In 12 Assembly seats in Rajasthan, NOTA (None of the Above) garnered more votes than the margin by which candidates won the election, affecting both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In Jaipur’s Malviya Nagar seat, Congress candidate Archana Sharma lost to BJP’s Ashok Saraf, the Health Minister, by 1,704 votes while NOTA gained 2,371 votes, Election Commission statistics show.

Saleh Mohammad of Congress in Pokhran defeated his rival Mahant Pratap Puri by 872 votes. NOTA got 1,121 votes.

The lowest victory margin was recorded in Asind constituency where Jabbar Singh from BJP won by 154 votes, beating Congress rival Manish Mewara. Here NOTA got 2,943 votes.

In Churu, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore of BJP won by 1,850 votes defeating his Congress rival Reface Mandelia. NOTA tally was 2,023 votes.

BJP’s Ramlal Sharma in Chomu constituency was elected by a margin of 1,288 votes, defeating Congress’ Bhagwan Sahai Saini. NOTA got 1,859 votes.

In Khetri, BJP’s Jitendra Singh won by 957 votes, beating his Congress rival Dharmpal, while 1,377 vote went to NOTA.

In Marvar Junction, Khushweer Singh, an Independent, defeated Kesaram Choudhary of Congress by 251 votes while NOTA got 2,719 votes.

BJP’s Ruparam’s victory margin was 1,188 votes in Makrana. He overcame Congress candidate Jakir Hussain Gesawat. NOTA’s share here was 1,550.

In Sikar’s Dantaramgarh, Congress’ Virendra Singh defeated BJP’s Harish Chand Kumawat by 920 votes. A total of 1,180 votes went to NOTA. 

Congress’ Kaham Khan in Fatehpur triumphed by 860 votes against BJP’s Sunita Kumari while NOTA secured 1,165 votes. 

Rajendra Bidhuri of Congress in Begun won by 1,661 votes and the NOTA tally was 3,165. He defeated Suresh Dhaker of BJP. 

And in Pilibanga, BJP’s Dharmendra Kumar slipped past Congress’ Vinod Kumar by 278 votes while NOTA was stuffed with 2,441 votes.

IANS

UUdupi additional JMFC court judge Manjunath M S on Wednesday, December 13 sentenced a man convicted of impersonating former president of India A P J Abdul Kalam to three years rigorous imprisonment and a penalty of Rs 7,000.

The convict, Niranjan Chidananda Bhat, a resident of Mudabettu had begun using the former president’s name when he was still alive some nine years ago. Besides impersonation, Bhat had even forged the former president’s signature to mail recommendation letters through a fake id ‘apj_abdulkalam@in.co’ created at the cyber centre ‘Surf N View’ near Udupi Karavali Bypass.

It is learnt that Bhat had sent a congratulatory email to the President and had copied the signature from the letter sent by the President to thank him. 

Later, Bhat had through the fake email id sent a recommendation letter, bearing Dr Kalam’s forged signature, nominating himself for the American Engineers Organisation’s Hoover award. Another such letter was mailed to Goswami D Yogi in New York seeking details of a 50 MW solar thermal plant project. Bhat also attempted to hoodwink officials by trying to prove that all the documents he sent were genuine. 

On May 24, 2009 the then district CID police inspector Srinivas Raj lodged a complaint regarding the forgery post which investigations into the case were undertaken by I Ganesh Hedge, who subsequently filed a charge sheet.

The case was argued by the then public prosecutor Mamthaz and the present assistant public prosecutor Jayanti K.

PTI

The victims of Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd have demanded a CBI investigation as they have not only lost hopes on Central Crime Branch (CCB) but also alleged that the CCB has a nexus with the owners of the company.

Observing no progress in investigation and recovery of their money, the enraged investors on Wednesday held a press conference and said that CCB is not a competent agency to investigate the case as the money to the tune of Rs 900 crore has already been diverted to various companies, including those outside the country. “Apart from Bengaluru, Ambidant has branches in Ballari, Mysore and Dubai where the entire money has been diverted. We have given a list of companies to the CCB that Ambidant had transferred money/. But we don’t think CCB will recover our money,” Zaid Khan, an architect and investor-victim, said. 

Khan has filed a petition with DG&IGP Neelmani Raju alleging threat for his life for exposing the nexus between the CCB officials and the father-son duo Syed Ahmed Fareed and Syed Ahmed Afaq.

Khan told reporters that some unidentified people are following him and some of them had even come to his house to enquire about his errands.

Another victim investor Sulthan said the CCB officials do not treat Fareed like an accused in the case. “He (Fareed) is always seen at the CCB office socialising and going along with CCB sleuths for expensive lunches at luxury hotels,” said Sulthan asking if this is the way an accused should be treated and the money cheated by him recovered by the police.

“The CCB sleuths’ priority is filing objections for bail of Ali Khan, an aide of former minister Janardhana Reddy for Rs 18 crore, rather than objecting to bail of the prime accused Fareed and Afaq who are roaming freely,” Khan said adding “We heardthat CCB is giving him police protection as he believes the victims are stalking him.”

News Agencies

 Over 750 boxers, including 300 in the womens section, will participate in the second BFI Junior National Championships, starting at the Chandigarh University, Mohali, from Wednesday.

The event organised by the Punjab Boxing Association gives an opportunity to the young pugilists, representing 30 states in 13 weight categories, to come up through the ranks and enter the mainstream of boxing to be able to get noticed at the international level. 

