Court to hear cheque bounce case against Mallya on Aug 6
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday fixed August 6 for hearing a cheque bounce case against liquor baron Vijay Mallya by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL). The court, which had summoned Mallya as accused today, fixed the matter for the next date after it was told by the counsel appearing for the businessman that its summoning order had been challenged before the High Court. The trial court had summoned Mallya as accused following a complaint by DIAL, which operates the capital’s IGI Airport, claiming that a cheque for Rs one crore issued by Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) on February 22, 2012 was returned to them a month later containing remarks “fund insufficient”. DIAL has filed four cases in June 2012 against Mallya over KFA’s cheques totalling Rs 7.5 crore not being honoured. The grounded airline had issued the cheques towards payment for services availed by them at the IGI airport here. (PTI)
Three women killed in lightning strike in Bihar
Jamui: Three women were killed while two others sustained burn injuries when lightning struck them in Sitarampur village of Bihar’s Jamui district on Saturday. The incident occurred this afternoon when the women were planting paddy saplings, Jamui Police Station SHO Sanjeev Kumar said. Ramsakhi Devi (50), Maya Devi (45) and Sulekha Devi (30) were killed, while two women, Gita Devi and Gangiya Devi, were admitted to Jamui Sadar hospital with burn injuries, the SHO said. The family of deceased would be given Rs 3,000 for performing the last rites, Jamui Block Development Officer S Kumar said, adding Rs 20,000 would be given to families of each deceased, apart from Rs 4 lakh from the state government. (PTI)
French woman kills self, adopted daughter in Goa
Panaji: In a shocking incident, a 45-year-old French woman allegedly committed suicide by slitting her throat and that of a minor adopted daughter in the popular beach village of Anjuna in Goa, police said on Saturday. According to Sub Inspector V. Kavlekar, the woman, identified as Sevorine Figerre, left behind a suicide note, in which she had allegedly blamed stress for leading her to commit suicide and killing her adopted daughter. The baby was adopted from a family in Karnataka’s Bijapur district, police said. “We have sent both the bodies to Goa Medical College for post mortem and have also informed her husband about the unfortunate incident,” Kavlekar told. The official further said that police learnt about the incident when Figerre’s husband, who is in France, called them for assistance after his wife did not answer his phone calls on several occasions. (IANS)
Mufti multiplied mistakes committed by my govt: Omar
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday claimed the ‘mistakes’ committed by his government in dealing with the street protests in the Valley in 2010, have been ‘multiplied’ by incumbent CM Mehbooba Mufti. “I learnt from my mistakes, ensured they weren’t repeated again. @MehboobaMufti has not only repeated them but multiplied them many times,” Omar wrote on Twitter. The National Conference (NC) working president had recently said the ruling dispensation in the state had forgotten lessons of 2008 and 2010 when the Valley witnessed large-scale protests. “I feel that unfortunately, the lessons which we learnt in 2008 and 2010, the present government has forgotten them for some reasons,” Omar told reporters on July 13. The former CM had also alleged that either the government’s assessment of the situation after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was wrong or its preparations were not right. (PTI)
MP to have ‘Department of Joy’
Bhopal: In a first of its kind, the Madhya Pradesh government on Friday approved a proposal to constitute a Department of Joy, which would work towards making a common man happy. In a meeting of the council of ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, it was also decided that the proposed department would work as a knowledge resource centre on joy. An Institute of Joy will also be created under the department, official sources said. The state government studied new parameters set by the United Nations, US and Bhutan in this regard before deciding to set up such a department, they added. The Department of Joy will study and identify new parameters of joy and well-being. It will also help spreading happiness among various departments of the state government, and prepare guidelines in this direction, said the sources. The new department will also prepare an action plan for the feeling of joy and will study mental state of the common people. The proposed department has a budget of Rs 6,08,000 to start with. (IANS)
