Trinamool youth leader shot dead in Bengal, BJP blamed
Kolkata: A Trinamool Congress youth leader was shot dead in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Monday, police said. Nazimul Sheikh, a resident of Behrampur area, was allegedly shot dead by bike-borne assailants at around 10 a.m. The police said that the deceased had a number of criminal cases registered against him. The local Trinamool Congress leaders, however, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed miscreants for the killing, but the charge has been strongly refuted by the saffron outfit. Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said he would take up the matter with party’s youth wing president Abhishek Banerjee and unite the party against such mischief. The incident comes after Trinamool MLA Satyajit Biswas’s murder in Nadia on February 9 after he was shot multiple times. (IANS)
Journalist Priya Ramani gets bail in #MeToo defamation case
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to journalist Priya Ramani, summoned as an accused in a defamation case filed by former Union minister M J Akbar after she levelled allegations against him of sexual misconduct when he was a scribe. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal granted her bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000, with a surety of a like amount. Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Ramani, told the court that her client was entitled to bail as defamation is a bailable offence. In its order, the court said: “Since the offence is bailable in nature, Priya Ramani is admitted to bail subject to furnishing personal bond and surety bond in the sum of Rs 10,000. “Bail bonds furnished, considered and accepted. Copy of complaint along with all documents filed with the complaint and exhibited documents are supplied to Priya Ramani today. Copy of all the evidence recorded is also supplied to Priya Ramani.” Ramani also moved an application seeking permanent exemption from personal appearance in the case. (PTI)
Judge recuses from hearing Sajjan Kumar’s appeal
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Monday recused himself from hearing the appeal of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar challenging the Delhi High Court verdict that sentenced him to life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The apex court on January 14 had sought response from the CBI on the appeal of the former Congress leader and had posted the matter for hearing his appeal and the bail plea for today. “My brother (Justice Sanjiv Khanna) does not want to hear,” a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Khanna said at the out set. The bench then ordered that the plea of Kumar be listed before an appropriate bench to which Justice Khanna was not part and adjourned the hearing. (PTI)
AgustaWestland case: Saxena granted round-the-clock security
New Delhi: On the recommendation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Dubai based businessman and accused in the AgustaWestland case Rajeev Saxena was provided with round the clock security cover on Monday. Saxena has been provided with three armed personnel. ANI had earlier reported that Saxena had shown his willingness to turn approver in the case. As per sources, ED and Saxena’s counsel have given their consent for this move and they may move the court for approval in coming days. Saxena, who is already out on interim bail, was granted regular bail by the Patiala House Court after furnishing a personal bail bond of Rs. 5 lakh and two sureties of like amount. While granting regular bail, Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed that Saxena cannot leave the country without the permission of the court. (ANI)
Court directs Vadra to appear before ED today
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday directed Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to join the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation in connection with a probe into a money laundering case. Special Judge Arvind Kumar ordered Vadra to appear before the ED on Tuesday. Vadra, who was slated to appear before the ED at its Jamnagar office here on Monday for his sixth round of questioning, did not depose before the investigating agency and has moved a separate plea before the court seeking a stay on his interrogation. Vadra has been till date questioned for over 34 hours in connection with the case on February 6, 7, 9, 20 and 22. Earlier in the day, the court had directed the ED to provide Vadra hard copies of documents recovered in raids at his properties within five days. The case relates to ownership of overseas assets worth 1.9 million pounds by Vadra. On December 7 last year, the ED had searched several of Vadra’s properties in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Vadra, husband of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, is on interim bail till March 2. (IANS)