjournment

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assembly-karnataka

Bengaluru: Opposition parties continued their dharna for the third day today in the state Assembly demanding a CBI probe into the mysterious death of an upright IAS officer,forcing its adjournment till March 23, as protests over the death persisted across the state.

As the Assembly met, BJP and JDS members, continuing their round-the-clock dharna for the third day, raised slogans insisting on a CBI probe, as government remained unrelenting in its stand that CID was competent enough to do it.

 

Amid the din, a bill was introduced and a condolence message read out over the passing away of Tulu language film actor Tailor, with the opposition members remaining in the well of the House.

Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande said the government would ensure a “transparent” inquiry into the death of D K Ravi, who was found hanging from a ceiling fan at a room in his apartment on Monday evening.

Government has maintained that it was prima facie a case of suicide, but the opposition parties and the family of the IAS officer have refused to accept the theory and are seeking a probe by CBI.

Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar said the House was not in order but as the ruckus continued, Speaker Kagodu Thimappa abruptly announced adjournment of the House till Monday.

Joining hands, BJP and JDS MLAs staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue near the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, protests continued in Bengaluru and Tumakuru, the district from which Ravi hailed.

In Tumakuru, ABVP students blocked a national highway demanding a CBI investigation but were chased away by police who made a mild laticharge. The district is also observing a bandh today in response to a call given by various organisations.

Students of Agricultural University in Bengaluru, where Ravi graduated in agriculture, also marched in a procession seeking “justice” and a CBI probe into the death of Ravi.

The family of Ravi has alleged that there was “political pressure” and it was not suicide but a murder which should be probed only by CBI.

Several IAS officers in the state have also signed an online petition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking inquiry by the central agency.

(PTI)

The people's protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore.

The people’s protest in front of Town Hall, Bangalore.

India beat Bangladesh to reach Cricket World Cup semi-finals

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rohit_sharma

by Stephan Shemilt, BBC Sport

Defending champions India coasted into the World Cup semi-finals with a 109-run win over Bangladesh in Melbourne.

Opener Rohit Sharma made a composed 137 from 126 balls and Suresh Raina 65 from 57 as India recovered from 115-3 to post 302-6 at a boisterous MCG.

Bangladesh lost two wickets in the seventh over of their reply and eventually limped to 193 all out in 45 overs as India’s bowlers dominated.

India meet either Australia or Pakistan in a Sydney semi-final on 26 March.

They will go there on the back of 11 successive World Cup victories, a run that stretches back to their success on home soil four years ago.

Their six-match winning streak in this competition has come after a horrible tour of Australia, where they failed to win any of their 10 games across all formats.

But the resurgence in a limited-overs tournament is typical of MS Dhoni’s team, who not only hold the World Cup, but also the Champions Trophy and won the 2007 World Twenty20.

India made the last four by outclassing a Bangladesh team that eliminated England on their way to a first World Cup quarter-final.

Initially, the Tigers were not overawed, despite being made to field first on a very good pitch as some accurate bowling and tight fielding stifled India in the first half of their innings.

However, the rebuilding done by Rohit and Raina in a stand of 122 ensured that India were able to accelerate as Bangladesh became ragged. The batting powerplay yielded 50 runs and the final 15 overs a total of 147.

They came together after Ajinkya Rahane miscued Taskin Ahmed to mid-off and a period when India failed to find the boundary for 11 overs.

Rohit, who drove the first ball of the match for four, had already seen Shikhar Dhawan stumped off Shakib Al Hasan and Virat Kohli caught behind from Rubel Hossain.

He and Raina steadied, then they timed their attack, though Bangladesh can have reason to feel aggrieved after Rohit survived being caught on the leg-side boundary when on 90 because a Rubel full-toss was wrongly deemed too high.

The right-hander completed a seventh one-day hundred and, despite Raina top-edging to the wicketkeeper, unfurled his full range of strokes.

Strong on the back foot throughout, Rohit was now sweetly timing through the covers and brutally pulling on the leg side.

Though he was yorked by Taskin, India still inched past 300 on a ground where no more than 297 has been reached to win a one-day international.

Bangladesh’s bid to pull off both the highest Melbourne chase and win a first World Cup knockout match was derailed when two wickets fell in successive deliveries.

Tamim Iqbal edged Umesh Yadav to wicketkeeper Dhoni and Imrul Kayes was run out in a mix-up with new man Soumya Sarkar.

From there, Bangladesh never looked like threatening as the impressive India attack picked up regular wickets, the highlight being Dhawan’s juggled catch on the fine-leg boundary to hold Mahmudullah off Mohammed Shami.

The enthusiastic crowd ensured a raucous atmosphere throughout, but the match drifted to an inevitable conclusion.

Antrix-Devas deal: CBI raids ex-officer's residence in Bengaluru; registers case

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Antrix-Devas deal

New Delhi: CBI today carried out searches after registering a case to probe an alleged Rs 578-crore “wrongful” gain to a private multi-media company Devas by Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO.

