1984 riots: Court seeks details of destroyed files
New Delhi: A court here Friday sought details of destroyed documents related to a case in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots within a week. Hearing a plea filed by Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) B. S. Joon seeking prosecution of four Delhi Police officials for allegedly destroying some documents related to the case in 1992, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau asked him to give details of the documents which were allegedly destroyed and also their relevance in the matter. The court fixed Feb 24 for hearing final arguments in the case. The court, meanwhile, disposed off Joon’s plea seeking to withdraw himself from the case as the prosecutor of the case, after a senior Delhi government official placed on record a recent notification regarding fresh appointment of Joon as the special prosecutor to conduct the trial in the riots case. Joon has moved an application to withdraw himself from the case alleging that “illegal pressure” was being exercised on him by police since the time he moved a plea in the court for prosecution of the four Delhi Police officials. (IANS)
Andaman and Nicobar to have medical college by 2015
Port Blair: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands will soon have a medical college that would train future doctors and cater to the needs of the people, the Lt. Governor said here Saturday. “While we have very good facilities at the GB Pant Hospital, the problem is that we are acutely short of doctors, whether general or specialists. So we are planning to come up with a medical college attached to the hospital,” Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) A.K. Singh said during a media interaction. “We are hopeful of starting the college on a temporary basis initially by 2015 and gradually developing it into a full-fledged institution which will not only produce doctors but also enable people here to train and serve the people,” he said. He said experts will be consulted over setting up the medical college but refused to divulge details about investment. The 412-bedded GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair, the lone hospital in the union territory with specialized services in various fields, receives an average of 1,200 OPD patients daily. Singh also said an arts and science college too will be set up soon. “Right now, we have only four colleges and there is a huge gap between the availability of colleges and students passing out of schools. Education is one of the key areas of focus and we are progressing steadily,” he added. (IANS)
Jharkhand to release 51 prisoners serving life term
Ranchi: The Jharkhand government Friday decided to release 51 prisoners serving life terms as more than 1,000 prisoners in the state’s jails were on a hunger strike, demanding they be set free as they have completed their sentences. “The State Sentence Review Board today (Friday) recommended release of 51 prisoners undergoing life imprisonment in different jails of the state. The review board headed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, considered applications of 106 such prisoners,” said an official release. At the meeting, Soren stressed that the board could deliberate on applications of prisoners but their release could not be considered a right. When dealing with the applications, the issues of the criminal’s background, nature of crime and also possibility of committing crime again as to be taken into account, he said. It was important to consider as to how the released prisoner’s family was going to treat them, said Soren. (IANS)
Delhi heist: Two Haryana cops held for ‘robbing’ robbers
New Delhi: Two Haryana Police officials have been arrested for robbing Rs.7.5 lakh from one of the gang who robbed a businessman and his employees in a well-planned operation here last month, police said Friday. Assistant Sub-Inspector Basant and Head Constable Sandeep Kumar were arrested by the Delhi Police following the arrest of three people who were involved in the south Delhi heist, police said. Basant and Kumar, posted at Gurgaon’s Kherki Dola police station, had taken away Rs 7.5 lakh from Ajay Nagarwal, which he was carrying to buy a second hand SUV in Gurgaon. Police arrested Nagarwal and his two associates in connection with the robbery of Rs.7.69 crore at gun point from a businessman in Lajpat Nagar of south Delhi Jan 28. The robbers escaped in the trader’s car in which he was going with four other employees. According to a police officer, after committing robbery, Shakti, one of the robbers who is still absconding, gave Rs.10 lakh to Nagarwal to purchase a second-hand big SUV so they all could go to a remote area with the huge amount of cash. When Nagarwal along with other robber Pradeep were going around the Kherki Dola area in search of a car dealer, they were stopped by Kumar and Basant. Pradeep, who had Rs.1 lakh in his pocket, escaped from the spot but Nagarwal who had Rs.9 lakh in his bag was caught. Nagarwal was taken to the Kherki Dola police station and after being detained for three to four hours, was let go. However, only Rs.1.5 lakh was returned to him while Kumar kept back the remaining cash, which he later shared with Basant, police said. (IANS)
Uttarakhand Congress working committee to meet on Feb 15
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Congress has summoned a meeting of its working committee here on February 15 to work out party’s strategy for upcoming Lok Sabha and Panchayat polls in the state. Giving this information at a press conference here today, PCC vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said the meeting has been convened by Pradesh party chief Yashpal Arya. A number of political resolutions will be adopted and party programmes for next three-four months will be formulated at the meeting, he said. Chief Minister Harish Rawat, members of his Cabinet, former CM Vijay Bahuguna, party MLAs and MPs besides office bearers and members of the PCC will attend the meeting, Dhasmana said. Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand will be held in three phases from March 8. Dhasmana congratulated the state government for tabling a “people-friendly” budget in the state assembly saying the proposals take care of all sections of society and puts special emphasis on disaster management in the calamity-hit state. (PTI)