Thursday, January 7, 2010

Manmohan Singh visits critically ill Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, Jan 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh visited the AMRI hospital in Salt Lake to see CPM leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, whose health condition is still reported to be critical.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also accompanied Dr. Singh to the nursing home and spent some time inquiring about Basu''s health.

Basu''s health condition deteriorated on Wednesday morning, following which he has been put on a ventilator for the last 24 hours.

There are reports that despite Basu''s condition critical, his blood pressure has stabilized.

Basu is being treated for pneumonia at the AMRI hospital in Salt Lake here.

The 95-year-old former West Bengal Chief Minister was kept under observation for the last three days in the ICU.

The veteran leader was admitted here on Friday following a severe chest infection.

The doctors after conducting a proper check-up had earlier detected that he was suffering from slight pneumonia.

Earlier in July 2009, Basu was admitted to the hospital complaining of discomfort in the abdomen and a disturbed sleep. (ANI)

Ruchika case: Court serves notice to Centre, Haryana and Rathore

Chandigarh, Jan 7 (ANI): The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Central government, the Haryana government and former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal asking for reinvestigation of the Ruchika molestation case.

The PIL also asked for probing the role of others who helped Rathore, including officials and politicians and the role of Ruchika''s school.

Rathore has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year-old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s.

Rathore interim bail in connection with the two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him ends on Thursday.

Arguing for anticipatory bail, Rathore''s lawyer wife Abha Rathore said on Thursday that the FIRs filed against Rathore were not legal, as the Supreme Court and the High Court had earlier quashed these cases.

Abha Rathore further said the FIRs were filed by Ruchika''s brother Ashu because of media hype and there was no evidence to prove that Ashu was tortured or harassed at Rathore''s behest.

Rathore was being falsely implicated, she added.

Ruchika''s family lawyer Pankaj Bharadwaj had filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rathore.

The lawyer had claimed that the first FIR was filed for forging documents like the inquest report and the other for illegal detention of Ruchika''s brother Ashu, who was kept in illegal detention at the behest of Rathore and given tortures.

Ruchika''s family has alleged she was driven to suicide following her expulsion from school and after her brother was tortured and implicated in false cases by the police at Rathore''s behest.

They said all this was done to mount pressure on Ruchika to withdraw her complaint against Rathore.

Earlier, Rathore was sentenced to six months in jail by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on December 21 for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika in 1990. (ANI)

Ruchika case: Court serves notice to Centre, Haryana and Rathore

Chandigarh, Jan 7 (ANI): The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Central government, the Haryana government and former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal asking for reinvestigation of the Ruchika molestation case.

The PIL also asked for probing the role of others who helped Rathore, including officials and politicians and the role of Ruchika''s school.

Rathore has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year-old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s.

Rathore interim bail in connection with the two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him ends on Thursday.

Arguing for anticipatory bail, Rathore''s lawyer wife Abha Rathore said on Thursday that the FIRs filed against Rathore were not legal, as the Supreme Court and the High Court had earlier quashed these cases.

Abha Rathore further said the FIRs were filed by Ruchika''s brother Ashu because of media hype and there was no evidence to prove that Ashu was tortured or harassed at Rathore''s behest.

Rathore was being falsely implicated, she added.

Ruchika''s family lawyer Pankaj Bharadwaj had filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rathore.

The lawyer had claimed that the first FIR was filed for forging documents like the inquest report and the other for illegal detention of Ruchika''s brother Ashu, who was kept in illegal detention at the behest of Rathore and given tortures.

Ruchika''s family has alleged she was driven to suicide following her expulsion from school and after her brother was tortured and implicated in false cases by the police at Rathore''s behest.

They said all this was done to mount pressure on Ruchika to withdraw her complaint against Rathore.

Earlier, Rathore was sentenced to six months in jail by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on December 21 for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika in 1990. (ANI)

Centre gives environment clearance to 19 power projects

New Delhi, Jan 7 (ANI): Union Environment and Forest Ministry on Thursday said it has given clearance to 19 power projects during the last five years in North-Eastern Region.

The highest number of 16 hydroelectric projects were given environment clearance in Sikkim.

The ministry has accorded environment clearance to two hydroelectric projects in Arunachal Pradesh and two thermal power plants in Assam.

While a thermal power project was given clearance in Tripura and two hydroelectric projects were cleared in Meghalaya. (ANI)

Oz Police recovers scores of weapons in search after Nitin Garg''s murder

Melbourne, Jan 7 (ANI): In a random search for weapons at a Melbourne railway station after the murder of Indian student Nitin Garg, the Australian Police have found knives, a machete and knuckledusters.

A team of officers patrolled Footscray train station on Thursday searching for knives in order to show their resolve to stamp out violent street crime that is bringing a bad name to Australia.

