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Rahul Mahajan in police custody

       New Delhi: Rahul Mahajan was on Tuesday sent to two days of police remand for his alleged champagne-drugs binge by a Patiala House court today. Rahul, who appeared before the court in a wheel chair, was then quickly moved to the Tughlak Road Police Station for further interrogation. Police had sought three days remand for Rahul as they argued that there were still many queries that needed to be answered by him about Thursday's night binge. Though Mahajan has denied contraband substances, the police claim that it has enough evidence to prove otherwise. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has also confirmed the presence of heroin in Rahul's blood and in Sahil Zaroo's vomit which was obtained from the crime scene.

     Earlier, Rahul was discharged from New Delhi's Apollo Hospital and frisked away to the Tughlaq Road Police Station where he was kept for some time before producing in court. Rahul has been booked under Section 21, 25, 27, and 29 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act that could earn him imprisonment ranging from six month's to ten years as Section 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act charge Rahul of using the premises for drug consumption and destruction of evidence.

     Meanwhile, Rahul's lawyer,Sunil Mittal, today alleged that Apollo Hospital was pressurised by the police to discharge him and that the latter had acted in a haste to arrest his client. Harish Sharma, an aide to Rahul's father was also questioned by the police today about his alleged role in destroying evidence by ordering servants at the Mahajan residence to clean up the floor and remove the champagne bottles. Police are also in no mood to spare doctors at Apollo Hospital for not coming out with the real report in an objective manner.

Fanaa to be screened in Gujarat theatre (Go To Top)

      Jamnagar (Gujarat): A day after the Supreme Court directed the Gujarat government to provide police protection, if sought, to those theatres screening 'Fanaa', the Aamir Khan starrer movie will be released in a Jamnagar theatre. The manager of Ambar theatre, where the movie will be screened for the first time Gujarat, Mansur Sheikh said he decided to break the boycott call and release Fanaa on the demand of the people of the city. "People in the city had long been demanding the release of the movie and we could not screen the movie earlier," Sheikh said, adding that the movie will be screened three times daily. He said that following the Supreme Court's order, the theatre authority sought for police protection from the administration, which was soon provided. The movie, already a hit in other parts of the country, has not been screened in the State since its release on May 26 after a boycott call by BJP Yuva Morch in the wake of Aamir's alleged remarks regarding Sardar Sarovar Dam and support to the Medha Patkar led Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). BJP has been demanding an apology from the actor for his stand on the Narmada issue. However, Aamir has refused to give any apology, saying he has not said or done anything wrong but had only demanded proper rehabilitation for the people displaced by the Narmada project. "I don't feel any shame in apologising if any body convinces me about my fault. For what I should apologise? I have not done any wrong thing by favouring the poor people who are losing their land and properties due to construction of Sardar Sarovar dam. And my apology would mean that I am letting them down," Aamir had said.

Jain saints' nude march evokes protest (Go To Top)

      Coimbatore: People in Tamil Nadu have expressed displeasure over a naked march by six Jain saints from Thirumalai in Karnataka to Mettur in Tamil Nadu to spread the message of non-violence. Locals strongly raised objections to their nudity when they visited an industrial establishment along with a team of devotees to perform prayers on Sunday. The slogan-shouting residents brandished broomsticks and footwear to register their protest. "Today, a few priests entered Mettur without wearing any clothes. This is against our Tamil culture. Any act of disrupting the culture of Tamil Nadu is strongly condemned by the women and children of the State. This is bestial, walking around without clothes. This is not acceptable to us", said Selvan, a protestor. The protest was so strong that police teams had to be deployed to prevent any violence. On their way back, the saints walked behind a white screen with ample police protection. Jainism, which was founded in the sixth century B.C., split into two groups, Digamvaras and Shwetamvaras, in A.D. 82. Followers of the Digambara Sect of Jainism wear no clothes in line with their belief while the Shwetambara preachers are dressed in white. Both groups believe in overcoming the senses by meditation and penance. The resourceful Jain community is known for their lavish temples across the country and worship the religion's founder Vardhamana Mahavira and a host of Jain saints.

