Back to Main Page                                                                Archives

Reliance first company to cross billion dollar profit

          Mumbai: Reliance Industries on Thursday became the first private sector company to cross the billion dollar milestone by recording a consolidated net profit of Rs 5,169 crore (USD 1,182 million)," a Reliance official said announcing the results here. The board which met on Thursday recommended a 52.2 per cent dividend of Rs 5.25 per equity share of Rs 10 each, involving a payout of Rs 825 crore. Consolidated total income for the year under review increased to Rs 53,183 crore compared to Rs 46,796 crore in the previous fiscal. The company during the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2004 reported a 29 per cent rise in its net profit of Rs 1,419 crore as against of Rs 1,101 crore while the total income grew to Rs 14,585 from Rs 13,081 crore posted during the same period previous fiscal. On standalone basis, the company posted a 26 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 5,160 crore for the year ended March 31, 2004 compared to Rs 4,104 crore in the previous fiscal.

Ex-UP minister Tripathi gets bail (Go To Top)

          Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi, a prime accused in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla, was granted bail today by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court. Justice NK Mehrotra passed the order while allowing Tripathi to move a bail application. The court had earlier reserved the judgement after hearing a detailed argument on the said application. Two assailants shot Madhumita dead at her River Bank Colony residence in Lucknow on on May 8, 2003. Police decided to go in for DNA test of the foetus on May 11after a post-mortem revealed that she was six months pregnant. The case assumed a political dimension after the sister of the deceased, Nidhi Shukla, alleged the poetess was involved in a relationship with Amarmani Tripath, minister of state in Chief Minister Mayawati's government. Police also suspect the involvement of Madhumita's servant Desraj, a native of Baharaich District, as he has so far not been able to explain why and how he left the poetess's home prior to the crime. Another suspect in the case is Satya Prakash. Madhumita's sister Nidhi has also alleged that Tripathi's wife was behind the murder.

Two former Punjab militants shot dead in Delhi (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: Two former Punjab militants associated with "Khalistan Commando Force" were gunned down this morning in an encounter with the police in a north Delhi area. Jagtar Singh Jagga of Punjab and Parminder Singh Ranga of Rajasthan were killed in the encounter with Crime Branch sleuths at around 4.30 a.m. in Timarpur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dependra Pathak told reporters here. Last month, these two militants had kidnapped a businessman from Sonepat, Haryana.

SC relief for Mallika Sarabhai (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Giving relief to famous danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, the Supreme Court on Thursday said the Gujarat police could continue its investigation into the alleged human trafficking charge against her but the trial court would not take action on the basis of any report submitted by them. A Bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare, Justices S B Sinha and S H Kapadia also issued notice to the Gujarat Government on the Special Leave Petition filed by her challeniging a High Court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against her in the case. She alleged that the State Government was victimising her by filing a false case as she had been raising her voice against the riots that took place following the burning of the train at Godhra. Narrating the sequence of events leading to the filing of the "false" case against her, Sarabhai stated that pursuant to invitations from abroad, her institute "Darpana Academy" had selected 13 persons for the tour at a cost of Rs 3.3 lakhs each of which Rs 20,000 was a non-refundable training fees. However, when the tour got cancelled, the Academy refunded Rs 3.1 lakh to each of the participants including the complainant, Manushi Shah. Shah later filed a complaint before the police alleging that the academy was resorting to illegalities.

Kardigarmar begins two-day visit to India (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has arrived here, and will formally begin his two-day official visit to India from today. Informed sources said that Kadirgamar would be meeting a cross- section of the Indian leadership in a bid to further cement Indo- Sri Lankan bilateral ties. This is the first high-level official contact after the new government assumed office in Colombo earlier this month. Kadirgamar, a confidante of Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, will hold extensive discussions with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and would also meet National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra today.

US launches fresh air raids on Falluja (Go To Top)

          Dubai: Coalition forces led by the United States have launched a fresh series of air raids on the Iraqi city of Falluja with the aim of securing it from the insurgents. On Wednesday, an AC-130 gunship bombarded rebel positions in the city, even as U.S. President George W. Bush warned that military commanders had been instructed to take whatever action they deemed fit to eliminate "pockets of resistance". In the afternoon, US forces dropped 10 large laser-guided bombs on buildings allegedly occupied by guerrillas. U.S. Marines besieging the city were quoted by the BBC as saying that they had called in air support only after coming under enemy fire. American commanders said they want to avoid an all-out assault on Falluja. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has issued a blunt warning from the UN headquarters in New York to avoid prolonging the attacks. "Violent military action by an occupying power against the inhabitants of an occupied country will only make matters worse," Annan was quoted as telling reporters at the UN headquarters.

Pak about-turns, accepts US resolution on WMDs (Go To Top)

         United Nations: Pakistan on Wednesday did an about turn by ending its opposition to a US resolution that aimed to punish black marketeers trafficking in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons components. The resolution compels nations to adopt and enforce laws to prevent terrorists and black marketeers from being able to "manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery."

Football series between India, Pak (Go To Top)

          Karachi: India has accepted a Pakistan offer to play a three-Test match football series, the News reported. It has also confirmed that a team will be sent to Pakistan in August. According to the paper, responding to the invitation sent by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Secretary General Arshad Khan Lodhi, his Indian counterpart Alberto Colaco agreed to send their team to Pakistan. But the dates of the proposed tour would be decided in due course of time, the report added. "Alberto Colaco, Secretary General, AIFF, has accepted our invitation through a letter we received on Wednesday and the India football team is likely to arrive here in August to play at least three tests," said Major (Retd.) Mir Farooq Ahmed, the executive secretary of the PFF.