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Union Cabinet reshuffle in the offing

      New Delhi: The Union Cabinet may undergo a major reshuffle shortly, as the search for a full time External Affairs Minister is reportedly gaining momentum. The resignations of Union Labour and Employment Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao and Minister of State for Rural Development, A. Narendra, from the Council of Ministers over the Telangana issue, has lent grist to the rumour mill about an eminent Cabinet profile change. According to sources, the names of senior Congress leader Karan Singh, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and Maharashtra governor S M Krishna, besides that of Finance Minister P Chidambaram are doing the rounds at the Congress party headquarters for the post External Affairs Minister. Earlier Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had indicated that a full time External Affairs Minister would be appointed before NAM summit that begins in Havana on September 11. He has been handling the foreign office after Natwar Singh resigned from the post in the wake of the Volcker report on the oil-for-food scam in the first week of December 2005. The Rashtriya Janata Dal could also nominate one minister of state in view of the resignation of Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav. Senior leader Oscar Fernandes may be assigned a portfolio. Vacancies also exist in the Congress hierarchy after the induction of Ambika Soni in the Union Cabinet.

Srinagar sex scandal: SC notices to J-K (Top)

       New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition seeking transfer of Srinagar sex scandal case outside the state. The petition, filed on the behalf of Advocate Vikas Mehta by thirteen accused in the case, stated that as none of the lawyers were ready to fight the case in the wake of a resolution passed by the Bar Association in Srinagar, so there was no possibility of reaching a fair decision. The petition was filed by all the accused, except former Congress Minister Ghulam Mohammed Mir. Border Security Force DIG K C Padhi, former Additional Advocate General Anil Sethi, Deputy SP Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Independent MLA and former minister Raman Mattoo, suspended Principal Secretary (Planning) Iqbal Khandey and hotel owner Riyaz Kawa are those who moved the apex court. A notice was also issued to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association and the state government by a bench headed by the Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal. The notice was issued on a petition filed by the CBI challenging the August 11 order of the High Court, which was stayed by the apex court on August 18. On July 18, the apex court had stayed an order by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to chargesheet the accused involved in a sex racket. It had directed the CBI to arrest everyone named in the scandal. Sabharwal had revealed that the custodial inquiry would be carried out by the investigating officer of those accused who were to be deemed fit by the CBI Director, till further orders were issued. The Bench directed the Lawyers Association of Srinagar by issuing them a notice to produce diaries and other records before the apex court on the next hearing on August 28, which were produced before the High Court. All the public functionaries named in the case diary were directed by the High Court to be arrested by the CBI. The case involves the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl who had named several senior officials in the police, army and government, including politicians. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had unearthed the major sex racket in Srinagar five months ago in which the names of two top politicians, 13 police and security force officers and a ring of 43 girls had surfaced. Two persons were arrested after the police discovered two porn CDs in which a 15-year-old girl had been forcibly filmed.

Fake stamp paper racket in Gorakhpur (Top)

       Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur police have busted a racket of printing fake stamp papers and other government documents, and seized documents worth 3 crore rupees. According to the police, the racket was operating for more than two years in this area. Acting on a tip-off, they conducted raids at several places and arrested five persons in connection with the case. "We have been getting information about printing of fake NSC (National Saving Certificate), KVP (Kisan Vikas Patra) and Stamp papers in Gorakhpur district through an organised racket," Raja Shrivastav, Senior Superintendent of Police, Gorakhpur said. We constituted a team headed by an officer. The team have recovered fake stamp papers, KVPs and other documents of worth Rupees 3 crore. They have arrested five persons in this connection. Police is conducting raids on the basis of information about some other persons too, Shrivastav added. Various documents related to Citizenship Certificate have also been seized. Shrivastav said that the international connection could not be ruled out in this case. However, one of the accused Shakil Ahemd defended his involvement saying, "I was not doing any thing. I was just assisting Nurul Huda Ansari (co-accused). He used to come here and work for two- three hours in the afternoon. These are all local papers that are available in every colour. It is not the government papers". Police also said that some of the accused have been arrested earlier also in connection of printing fake currencies.

