Kanchipuram
mutt manager remanded for 15 days
Kanchipuram:
A local court here remanded Sundaresa Iyer, the manager
of the Kanci mutt, to 15 days of judicial custody. He is
also considered to be close to the incarcerated Kanchi Sankaracharya
Jayendra Saraswathi and was frequently meeting the seer
in Vellore jail. Sundaresa was arrested yesterday by the
Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Tamil Nadu Police probing
into the murder of temple official Sankararaman and the
assault of former mutt employee Radhakrishnan. Iyer is the
second mutt official to be arrested after the seer who was
taken into custody by the police on November 11 in connection
with the murder case. Iyer's arrest has increased the number
of people arrested in connection with the Sankararaman murder
case to 23. He is among the three prominent persons arrested
in connection with Sankaraman murder and Radhakrishnan assault
cases, the other two being the seer and Appu alias Krishnaswamy.
Sundaresa Iyer was running the mutt administration after
the arrest of the Sankaracharya. Earlier in the day the
SIT questioned many mutt employees to find out whether they
had any role in the murder and assault cases.
Key
accused in Kanchi murder case safe, says police (Go
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Chennai:
A key accused in a high-profile temple murder involving
India's most senior Hindu pontiff is safe, police said on
Saturday, after a letter by him declaring he was depressed
and on the verge of suicide sent alarm bells ringing. Ravi
Subramanium has been on the run since the case first hit
the limelight in November with the arrest of Jayendra Saraswati,
head of the Kanchi mutt or religious seat in Kanchipuram,
where a temple official, a known critic of the seer's policies,
was hacked to death. Subramanium, along with Appu, another
accused, is alleged to have masterminded and executed the
murder. Currently believed to be in Bhopal, police say they
have a four- page letter, purportedly written by Subramanium,
as proof that he is alive. "Fortunately I could meet Prem
Kumar (Superintendent of Police). He showed me a letter,
nearly four pages from my friend Subramanium in Bhopal.
In the letter he mentioned clearly that he is about to commit
suicide. So now the SP assured me that he is very much safe
and he has not committed suicide. He assured that within
two days he will produce Subramanium in a proper law channel,"
said Thomas, lawyer and friend to Subramanium.
The cases have shocked the predominantly Hindu country with
many radical groups and top leaders calling it a conspiracy
and agitating for his release. Venerated by millions of
Hindus, Jayendra Saraswati is the head of one of five Indian
monasteries said to have been founded in the 8th century
by the Hindu philosopher and religious reformer, Adi Shankaracharya.
He was also consulted by the previous BJP-led government
during efforts to resolve a deadlock on building a temple
on a site sacred to both Hindus and Muslims.
Aamir's
bat fetches whooping amount for Imran's cancer hoaspital
(Go
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Mumbai:
Actor Aamir Khan recently visited Pakistan to help raise
funds for Pakistani former cricketer -turned- politician
Imran Khan' cancer hospital. It was a visit that completely
changed his perception about Pakistan. He had imagined an
extremely conservative society but realised he was mistaken.
Aamir's bat which he had used in "Lagaan" went for Rs. 60
lakh at the charity auction.. In fact, money poured in during
his visit. They collected Rs 6.5 crore during a three-hour
telethon. And during an impromptu session with another actor,
Rs 11 crore poured in within 40 minutes.
Dubai
venue for Global Indian Film Awards (Go
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Mumbai:
Dubai has been chosen as the venue for Global Indian
Film Awards. The function will be hosted at the Al Wasal
Stadium on January 27, 2005. Popcorn Entertainment is scripting
and directing the affair. The creme de la creme of the film
industry, corporate world as well as members of the U.A.E.
Royal family are expected to attend the mega-event. This
Global Indian Film Awards would be a 3-day extravaganza.
It will kick start with not one but two premiere shows of
forthcoming films, followed by a football match with members
of the UAE football team and Indian celebrities. A number
of events and parties have been lined up for the Indian
guests after the match.
BJP
celebrates Vajpayee's 80th birthday (Go
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by Vrishti Beniwal
New
Delhi: Bhartiya Janata Party is celebrating 80th birthday
of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today. The
party is celebrating the day as "Seva Diwas" and to mark
the occasion eye donation camps, blood donation camps, painting
competitions for children and the like have been organized
in the national capital. However, Vajpayee, who is in Gwalior
today, had requested the party members not to celebrate
his birthday, but party members had decided to perform "Yagnas"
and "Hawans" . BJP spokesperson and MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra
said, "Party workers have organized 'Maha Yagna" and "Vishal
Bhandara" to pray for long life of Atalji. We want him to
lead the nation for 100 years. That's why we are performing
'Yagnas'." Appreciating the works done by Vajpayee as the
Prime Minister of India, Malhotra said, "Atalji had changed
the face of India during his tenure. It's a matter of pride
for all of us to celebrate his birthday." Former
MP from Chandni Chowk constituency, Vijay Goel, said that
Vaypayee didn't want to celebrate his birthday this time,
as another former PM PV Narsimha Rao had died recently.
"But we are celebrating this day as 'Sewa Diwas'," Goel
said.
Born
in 1924 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to Krishna Bihari Vajpayee
and Krishna Devi, Vajpayee brings with him a long parliamentary
experience spanning over four decades. He has served on
a number of important Committees of Parliament. He was Chairman,
Committee on Government Assurances (1966-67); Chairman,
Public Accounts Committee (1967-70); Member, General Purposes
Committee (1986); Member, House Committee and Member, Business
Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha (1988-90); Chairman, Committee
on Petitions, Rajya Sabha (1990-91); Chairman, Public Accounts
Committee, Lok Sabha (1991-93); Chairman, Standing Committee
on External Affairs (1993-96). Vajpayee participated in
the freedom struggle and went to jail in 1942. He was detained
during Emergency in 1975-77. He was conferred Padma Vibhushan
in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He
was also conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Puruskar and the Bharat
Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for the Best Parliamentarian,
both in 1994. Earlier, the Kanpur University honoured him
with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in 1993. Vajpayee
is a politician with the heart of a poet. We wish him a
very happy Birthday.
EC
tells Patna DM to return from leave (Go
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Patna:
The Election Commission today ordered the District Magistrate
of Patna Gautam Goswami to return from leave. Goswami, who
is reportedly planning to take up a job with Sahara group,
has been asked not to proceed on leave as the process for
the assembly polls in Bihar has already begun. Gautam Goswami
sought to fame when he asked the then Deputy Prime Minister
LK Advani to stop his speech mid-way as the time permitted
was over. According to EC sources, "The District Magistrate
has been asked not to go on leave till the completion of
the poll process." Goswami had on Friday said that he had
proceeded on leave for a brief period as his request to
join the Sahara Group was yet to be responded to by the
state government. "I am even in a mood to quit the Indian
Administrative Service," he had said. However, Goswami replied
into negative when asked if he had decided to proceed on
leave in the wake of the controversy over alleged violation
of model code of conduct by ruling RJD and the Election
Commission taking a tough stand on that. The DM Patna has
also been accused of failing to file a case against Union
Minister and RJD chief Lalu Yadav when he was caught on
camera giving money to villagers. The Election Commission
has also directed authorities of all three election-bound
states - Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana - to ensure that public
and private properties are not defaced during the polls.
The EC has warned violation of this directive may lead to
imprisonment of upto six months or a maximum fine of Rs.1000.
