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SC asks Mulayam to file IT returns

      New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to disclose information of his Income Tax returns and Wealth Tax for the assessment years of 2001-2006. The apex court also directed his son Akhilesh and other members of the family to reveal details of their Income Tax returns. A Vacation Bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and C K Thakker passed the order on a petition filed by a Vishwanath Chaturvedi from Uttar Pradesh. In his petition, Chaturvedi has claimed that Mulayam and his family members have wealth worth crores of rupees which is more than their known source of income. Following Yadav's counsel Mukul Rohtagi allegations that the petitioner credentials should be examined, the Bench has kept open to examine the bona fide petition.

BSF Dy. Commandant shot dead by constable 
by Pinaki Das

     Agartala: In a bizarre incident a Deputy Commandant of the Border Security Force was killed by his own constable over a minor argument. According to reports, Deputy Commandant Kameshwar Singh had seen the constable in the market during working hours and had questioned him over his presence at the place at that time. The questioning soon led to a heated exchange of words after which the accused shot the officer. Another BSF officer, Assistant Commandant who tried to intervene was seriously wounded in the scuffle. Officials said the incident took place at Rajnagar Border Outpost under PR Bari police Station near Agartala.

BSF DIG arrested in Kashmir sex racket (Go To Top)

      Srinagar: Border Security Force Deputy Inspector General (DIG), K C Padhi, was arrested on Wednesday, a day after he surrendered before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal case. The arrest warrants were issued against Padhi and a former Additional Advocate General for failing to appear for an identification parade before a minor girl Yasmeen. The girl has already revealed 56 names during the investigation by the CBI in this case involving politicians, senior police, army and government officials. The CBI on Tuesday told the High Court that so far 31 people had been subjected to identification parades. Of the 11 people identified by the victim, six had been detained. It also told the court that former Additional Advocate General Anil Sethi was still absconding against whom the chief judicial magistrate had issued a warrant. The CBI had on Sunday arrested Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jammu and Kashmir police, Mohammad Ashraf Mir after he was identified by Yasmeen. He had been missing for the past 10 days.

    The Supreme Court on Monday had rejected Mir's plea, challenging the High Court order which bars any subordinate court from issuing anticipatory bail or regular bail in Jammu and Kashmir sex scandal case, without its permission. Jammu and Kashmir has been rocked by a spate of protests and demonstrations, often violent, over a suspected prostitution ring allegedly involving police officers, senior bureaucrats, businessmen besides others. An angry mob had even ransacked the house of Sabina, the woman suspected of running the prostitution ring, before razing it to the ground and setting fire to her belongings. The woman and three others were detained by police for questioning after pornographic videos and video clips on mobile phones showing nude Kashmiri girls were circulated in Srinagar. The incident is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), after the Srinagar High Court stepped in, to probe accusations about senior officials being involved.

Zaheera's sister, brother guilty of perjury (Go To Top)

      Mumbai: A Sessions Court here today found Zaheera Shaikh's sister and brother, prime witnesses in the Best Bakery case, guilty of giving false evidence in the case. Judge Abhay Thipsay, however, reserved the order on quantum of sentence for Sehrunissa Sheikh and Nasibullah till tomorrow. The court pronounced them guilty after Sehrunissa admitted she had made some false statements in the Best Bakery case. Interestingly, Nasibullah did not admit making any false statement. Earlier on Tuesday, the Bombay High Court after hearing Zaheera's petition challenging the Best Bakery verdict and remarks passed against her and family members by the judge in the retrial judgement, postponed the case till June 16. The Sessions Court had earlier suo motu initiated perjury proceedings against Zaheera and others prime witnesses. Sessions judge Abhay Thipsay, in his judgement, which convicted nine persons for Best Bakery killings, had stated that Zaheera had intentionally lied at the retrial. The judge had reached the same conclusion regarding the testimonies of Zaheera's mother Sehrunnisa, her sister Sahira and brother Nasibullah. On the basis of this conclusion, he had initiated a summary trial against them for giving false evidence.