PM to dedicate Talcher plant to nation (Top)

       Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will today dedicate the NTPC Talcher Super Thermal Power Station, the largest power station in the country, to the nation. The Talcher power station, located at Kaniha in Angul district, has six 500 MW units with an installed capacity of 3,000 MW. The station has a unique distinction of creating a national benchmark of commissioning all six 500 MW units within 38 months. It has been short listed for the prestigious International Project Management Award, 2006. The function will be attended by the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. On the same day, the Prime Minister is expected to lay the foundation of the proposed National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) here. During his two-day visit, Dr. Singh, for whom it will be the first visit to the state after becoming Prime Minister, will also tour the backward KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) area in the state. Bolangir is one of the poorest districts of the country where he is scheduled to visit a watershed project, inspect the functioning of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) and interact with the people. In Koraput, he will talk to school teachers and students and wind up his tour with a meeting with collectors of the eight KBK districts. The BJD-BJP is likely to submit a memorandum to Dr. Singh containing demands for special assistance and other welfare measures for the region. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to make an air survey of flood-damaged areas of the state.

Drugs worth $43 m seized in Delhi (Top)

       New Delhi: The Delhi Police have seized a consignment of 4400 Kilograms of a banned drug worth Rs. 2 billion (approx. 43 million dollars), from Badarpur border area of South Delhi. This is the biggest drug haul in the capital. The contraband - Methaqualone, popularly known as Mandrax - was seized from a godown in Badarpur following the arrest of one Vinod Sharma, who police suspect was a member of an international drug cartel operating in India. He was arrested from his residence in Kalkaji. The consignment was meant for a US customer. Police also had seized 100 Kilogrmas of ephedrine and arrested four members of a trans-national drug cartel last week.

17 TRS legislators suspended (Top)

      Hyderabad: Seventeen legislators of the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) were suspended from the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for a day on Monday for stalling proceedings to press their demand for passing a resolution on a separate Telangana state. Speaker K.R Suresh Reddy suspended the TRS legislators as they continued to disrupt proceedings for the fourth day. Last week, party's protest had forced the speaker to adjourn the house without transacting any business for three days. As soon as the Assembly met for the day, TRS legislators were on their feet urging the speaker to admit their notice for an adjournment motion on a separate Telangana state issue. When the Speaker turned down the notice and tried to go ahead with the listed agenda, the TRS members rushed to his podium with placards, and shouting slogans of 'Jai Telangana' the legislators surrounded him. "We have put forth a very genuine demand which the house did not listen. We want a separate state to the backward region. We wanted that the assembly should pass the Bill and later we would present it before the Centre," said TRS leader Vijay Rama Rao. Amidst the pandemonium, the Speaker adjourned the house for 30 minutes. He later held talks with Vijay Rama Rao and urged him to permit the House to function smoothly. However, TRS continued its protest when the house reassembled. Following this, Minister for Legislative Affairs K. Rosaiah moved a resolution for suspension of TRS members and the same was passed by voice vote. The Speaker then announced the suspension of 17 TRS members present in the House for one day. As the agitating members refused to leave, the marshals were called in to evict them. Later, the TRS members staged a sit-in protest in the premises of the Assembly. TRS has 26 members in the 294-member Assembly. While five dissident members stayed away from the protest, others were not present in the House. Two TRS ministers, including party president K. Chadrasekhara Rao had quit the Union Cabinet last week to protest the delay in carving out a separate state.

Onam celebrations begin in Kerala (Top)

      Cochin (Kerala): A spectacular procession replete with ornamented elephants marching to warrior drums and to honour mythological demon kings and tribal gods signalled the beginning of the harvest festival Onam in Kerala. The ten-day-long harvest festival began Sunday with a bang in Tripunithura. Women dressed in traditional clothes and folk artists, playing the role of tribal gods and goddesses, added an ethnic touch to the procession, that was flagged off by Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan. The centre of attraction was the mythological demon king Mahabali who once ruled Kerala in such a manner that even the Gods became jealous of him. Onam is observed to greet this king on the one day that he comes up from the netherworld. "This is about a king who comes back to the people and that is why that day is celebrated. I am very excited to be here," said Dutch tourist Lisa. Keralites eagerly look forward to Onam, as it provides them with an opportunity to buy new clothes and perform rituals to ensure the wellbeing and prosperity of kith and kin. 'Pookkalam' or floral arrangements are another important part of celebrations and women decorate floors and courtyards of their houses with fresh multi-coloured flower petals to welcome the deities. The festive period leads up to Thiruvonam, the day of Mahabali's visit, which falls on September 5 this year. In old days, the festival used to be celebrated for 28 days, but now these festivities are held for between three to ten days. A royal affair in the past, the festival has now become a part of the state's tourism promotion efforts.

