HC to give priority to Kasab case, daily hearing from Oct 18

The Bombay High Court today made it clear that it would hear on a day-to-day basis from October 18, the matter pertaining to confirmation of death penalty imposed on Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab for his role in 26/11 attacks. "We shall give this matter a top priority and shall not hear any other case from October 18 till this matter is finally heard and disposed of," said Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R V More.

The bench asked Government Counsel Ujjwal Nikam and Kasab's lawyer Amin Solkar to ensure that they remain present and do not seek adjournments.

"We want to finish off this case as early as possible, so please cooperate," the judges told the lawyers.

Kasab has also filed an appeal challenging death sentence imposed on him. The state too has filed an appeal against the trial court's verdict acquitting Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed on the ground that evidence against them was "doubtful".

These two appeals would also be heard by the High Court along with the matter regarding confirmation of death sentence awarded to Kasab.

The Court has ordered that Kasab need not remain present and can appear through video conference in view of the threat perception to him. Accordingly, it has asked the state to make arrangements for this facility at both ends -- in the Court and in jail where Kasab is lodged.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/HC-to-give-priority-to-Kasab-case-daily-hearing-from-Oct-18/Article1-606007.aspx

Eight of 16 CJIs were 'corrupt', says ex-law minister

Former Union Law Minister Shanti Bhushan on Thursday told the Supreme Court that at least eight of the 16 chief justices of India (CJIs) were "definitely corrupt". In an affidavit filed on Thursday, senior counsel Shanti Bhushan said that six of the CJIs were "definitely honest" and he could not comment on the remaining two judges.

The senior counsel sought to be impleaded in a case in which his son Prashant Bhushan is facing contempt proceedings.

Sixteen CJIs that Shanti Bhushan has mentioned in his affidavit are: Justice Rangnath Mishra, Justice K N Singh, Justice M H Kaina, Justice L M Sharma, Justice M N Venkatachalliah, Justice A M Ahemadi, Justice J S Verma, Justice M M Punchhi, Justice A S Anand, Justice S P Bharucha, Justice B N Kirpal, Justice G B Pathak, Justice Rajendra Babu, Justice R C Lohati, Justice V N Khare and Justice Y K Sabharwal.

Shanti Bhushan in his affidavit said that two former CJIs had personally told him that their immediate predecessors and immediate successors were corrupt judges.

He said that the names of those four CJIs were included in the list of eight corrupt CJIs.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Eight-of-16-CJIs-were-corrupt-says-ex-law-minister/Article1-600823.aspx

Kerala local body elections on October 23 and 25

The general elections to 1,208 local self-government institutions in the State will be held in two phases on October 23 and October 25, State Election Commissioner P. Kamalkutty has said.

Mr. Kutty told reporters here on Tuesday afternoon that Thiruvananthapram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts will go to the polls on October 23 and Alappuzha, Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram on October 25. The newly-elected committees will assume office on November 1. The model code of conduct has come into force with the announcement of the elections.

Filing of nominations will begin on September 27 once the commission issues the election notification. Nominations can be filed till October 4. They papers will be scrutinised on October 5. The last date for withdrawing the nominations is October 7. Polling wil be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Counting and result announcement having been scheduled on October 27.

As per the latest figures, there are 978 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 60 municipalities and five corporations in the State. Out of the 60 municipalities, except Mattanur municipality where elections were held only in 2006, all others will go the polls as per the schedule announced today. Elections will be held in Mattannur only in 2011. Thus voters of 21,612 divisions will exercise their franchise in the two phases. As many as 8,000 electronic voting machines will be used n the corporations and municipalities. As many as 2.25 lakh employees will be deployed for election duty. Stringent action will be taken against government employees involving in campaigning. Using places of worship for campaigning too be treated as a violation of the poll code, he said.

Source http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article642725.ece

Abu Salem can be tried for all crimes in India: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts accused and underworld don Abu Salem can be tried for all the crimes he had committed in the country. The court dismissed his plea that he could only be tried for the cases for which the Portugal court permitted his extradition.

Justice P Sathasivam and Justice AK Ganguly, constituting the apex court bench that heard the case, in their concurrent judgments said that beyond the extradition treaty that bound them, both India and Portugal were signatories to the UN convention on suppression of terrorism.

Concurring with Justice Sathasivam, Justice Ganguly said that all the offences Abu Salem committed made him extraditable.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Abu-Salem-can-be-tried-for-all-crimes-in-India-Supreme-Court/Article1-598408.aspx

Mumbai ATS nabs two German Bakery blast suspects

The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two people in connection with the blast that ripped Pune's German Bakery on February 13 this year.

Earlier on August 10, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said the police have identified the culprits involved in the German Bakery blast.

"Police have identified those involved in the German Bakery blast. They also have proofs and know the whereabouts of these persons who are at large in various parts of the country," said Patil on the sidelines of a function in Pune.

