106 TN fishermen rounded up

For the first time in the history of the India-Sri Lanka conflict over Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in Lanka’s northern waters, fishermen of Jaffna on Tuesday took the law into their own hands and caught 18 trawlers, with 106 fishermen from Keechankuppam, Akkaraipet and Karaikal on board, off Point Pedro.

Indian officials in Colombo and S A Mahesh, president of the All Indian Traditional Fishermen Association, confirmed the report.

A Lankan naval spokesman refused to comment as the navy was not involved in the incident. “Local fishermen were involved and they handed over the captured Indian fishermen to the Point Pedro police,” is all he said.

The captured fishermen, who had set off on Saturday, were in custody at the Padithurai police station in Vadamaraachi locality. No incidence of violence had been reported so far.

At an emergency meeting, Tamil Nadu fishermen’s representatives decided to meet Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in Chennai on Wednesday and request him to arrange the release of their colleagues.

Thousands of fishermen of Nagapattinam kept off the sea on Tuesday night as a mark of protest.

Lankan fishermen living near the island’s northern waters, especially in Jaffna and Mannar, have often complained of Tamil Nadu fishermen crowding the area and indulging in bottom trawling, which destroys marine resources by scraping the bottom of the sea.

Source http://expressbuzz.com/nation/106-TN-fishermen-rounded-up/248439.html

Govt to SC: Will reveal names of foreign bank account holders

The Centre on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that it would reveal the names of persons, who have stashed black money in foreign banks after registering a formal case against them. Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, appearing before a bench headed by Justice B Sudershan Reddy, said government has issued show cause notices against the persons accused of having black money in foreign banks and once a case is registered against them, their names will be made public.

The bench also asked the government to ensure that Hasan Ali Khan, a Pune-based businessman, accused of stashing money in foreign banks, does not leave the country.

"It's your duty to ensure that he is available to face prosecution," the court said when Subramanium informed it that Hasan is in India and the government is taking all necessary steps against him.

The court was hearing a petition filed by noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani and some former bureaucrats seeking the court's direction to the government to bring black money, said to be the tune of 1 trillion US dollars, back to the country.

Senior advocate Anil Divan appearing for Jethmalani contended that the government is not taking effective steps in this direction.

Referring to an article in which it was reported that Letters Rogatory have been issued to authorities in five countries -- UAE, UK, USA, Singapore and Hong Kong -- seeking information regarding black money, he submitted that nothing more has been done in this regard.

Countering Divan's arguments, the solicitor general accepted that Letter Rogatory has been issued and said the government has taken "remarkable" steps in the case of black money.

Placing before the court a sealed envelope, Subramanium said all this information has been given in it.

At the end of the brief hearing, the bench asked whether Hasan Ali can be made a party to the proceedings before it.

The court then adjourned the matter for further hearing on March 3.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Govt-to-SC-Will-reveal-names-of-foreign-bank-account-holders/Article1-660660.aspx