Mahajan gets court's nod to go abroad (Top)

       New Delhi: A Delhi court today granted permission to Rahul Mahajan, the son of the slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, facing trial in the drug abuse case, to go abroad. Additional Sessions Judge SN Gupta, however, directed Rahul to inform the Investigating Officer of his travel schedule. Rahul, who is marrying in Mumbai on Tuesday, had sought court's permission to travel abroad for honeymoon. Rahul along with Vivek Moitra, the close aide of Pramod Mahajan, had allegedly consumed an unspecified quantity of a cocktail of drugs on June 1. Earlier, on August 5 the court had issued summons to Rahul and five others accused to appear before it on September 14. A chargesheet was filed against Rahul along with five others on August 3. Rahul, Sahil Zaroo, Harish Sharma, Ganesh Kumar Sinha and two Nigerians - Abdul Latif Ashola Md Abdullah and Egbedokun James Taiwo have been charged under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The chargesheet alleged that Rahul used Pramod Mahajan's official residence at 7, Safdarjung Road for "distribution and consumption of drugs" on the intervening night of June 1 and 2. The Delhi Police in the 25-page chargesheet, said that investigations had revealed that Moitra, who died after consuming the drugs, had also committed the same offence as Rahul. Harish Sharma, another close aid of Pramod Mahajan and servant Ganesh Kumar Sinha have been charged with destroying evidence. The two Nigerians -- Abdulla and Taiwo -- presently in Tihar Jail, have been accused of peddling drugs and separate cases under the Foreigners Act have been registered against them for living in India without valid documents. The chargesheet has no indication on the quantity of the drug recovered from Mahajan residence.

Judicial custody of Barnala's son extended (Top)

      Chandigarh: The judicial remand of Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Gaganjit Singh Barnala in a rape case was extended till September 11 on Monday. Gaganjit Singh, who is the son of Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate Harpreet Kaur as his 14-day judicial remand completed today. Meanwhile, his counsel said that he would soon file a bail petition. "Judicial remand has to be given till he comes out. That is what the law is. We are also planning for his bail," said A.S Sukhija, Barnala's lawyer. Gaganjit Singh Barnala was arrested on August 12 for allegedly raping his maid at his residence.

Rescue operations on in flood-hit Barmer (Top)

      Barmer (Rajasthan): The Indian Army is continuing the rescue and relief operations in the flood hit areas of Barmer in Rajasthan, where 96 people are reported to have died so far due to the flash-floods. Two columns and four Engineer task Forces of the army, equipped with life jackets and boats, have been operating in the area of Uttarlai-Kawas, Malwa and along NH-15 near Bothiya and Bharkha, according to official sources. Relentless operations were also undertaken in the area of Malwa and the surrounding region. Official sources said that army officers and jawans reached out to deserted areas where the locals were isolated, carrying supply of food packets and drinking water to the affected population in addition to evacuating the distressed villagers. Army boats were being used to ferry food and water to areas like Kawas and Uttarlai. According to official sources, 4000 people have been evacuated and 28 dead bodies have been recovered from the affected areas. Around 5000 persons have been provided with relief material, besides recovery of vehicles and opening of road axes. Barmer, a desert region, was hit by flash floods on August 22, rendering hundreds homeless and killing many.

Heathrow terror-suspect Rashid Rauf's
links with al Qaeda confirmed (Top)

      Peshawar: Rashid Rauf, the UK terror plot suspect of Pakistani origin, had links with international terror organisations, including al-Qaeda, Pakistan Interior Minister and PPP-S president Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said. "So far, the main figure in terror plot is under investigation and his international links have been confirmed," The Nation quoted Sherpao as saying about Rauf while addressing reporters at his residence. Sherpao denied that his ministry had received any request or letter for extraditing Rashid Rauf either to the US or the UK. The extradition of the terror plot suspect could be decided in a later stage, said the minister and added: "There is no extradition treaty between UK and Pakistan but this matter could be decided on case-to-case basis." Rauf, who spent many years in the UK before returning to his home country Pakistan, was arrested in connection with the August 10 foiled plot to blow as many as 10 US-bound passenger flights taking off from the UK. He is kept in police custody in Pakistan, even as a investigation team arrived from the UK to interrogate him. But, the UK team has not been provided access to him yet.

US envoy denies lobbying for Nepal monarchy (Top)

      Kathmandu: Amidst accusations that the US government was lobbying hard to let the ceremonial monarchy continue in Nepal, US Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty on Monday clarified that he hadn't made phone calls to anybody lobbying for this. Moriarty said this while addressing a press meet organized during the visit of US Congressmen in the capital. "Neither I, nor anybody from our embassy here has made such calls," Nepalnews quoted him as saying. He said on behalf of the United States Government that the future of monarchy was something for the people of Nepal to decide. Moriarty was in the news recently for questioning the intention of the CPN (Maoist) rebels, especially their statement that they might have to go for an October Revolution if their demands were not met.

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