After registering a case on Monday, CBI sleuths conducted the searches at the premises of Devas Limited as well as the then Executive Director of Antrix K R Sridhara Murthi in Bengaluru, official sources said.

CBI registered a case and submitted an FIR against Murthi, M G Chandrasekhar and R Vishwanathan of Forge Advisors, Devas Multi-media Private Limited and unnamed officials of Antrix, ISRO and Department of Space in a designated court in Bengaluru.

The agency has slapped 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act against them.

The Antrix-Devas deal had seen early exit of G Madhavan Nair as Chairman of ISRO as he was the Chairman of the Governing Council of Antrix when the deal was finalised.

It is alleged that the accused people had entered into a criminal conspiracy and the government officials abused their position by favouring Devas by giving them rights for delivery of videos, multimedia and information services to mobile phones using S-Band through GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A satellites and terrestrial systems in India.

The accused officials “thus caused wrongful gain of Rs 578 crore” to the private firm and its owners, CBI alleged.

CBI said that a deal between Antrix and Devas was fixed in principle in January 2005 for lease of S-Band transponders. However, the then Executive Director of Antrix signed it on behalf of Antrix six months later only after ensuring that Chandrashekhar and Vishwanathan were majority stakeholders in Devas multi-media, which roles they continued till 2008-09.

The change in the board, where a US company represented by Chandrashekar and Vishwanathan had majority stakes, was never verified by Antrix as the agreement had gone in violation of Shankara Committee which had recommended execution of any such agreement with an Indian company only.

CBI had started a preliminary inquiry in April last year on the basis of source information–on its own without any complaint–which has now been converted into a regular case with the registration of FIR.

CBI has alleged that when a proposal seeking budgetary support of Rs 269 crore for approving design, manufacture and launch of GSAT-6/INSAT-4E (PS1) was placed in the 104th meeting of the Space Commission on May 26, 2005, it was not informed that the agreement had already taken place with Devas Multimedia for leading out the S-Band.

“The approval of Space Commission was obtained by keeping it in dark,” CBI alleged in its FIR.

It alleged that on November 17, 2005 a note for the Cabinet was submitted for building the GSAT-6 satellite as earlier approved by the Space Commission.

“Information regarding the agreement between Antrix Corporation Limited and Devas Multimedia Limited was suppressed from the Cabinet and the wrong information regarding utilisation of satellite capacity was given to the Cabinet with respect to multiple expressions of interest though the agreement was signed with Devas Multimedia without any multiple expressions of interest. The proposal was approved by the Cabinet in December 2005,” it alleged.

CBI said in its FIR that after alleged omissions and commissions on the part of accused persons surfaced, the agreement dated January 28, 2005 was annulled by Antrix Corporation in accordance with the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“It is alleged that Devas Multimedia submitted false, wrong and incorrect information claiming that it had the technology and was fully capable of delivering the S-DMB services to get the rights of delivering the same in India through PS1 and PS2 and consequently Devas Multimedia got wrongful gain of Rs 578 crore from various investors from USA, Mauritius, Singapore etc. R Vishwanathan and MG Chandrashekhar are beneficiaries of above said transaction, besides others,” it alleged.

CBI has alleged that Devas with the intent to siphon off the amount from its bank accounts in India got a subsidiary names Devas USA incorporated in USA and a substantial part of the “wrongful” gain was remitted to DevasUSA on the pretext of services, salaries etc.

“It is suspected that the illegal gratification was paid to the accused public servants from the amount remitted from India as motive or reward for taking the aforementioned favour,” the agency alleged.

Enforcement Directorate was probing the financial transactions in the Antrix-Devas deal which included authenticity of a few Mauritius-based entities who had stakes in Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd.

Antrix had signed a deal with Devas in January 2005 to provide it with crucial S-Band wavelength which is primarily kept for strategic interests of the country.

The spectrum was meant for running digital multimedia service by leasing 90 per cent transponders on two satellites — GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A.

Following complaints of massive irregularities, the then government scrapped the contract in 2010 and ordered an inquiry by the high-powered review committee last February.

A high-level team led by the then CVC Prityush Sinha had found uneven share holding patterns and rise in capital in Devas between the time of its inception in December 2004 and March 2010. The company was established by M/s Forge Advisors, USA with a share capital of Rs 1 lakh.

According to the report, soon after the signing of the agreement, the ordinary share capital had increased to over Rs 5 lakh with 12 shareholders including three members of the FA-USA team who held 60 per cent of the ordinary share capital and the two Mauritius-based entities who held one ordinary share and 50 per cent of the preferential shares each.

It noted as “unusual” the rise in its share capital from Rs 1 lakh to about Rs 18 lakh in 2010 “with no asset base and no Intellectual Property rights or patent in the relevant technology, and which has been making losses since inception, to collect Rs 578 crore as share premium from foreign investors.”

(PTI)

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