2G case: Recording of accused’s statement fixed for March 3
New Delhi: A special court hearing the second generation (2G) spectrum case on Monday fixed March 3 for recording of statement of the accused, including of former union communications minister A. Raja. The special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge O.P. Saini will March 3 start recording the statements of Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi, who are accused in the case. The court Nov 27 concluded recording of statements of 153 people running into 4,400 pages, who were examined as prosecution witnesses. It had earlier scheduled Jan 20 for commencement of recording of statements of accused, but since questionnaires were not ready, more time was sought. Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati; former additional private secretary to Raja, Aseervatham Achary; Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ex-chairman Nripendra Misra; former Indian corporate lobbyist Niira Radia; former deputy director general (access services), Department of Telecommunication A.K. Srivastava; former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) govenor D. Subbarao; DMK chief M. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal; Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group chairman Anil Ambani and his wife Tina Ambani were among the CBI witnesses who deposed before the court. The court Nov 11, 2011 started the daily trial, after accepting the CBI plea and framing graft and other charges against 17 accused, including Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi. The special court was set up last year on the direction of the Supreme Court. (IANS)
Four Metro stations shut in Delhi
New Delhi: Four Metro stations in the heart of the capital were shut on Monday in a bid to foil a mass protest called by the AAP seeking the suspension of some police officers. The Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan and Race Course stations were closed at 9 a.m. in the wake of the demonstration called by the Aam Aadmi Party outside Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s office.
Delhi Metro initially said the stations would remain closed until 1 a.m. A later announcement said they will be shut until further orders. The inter-change facility at the Central Secretariat station was, however, available. While entry into the Central Secretariat station was banned, government employees were allowed to exit after their IDs were checked. Delhi Police, which comes under the union home ministry, Sunday banned the assembly of four or more people in the heart of Delhi where Shinde’s office is located. (IANS)
Kumar Vishwas booked in Lucknow
Lucknow: A case has been lodged against poet-turned-leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Kumar Vishwas here, officials said on Monday. The case against Vishwas was filed by Ram Prasad Mishra, general secretary of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Sewa Samiti, for allegedly making “hurtful” remarks against Karbala martyrs and some Hindu deities. Police official Satish Gautam told IANS that the case was being investigated and videos of such inflammatory speeches, as alleged by the complainant, would soon be seen by investigators. “As of now, we have lodged the FIR based on the complaint and now further investigation will be done based on the charges made in the complaint,” the official said. Mishra alleged that some of the poems and utterances of Vishwas were inflammatory and hurt religious sentiments of Hindus and Muslims. The case against Vishwas has been registered under Sections 295, 295 (a) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), officials said. Vishwas is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. (IANS)
One held for shooting BJP leader
Lucknow: A man was arrested on Monday over the killings of a Madhya Pradesh-based BJP leader and three of his family members in Jhansi Sunday, officials said. The Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police, which is probing the killings, detained 12 people and arrested a suspect named Tej Pal Singh. Uttar Pradesh Police have now launched a hunt for others involved in the murders. “We are on a lookout for the culprits, four teams have been dispatched to Madhya Pradesh and we hope to get a breakthrough soon,” Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) V.K. Garg told IANS. A Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Tikamgarh, Brajesh Tiwari and his wife Babli Tiwari (35), nephew Mayank (15) and son Puneet (12) were pumped with bullets on the highway near the Jhansi Medical College. They were travelling in their car on way to attend a family wedding when another speeding car intercepted their vehicle and before they could understand what was happening, attackers fired 50 rounds, killing all people in the car. Family members of Tiwari told police that they suspected a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader could be behind the killings. Neeraj Tiwari, a close relative, said in past too after losing the elections, SP leader O.P. Arjariya and his supporters had fired at the family. The killings of four people on the highway have sent shock waves in the region. (IANS)