The trial search-and-seize, dubbed operation Omni, has been made possible by a beefing up of police powers and is expected to be expanded to other suburbs.

Police have the power to search individuals at random for knives and other weapons in designated areas without a search warrant. People are scanned with a metal detector wand, then frisked and body searched if required, the AAP reports.

In all, 182 people were searched at the station in the three hours on Thursday, police said.

Seven people were found carrying 12 weapons in total.

The Police also issued four penalty notices for people carrying alcohol on public transport, hindering or obstructing an operation, disorderly conduct and drunkenness.

Deputy Police Commissioner Kieran Walshe said the operation was a success. "Today''s operation has enabled us to detect these weapons before they are used in crimes, making the area much safer for train commuters and the broader community."

Acting Premier Rob Hulls has said that Nitin Garg''s death "confirms absolutely that we have to do everything we can to support police to wipe out street crime, to wipe out knife-related crime, and that''s why these powers are so important."

Hulls and the Deputy Commissioner met with the Indian High Commissioner and Consul General on Thursday to reassure them that Victoria was doing everything possible to bring Garg''s killer to justice. (ANI)

Opposition accuse Shibu Soren government of favouring Maoists

Ranchi, Jan 7 (ANI): With reports of Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren all set to seek a vote of confidence in the assembly on Thursday, the opposition parties in Jharkhand staged a protest accusing the government of favouring the Maoists.

Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) party activists raised slogans and held posters against the state government for allegedly favouring Maoists and for the failed law and order situation in Jharkhand.

"People knew about operation Green Hunt even before elections. They have entered into a pact with Maoists to stop Green Hunt operation. Maoists are scared of this operation, as they will lose their hold in this region if operation Green Hunt is implemented," said JVM leader Pradeep Yadav.

"So these talks are just an excuse, actually it is just a conspiracy to stop operation Green Hunt. And we will strongly raise these issues in the Assembly on Thursday," he added.

Yadav further said that they would vote against the JMM-BJP coalition and would go all out to embarrass the government by ''exposing their opportunistic alliance''.

Shibu Soren on the other hand reiterated his stand and told the media on Thursday that he was ready to hold talks with the Maoists.

"We are watching what Maoists are doing and what they want to do. We have announced as well that they should come and talk to us. They should come and talk about their problems with us," said Soren.

The JMM Chief heads a coalition government that includes the NDA and other small parties and claims to have the support of 46 MLAs.

Besides his 18-member JMM, the other supporting MLAs are the NDA with 20, the AJSU-5, the Jharkhand Jan-adhikar Manch-one, the Rashtriya Kalyan Paksh with one and one Independent MLA - Bidesh Singh.

The new government is the seventh in Jharkhand since its creation nine years back. (ANI)

Man U relying heavily on Rooney to lift Premier League, says skipper

London, Jan 7 (ANI): Manchester United is relying heavily on ace striker Wayne Rooney to win the Premier League and Champions League this season, according to skipper Gary Neville.

Neville effectively branded Sir Alex Ferguson''s side a one-man team by conceding they rely on Rooney to win them matches.

"Wayne is someone we will rely on in these crucial months. Wayne wins matches for us. His goal scoring record in the Premier League is excellent. He fights for the ball, works hard, and has fitted well into the team," The Mirror quoted Neville, as saying.

United have already lost five games in the Premier League this season, but still sit in second place, just two points behind leaders Chelsea.

Neville admitted this season had been completely unpredictable and likened it to the 1995-96 campaign, where United lost six times but were still crowned champions.

"The Premier league so far has been very strange and quite inconsistent. Chelsea has dropped points, Liverpool have dropped points, we''ve dropped points, as have Arsenal," said Neville.

"It''s certainly not a two-horse race at this stage and there are still three or four teams in touch with the top. We''re midway through the race and January will be a month where teams will still be jostling for position.

"I think it''s going to be one of those interesting leagues where things start developing around February and March. But what always happens is that towards March and April you end up with two teams battling it out for the title," he added. (ANI)

Shibu Soren to take vote of confidence inassembly today

Ranchi, Jan 7 (ANI): Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu
Soren will seek a vote of confidence in the
Assembly today.
The JMM Chief heads a coalition government that
includes the NDA and other small parties and
claims to have the support of 46 MLAs, including
the Assembly Speaker of the BJP.
Besides his 18-member JMM, the other
supporting MLAs are the NDA with 20, the
AJSU-5, the Jharkhand Jan-adhikar Manch-one,
the Rashtriya Kalyan Paksh with one and one
Independent MLA - Bidesh Singh.
The new government is the seventh in Jharkhand
since its creation nine years back. (ANI)