Vajpayee calls for elimination of Article 370 (Go To Top)

      Kullu: Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Wednesday called for the elimination of Article 370. "Kashmir is a topic of discussion and I feel the removal of Article 370 is very much necessary," said Vajpayee. Vajpayee was speaking to reporters at Kullu Airport before returning from his annual holiday in the scenic hilly town of Pirni. Under Article 370, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been given special status, including a guarantee of autonomy in all matters except for defence, foreign affairs and communications.

BBC docu-drama on British Raj's last days (Go To Top)

      London: Media-giant British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is planning to produce a 11/2 hour docu-drama covering the last days of the British Raj in India. The '36 days to partition' documentary will from part of the BBC's season of programmes to mark the 60th anniversary of the partition of India. The period saw the creation of Pakistan, leading to mass migration of people to both countries. The partition period witnessed one of the bloodiest riots ever faced by the country claiming more than a million lives and rendering many homeless. The BBC Two production, featuring archive film, dramatisation and interviews, will air next year. A spokesman for the BBC said production on the programme, which is being directed by Ricardo Pollack, has only just begun.

'Mai, voice of oppressed Pak women' (Go To Top)

        Lahore: A leading Pakistani woman journalist has described much-famed gang rape victim Mukhtaran Mai as the "voice to every oppressed woman of Pakistan", particularly those living in villages. Mai had done a great service by highlighting her case internationally, she said. Jugnu Mohsin, the publisher and managing editor of The Friday Times, a weekly Pakistani paper, praised Mai for showing the courage to speak out against crimes against women in Pakistan. "Mai has given voice to every oppressed woman of Pakistan, particularly those living in villages. She has aroused every woman in Pakistan that they should not remain silent in case they are raped or oppressed. With her example Mai has given a message to every woman that she should fight for her rights," the Daily Times quoted Jugnu as saying in interview with the Voice of America (VoA). Jugnu said that Mai had emancipated a lot of women who had been tolerating torture against them. "Mai is lucky that the media and human rights groups fully helped and highlighted her case both nationally and internationally," she added, rejecting the opinion that projecting such cases internationally had earned Pakistan a bad name. The editor-cum-published further said: "It is wrong to say that these cases have disrespected Pakistan. This is actually benefiting the women in Pakistan and if Pakistani rulers understand, they are also benefiting because people internationally see women are strong enough in Pakistan to raise their voice for their rights."

New Adidas Soccer ball more accurate (Go To Top)

         London: The football named 'Teamgeist', which is to be used in the Soccer World Cup 2006 beginning Friday in Germany, is 30 percent more accurate while sailing through the air than any other football made so far. The accuracy of Teamgeist or team spirit is attributed to its aeroplane propeller-shaped designs fused to one another instead of the customary pentagons and hexagons stitched together. The seamless and glassy surface ball weighs 444 grams and is more round than any football designed till date. It costs 75 pounds, reports the Daily Mail. Adidas, the maker of the football, aims to sell more than ten million of these balls over the next couple of months. German researchers took three years to develop this football, which could prove a boon for the Beckhams, the Ronaldos and Ronaldhinos, but a bane for goalkeepers, as they allege that it would be difficult for them to catch it when wet because of its glassy outer surface.

Rs 60 lakh Pak OIC crockery scam (Go To Top)

       Islamabad: Crockery and cutlery worth Rs 60 lakhs which was bought in 1998-99 when Pakistan hosted the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit in Islamabad, has gone missing. The country's Foreign Office, which was assigned the task of making the arrangements for the Summit, had imported ten sets of crockery from Japan and 50 sets from Sri Lanka costing around Rs 6.04 million. Quoting official documents, the Daily Times reported that the Nawaz Sharif government gave "a free hand" to the Foreign Office to make arrangements for the OIC summit and the FO "exploited the situation". According to the paper, only six sets of crockery were used during the Summit and they were later donated to the owners of the houses who accommodated the Summit dignitaries, but nobody has an answer regarding the whereabouts of the rest 54 sets.