The seven-day championships are expected to be as riveting as it can get with boxers from Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, to name a few states, will vie with one another to win the team championships in both sections.

While intensity among the pugilists will be something to watch out for, Punjab boxer Khushi, a silver medallist in the 2nd Nation’s Cup at Serbia, earlier this year will be packing punches in the 70 kg class while last year’s national champion and gold medallist in Serbia, N Baby Rojisana (52Kg) from Manipur; Arundhati Choudhary and Mitika Sanjay Gunele (66kg) from Rajasthan and Maharashtra respectively during the second edition of the Junior Girl’s Nationals. 

On the other hand, the competition amongst the boys will be equally fierce. 

Vinit Kumar (75kg) medallist in Asian Junior Championship in 2017 will be representing Haryana while pugilists from other states will be up for strong challenges as SSCB boxers and gold medallists in Serbia, K Sanjit Singh (46 kg) and Biswamitra (48 kg) will aim for no less than gold at the second edition of the Junior Boy’s Nationals.

Khelo India gold medallist Ajay Kumar of Haryana will also be throwing in his punches in the 60kg category. 

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) since its inception in mid 2016, have ensured all age group nationals are staged with able participation in all weight categories. 

The first edition of the Junior Boy’s Nationals was held in Guwahati in 2017 and the girl’s nationals were held in Rohtak, last year.

IANS

H Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao will take oath as the state’s Chief Minister for a second consecutive term on Thursday.

He will take oath at a ceremony to be held at 1.30 p.m. at Raj Bhavan. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will administer him the oath of office and secrecy, TRS sources said.

Some TRS legislators are also likely to take oath as Ministers along with KCR, as Rao is popularly known.

The newly-elected legislators of TRS will meet at the Telangana Bhavan, the TRS headquarters, later in the day to elect KCR as their leader.

TRS has bagged 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly in the elections held on December 7.

Actor Arjun Sarja, who was recently accused of sexual assault by Kannada actor Sruthi Hariharan, has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking the FIR against him in the case to be dismissed. The Cubbon Park police on October 27 had registered an FIR based on her complaint under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, 354A (Sexual Harassment), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

Actor Sruthi on October 20 in a long Facebook post had detailed an allegation of sexual harassment by Arjun Sarja during the rehearsal of a romantic scene at the sets of bilingual film Vismaya, released in Tamil as Nibunan.

In the post she stated, “During the rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr. Arjun hugs me. With no forewarning or permission, he runs his hands intimately up and down my back. He pulls me closer with my body taut against his and asks the director if we could use this idea of foreplay in the scene.”

Later on October 27, the actor approached the police based on which police have registered a FIR. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the complaints made by her.

“I have written a letter to the Police Commissioner on Saturday and have asked him to submit a report within 15 days time,” Nagalakshmi Bai, Chairperson of the Karnataka Women’s Commission, told TNM.

Sruthi’s allegations created a furore in the Kannada film industry with people working in the industry divided over the issue. Sruthi was accused of seeking publicity and raking up a non-issue to smear Arjun’s reputation. She was also accused by Prashant Sambargi, Arjun’s media manager of carrying out an organised campaign against Arjun and of receiving funds from the US to do so. In the face of abuse and criticism, Sruthi stood her ground and proceeded to file an FIR against Prashant Sambargi for threatening her and against Arjun himself.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday condoled the deaths of Doordarshan cameraman Achyuta Nanda Sahu and two policemen in a Maoist ambush in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.

“I am pained with the news of Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada. I pay my deep condolence to the family of the two policemen and the Doordarshan cameraman,” Gandhi tweeted.

In an ambush that took place around 11.20 a.m. on Tuesday, three persons — 34-year-old Sahu, who hailed from Loisinga in Odisha’s Bolangir district; Constable Mangal Ram and Assistant Sub-Inspector Rudra Pratap Singh of the state police — lost their lives.

The Doordarshan crew was moving with a security patrol for coverage in Aranpur area when the incident happened.

Another reporter and two more police personnel were also injured in the attack, the second in the last four days, ahead of the first phase of the Assembly polls in the state on November 12.

Jakarta A Lion Air Boeing 737 passenger plane came down crashing minutes after taking off from here on Monday, said Indonesian officials.

“It has been confirmed that it has crashed,” Yusuf Latif, a spokesman for the national search and rescue agency told the media.

The scheduled Flight JT-610 was headed to Pangkal Pinang, the main city in the Bangka Belitung Islands from the Indonesian capital.

It lost contact with ground control a few minutes after take-off, as it was crossing the sea, the BBC reported.

At 6.45 a.m. a vessel traffic service officer, Suyadi, received a report from a tugboat, AS Jaya II, that the crew had seen the debris of a plane, The Jakarta Post reported

They suspected it to be the Lion Air flight floating near Tanjung Bungin in Karawang in West Java.

“At 7.15 a.m. the tugboat reported it had approached the site and the crew saw the debris of a plane,” Suyadi said. As of 9 a.m. there was no report about the passengers or the plane crew on board, he said.

Two other ships, a tanker and a cargo ship, near the location were approaching the site, Suyadi said, and a Basarnas rescue boat was also on its way.

Information gathered by the Jakarta Post said that the plane, Lion Air 610, took off from Jakarta at 6.20 a.m. and contact was lost at 6.33 a.m.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the plane, a Lion Air official earlier told the BBC, and added that the company did not yet know what had happened to the plane.

The aircraft was reported to be a Boeing 737 MAX 8, a model only in use since 2016.

(IANS)