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Pakistan seals offices of banned militant outfits

 

Union minister Judeo quits over corruption charge

          New Delhi, Nov 17: Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Dilip Singh Judeo, who has been videotaped while accepting a bribe, resigned from the Union Cabinet on Monday. Judeo, who has denied the allegation, was a leading campaigner for the BJP in Chhattisgarh Assembly election on December 1. BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after an emergency meeting at the Prime Minister's residence that Judev submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The resignation was later accepted by the PM.

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Judeo case handed over to CBI: PM

          New Delhi, Nov 17: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will probe the alleged bribery case involving Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo. "The matter has been handed over to the CBI. The CBI will inquire into it," Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told reporters on Monday at an Iftar party here hosted by Textiles Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain. Asked whether he had seen the video footage purportedly showing Judeo taking the money, the Prime Minister said "saaf nahi hai (It is not clear)". To a question whether the Judeo episode would affect the prospects of BJP in the coming Assembly elections, Vajpayee said "it will be known after counting (of votes)."

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          The reports revealed a video disc showing Judeo accepting money. In the accompanying audio, a man said the money was for help in obtaining mining rights in Chhattisgarh after the elections. Parts of the video have since been broadcast on all major Indian television news channels. While it showed cash being handed over, it does not clearly show the minister's face.

          On Sunday after returning from his three-nation visit abroad, Vajpayee had ruled out the possibility of Judev resigning by saying that, "Normally such allegations are made ahead of elections but one should not jump to conclusions." Calling it an example of "cheap politics" by the Congress, Naidu said: "The allegation levelled against Judeo are false and fabricated." Apparently hinting that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi was behind the expose, he said, "Jogi is not a man of integrity. We should not believe a person who himself is mired in so many controversies."

          Judeo said he would fight back. "This news has affected more than two million people of Chhattisgarh. It is a disgrace. We have contacted the (BJP) president and I have sent my resignation," Judeo told reporters in Chhattisgarh Capital Raipur.

          The BJP was hoping to oust the Congress party from power in Chhattisgarh and three other major states in polls seen as a crucial test of both parties' popularity ahead of national elections due next year. Meanwhile, Congress party activists staged a demonstration in the national Capital demanding action against Judeo.

          Vajpayee's BJP-led coalition government was hit by a similar scandal in 2001 when a website displayed footage that appeared to show officials taking money from journalists posing as arms dealers. That scandal led to the resignation of the president of the BJP.

          Political analysts said this latest incident has put the BJP in a tight spot two weeks ahead of voting in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi - all of which are ruled by the Congress. The four states go to the polls on December 1.

Assam observes shutdown amid tight security (Go To Top)

          Guwahati, Nov 17: Normal life in Assam came to standstill on Monday after the All-Assam Students' Union (AASU) declared a 24-hour shutdown to protest an attack on Assamese train passengers in Bihar. Initial reports said that tight security was being maintained to prevent untoward incidents during the strike call, which is being supported by several parties and organizations, including the Asom Gani Parishad, the BJP, the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), beside others.

          In anticipation of the strike call, all shops, educational institutions and commercial establishments remained closed. Attendance at government and other offices was reported to be thin, despite the state government directing respective authorities to ensure that their offices functioned normally. Students set up roadblocks at several intersections across the state, blocking the movement of vehicular traffic. Airline and train passengers were prevented from reaching the airports and the railway stations, official sources said.

Charges filed in stamp paper scam (Go To Top)

          Bangalore, Nov 17: Police in Bangalore on Monday said charges have been filed against the main accused in the multi-million dollar revenue stamp scam. T Madiyal, Commissioner of Police, said the investigation was on into the scam, in which top police officials of Maharashtra have also been implicated.

          Abdul Karim Telgi, the main accused, ran a massive fake revenue stamp scam spanning over six states. There are nine cases filed against him in Karnataka. Telgi was apparently working in network with dozens of local politicians and police officials. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the scam, had earlier implicated R.S Sharma, the police commissioner of Mumbai, in its interim report. The city police' top crime buster, Inspector General of Police (Investigation), Sridhar Wagal, has been arrested for shielding Telgi during his arrest and letting him a free bird at times. Owing to the high profile nature of the case, SIT has not made the details of the case public. The scam, which involves several top police officials, has rocked the state's political establishment, which is under pressure to order a probe by federal police.

Seven bombs found inside Gujarat temple (Go To Top)

          Ahmedabad, Nov 17: As many as seven IED (improvised explosive devices) crude bombs of low intensity were recovered from a temple in Gujarat early Monday, police said. The discovery of the explosives created quite a sensation, as people took to the streets and police stepped up security. The bombs were reportedly planted within the walls of the Swaminarayan temple in the communally sensitive Vatva neighborhood, the police said. "The bombs were improvised explosive devices and of low intensity. They could not have blown up the temple but could have killed many devotees," one police officer said. Further details are awaited. Last September, a terrorist attack on the Akshardham Temple, also belonging to the Swaminarayan sect, in Gandhinagar had killed 32 people.

Japan is Al-Qaeda's next target (Go To Top)

          Dubai, Nov 17: Japanese capital Tokyo is likely to be the Al-Qaeda's next target of attack, if a report appearing in the Al-Majallah, a London-based Saudi newspaper, is to be believed. On Sunday, the paper claimed that it had received an Al-Qaeda missive warning of a possible attack in Tokyo and a claim that it was responsible for last week's bomb attacks in Iraq and Turkey. The missive was reportedly signed by Abu Mohammed al-Ablaj, an alleged Al-Qaeda leader, who has strongly criticized the Japanese Government's decision to send troops to join the US-led coalition in Iraq.