"The ATS in coordination with Central agencies were tracking the blast accused," he added, expressing confidence that the culprits would be nabbed soon.

The Pune blast, which killed seventeen people and wounded at least 57, was seen as the first major attack on India since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The bakery is located in Koregaon Park, which is close to the Osho Ashram and the Chabad House, a Jewish prayer house, frequented by numerous foreigners and tourists.

Source http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Mumbai-ATS-nabs-two-German-Bakery-blast-suspects/articleshow/6518809.cms

Curfew clamped in Srinagar, curbs imposed in the Valley

Authorities on Tuesday clamped curfew in Srinagar city and imposed restrictions elsewhere in the Kashmir Valley after mobs went on a rampage attacking two police stations to protest killing of four persons allegedly in firing by security forces.

Curfew was clamped in eight police station areas -- Rainawari, Maharajgunj, Safakadal, Khanyar and Nowhatta in old city, and Maisuma, Batamaloo and Kralkhud in civil lines area -- in view of the violent protests and stone pelting incidents in many parts of Srinagar last night, police sources said.

As reports of overnight protests came in from other areas, the curfew was extended to the entire city, they said.

Srinagar District Magistrate Ahmad Kakroo said that restrictions on the movement of the people has been imposed across the city.

“We are monitoring the situation and will take a decision as per the requirements of the situation,” Kakroo said.

All curfew passes issued by the district administration were cancelled last evening. However, fresh passes were issued to employees working in essential services departments and to mediapersons.

The sources said youths came to the streets of Nowhatta in down city soon after the ‘Taraweeh’ special prayers during Ramzan and started pelting stones at the local police station.

Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters but in vain. They, then resorted to firing in the air to chase away the mob, the sources said, adding no one was hurt in the incident.

Similar protests were also held in Rajouri Kadal, Karan Nagar and some other areas in the old city and Rawalpora and Maisuma areas in the civil lines area.

One person was injured in police action against protesters at Karan Nagar after the police station there was set on fire, the sources said.

Police have imposed severe restrictions under section 144 CrPC on the movement of the people in other nine districts of the Valley as a precautionary measure to prevent any further loss of the life or damage to the property.

The late night protests erupted in the city over the fresh killings at Palhalan in Pattan area of Baramulla district.

Four persons were killed and 12 others injured yesterday when security forces allegedly opened fire on a stone-pelting mob that had attacked inspector general of police SM Sahai’s convoy in Pattan area.

Police have initiated an enquiry into the incident.

The Valley was rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a tear smoke shell near Rajouri Kadal area of the old city.

With yesterday’s deaths, the toll in the ongoing unrest has now gone up to 69.

Source http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article619056.ece

Day of festivity, all for the love of the Lord

The mischievous but much-adored maakhanchor is all set to receive a king's welcome in the city today, on the occasion of Janmashtami.

Portrayed in Hindu mythology as a naughty young boy with a penchant for stealing butter, Lord Krishna holds special significance in Gujarat, where He is believed to have spent a part of his life.

Naturally then, a religious wave has swept across the state ahead of Janmashtami. Temples in the city have been beautifully decorated for the occasion, even as thousands of devotees are preparing to participate in various programmes and festivities organised across the city to mark the auspicious moment.

Janmashtami celebrations at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple will commence at 4.30am. The temple plans to have a mangal aarti, kirtan and japa yagna, followed by a guru puja. .

The evening programme at ISKCON will begin at 6.00pm .
Chief minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the festivities at ISKCON and also take part in the Krishna janma abhishek and aarti at midnight, said temple authorities.

The Kalyan Pushti Haveli at Vastrapur will commence Janmashtami celebrations with a panchamrit snaan. This will be followed by rajbhog and sandhya aarti. The birth of the Lord and the second panchamrit snaan will take place at 12.00am.

The Shri Pushti Parivar Trust temple at Prahlad nagar will hold a panchamrit snaan, followed by tilak darshan and rajbhog darshan. It will also have a jaagran darshan, while Krishna janam festivities will commence at 12.00am.

The Swaminarayan temple at Kalupur will mark the birth of the Lord with bhajan-kirtan, along with raas garba, aarti and Krishna janam festivities.

The Samast Patel Social Group has organised a shobha yatra, which will commence from Diamond Park on Nikol village road at 1.00pm, and culminate at the same spot at 6.30pm . Leading clubs Rajpath and Karnavati will also celebrate Janmashtami in a grand manner.

At Rajpath, famous singer Manhar Udhas will sing a variety of bhajans of Lord Krishna in tandem with a musical orchestra. The Karnavati Club will have Janmashtami celebrations between 9.00pm and 12.00am at its lawns.

Source http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_day-of-festivity-all-for-the-love-of-the-lord_1432479