Filmmaker Hrishikesh hospitalised (Go To Top)

       Mumbai: Veteran filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee was admitted to Mumbai's Leelavati Hospital in critical condition early on Tuesday. Mukherjee was shifted to the hospital after he complained of uneasiness. He has been put on ventilator support, family sources said. Mukherjee has made millions laugh and cry through his family films and comedies. Among his masterpieces are Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke, Namak Haram, Bawarchi, Golmal and Anand. He began his career in Bollywood in 1951 as an editor and assistant director to Bimal Roy. His first directorial venture was Musafir. His last film was Jhoot Bole Kawa Katen, in 1999. He has also directed TV serials like Talash.

Akalis slam Congress on Operation Blue Star day

       Amritsar: Shiromani Akali Dal leaders in Punjab on Tuesday renewed their attack on the Congress party for the army operation "Blue Star" in the Golden Temple, their holiest shrine 22 years ago. Shiromani Akali Dal, the Opposition in Punjab targeted their ire against the Congress, which was in power in 1984, when the Operation Blue Star was launched to flush out militants holed up in the Golden Temple. "We condemn in strong words the Congress government which was responsible for the attack. I think it was the only government which attacked one of the holiest shrines in the country," said Prakash Singh Badal, chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was claimed to have been killed by the army during the operation. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress, who ordered the army operation, was gunned down four months later by two Sikh bodyguards, triggering a wave of violence across the country.

Five militants killed in Jammu and Kashmir (Go To Top)

      Srinagar: Security personnel killed five heavily armed militants in Machil sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning. According to Defence Ministry sources, troops guarding the border noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) early this morning under the cover of darkness. They said the militants were challenged soon after they entered into the Indian Territory and in the ensuing gun-battle, five of them were killed. The bodies of the deceased militants were recovered by the troops, while the search for other militants was continuing, the sources said.

Massive arms, explosives haul in Kashmir (Go To Top)

       Srinagar: Security forces on Tuesday seized over a dozen AK-47 rifles, sacks of RDX and hi tech communication equipment from a cave hideout in Kashmir's far flung Gurez sector. Officials said the booty was nestled in a tiny cave, barely a few kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC), in the heavily forested area and cleverly hidden using a massive shrub growth. It took weeks of extensive patrolling and search by the army personnel, acting on a tip off, to hit upon the actual site, they said. Besides the AK-47 and AK-56 rifles, 6000 rounds of ammunition, one radio set, eight Under Barrel Grenade Launchers, 30 Magazines, 17 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) and packets full of remote switches, timing devices, all packed and stored in haversacks were found at the site.

Shares drop on worries of outflow (Go To Top)

      Mumbai: Shares fell more than 3 percent on Tuesday on worries foreign fund outflows may gather pace after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's hawkish comments on inflation pointed to higher U.S.interest rates. Bernanke's comments on Monday set off market speculation the U.S. central bank would raise interest rates at the end of June, sending stocks down on Wall Street and Asian markets. India's 30-share BSE index fell as much as 3.2 percent to 9,884.89 points at the open, falling below 10,000 for the first time in more than two weeks. The benchmark was at 10,048.87, down 1.61 percent, 10:45 a.m. (0515 GMT). The 50-issue NSE index eased 1.8 percent to 2,961.80 points. Mumbai-based stock analyst Ganesh Shanbag said given the fuel hike, monsoon and international variations, the volatility will continue in the coming months. "We are going to see a volatility in the market in the next two to three months. We have to live with this volatility over the next two-three months," he said. Dealers said foreign portfolio investors could pull more money out of markets like India, where share valuations are at more than 18 times their forecast earnings. After dumping shares worth about $2.7 billion over 16 sessions to Thursday, foreign funds had turned buyers on Friday scooping up 142.5 million dollars.