Pak mission's MI5 whistle-blower flees Britain (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 17: `Notation', the alleged MI5 agent assigned to carry out the spying operation at the Pakistan High Commission here, and who later exposed the attempt, has reportedly fled to Europe earlier this month, the Daily Times said, quoting a Sunday Times report. The paper said the agent claimed to possess enough evidence, including documents and photographs, revealing details about MI5's espionage techniques and what information it was trying to obtain about Pakistan. "'Notation' is now being sought for questioning, but MI5 wants to prevent him from revealing further secrets," a British Home Office source said, adding that he might face prosecution under the Official Secrets Act.

Infiltration in Kashmir continues, it must stop: US to Pak (Go To Top)

          Washington, Nov 17: The U.S. State Department maintains that cross-border infiltration by militants into Kashmir is continuing, and the Pakistan Government must take immediate steps to arrest this trend. "We say that infiltration in Kashmir is continuing and it is important that it stops," Dawn newspaper quoted an unnamed State Department official, as saying. He also indicated that there were differences between Pakistan and the U.S. on how best to resolve this problem. "This is a subject of continuing discussion between Pakistan and the United States," he said. Welcoming Pakistan's decision to ban three militant groups - the Khuddam-ul-Islam, formerly Jaish-e-Mohammed, and outlawed Sipah- e-Sahaba Pakistan and Muslim Tehrik-e-Jafria - the U.S. official, however, said that changing the names "does not change the nature of an organization."

Pakistan seals offices of banned militant outfits (Go To Top)

          Karachi, Nov 17: Offices of the banned Islamic militant organizations, which had relaunched themselves under new names, were sealed in a country-wide swoop in Pakistan, including the restive port city of Karachi, on Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The groups are: Islami Tehrik Pakistan (former Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan), Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan (former Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan), and Khuddam-ul-Islam (former Jaish-i-Mohammad). Dozens of Islamic activists were also rounded up in raids across the country, police said.

          A police official said that Sajid Ali Naqvi, head of Islami Tehrik-e-Pakistan and accused of involvement in sectarian violence, had been picked up in an overnight swoop in Islamabad. The authorities also raided mosques, homes and militant bases across Pakistan early on Sunday, picking up dozens of Islamic militants, another police official said in Multan where hundreds of angry Shi'ite Muslims protested the arrest of Naqvi.

          The government has also outlawed the radical Sunni Muslim Sipah- e-Sahaba Pakistan and rival Shi'ite Muslim Tehrik-e-Jafria Pakistan that have been engaged in tit-for-tat sectarian violence and which had also regrouped under new names. Jamaat-ud-Dawa, formed shortly before the banning of Lashkar-e- Taiba, has been put on a "watch list" of militant groups.

          Last year, Musharraf banned five militant groups, including Jaish-e- Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 and an assault on Indian parliament.

Bottomlines

'Fed up' Beckham threatens to sue over rift rumours (Go To Top)

          London, Nov 17: David Beckham and singer-wife Victoria have squelched fresh tabloid claims that their marriage is in turmoil. According to the Sun, the couple have rubbished a Sunday Mirror report that Posh Spice has been insisting that David return from Spain - home to his current club Real Madrid - or else she would walk out on their marriage. The pair is now threatening to sue the tabloid. Although the duo has issued a joint statement vehemently denying the allegations, Beckham couldn't hold back his frustration following an international match in his native Britain on Sunday - telling reporters the false stories are bringing him down. "I'm fed up. I love my wife. She loves me. There have never been any problems. My wife is very committed to her husband and children and people should stop making up silly stories", he said.

Biting her backside, puts Arnie in a soup! (Go To Top)

          New York, Nov 17: Hollywood hardman Arnold Schwarzenegger's inauguration as California's new governor on Monday is set to be overshadowed by porn baron Larry Flynt's threat to publish raunchy pictures of the actor. According to a report in ratethemusic.com, the chief of the soft-core magazine Hustler is in possession of a series of saucy snaps featuring the "Terminator" star at a wrap party for his 1979 film "The Villain". In one of the pictures, a young woman is sitting provocatively on Arnie's lap and, in the other, the same girl is fooling around with another cast member while the action man bites her backside.

I don't spend money, I eat leftovers: Halle Berry (Go To Top)

          New York, Nov 17: She might be earning a fortune, but she believes in saving rather than spending. According to a report in ratethemusic.com, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry keeps shopping sprees to a minimum and lives off scraps of food. "I don't spend money. I don't buy nearly as many clothes as one would think because I get so many of them as gifts. I eat leftovers a lot, I like jewellery, but not a lot, I have a nice car but I just have one", the "Monster's Ball" star said. "I don't indulge and have all this stuff that I don't need or use. I save it. I have a simple life. The money goes in the bank," she added.

Cage and Presley getting close and personal! (Go To Top)

          Washington, Nov 17: Actor Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of rock legend Elvis, have fuelled speculation that they're back together. According to TeenHollywood, the couple recently spent time at the New Orleans mansion at Louisiana that Cage bought while he was filming "Sonny" on location. The couple had divorced last year. Sources told the American tabloid Star that the couple want to recapture some of their past feelings for each other. Cage's voodoo priestess pal Miriam Chamani, who blessed the pair at their wedding in Hawaii in August 2002, is convinced that it was good move by the actor to bring his ex to New Orleans. "They both believe the second time around might work better," she says.

-ANI

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