BMW sting case: Lawyers protest HC's verdict

New Delhi:, August 23, 2008 : The Delhi High Court may have sent a strong message by punishing criminal lawyers R K Anand and I U khan in the BMW sting case। But lawyers in the Capital are unhappy with the verdict.

On Friday Bar Association in the Delhi district court went on strike, protesting against the order।

Lawyers in Delhi were up in arms a day after the Delhi High Court held R K Anand and I U Khan guilty of contempt of court and barred them from practicing for the next four months।

All four district courts in the Capital wore a deserted look as the Bar Association went on strike protesting the HC judgement।

"We are upset with the verdict because the judge has barred two very senior lawyers from practicing in Delhi, whereas it is not up to him to decide this," says Patiala house Bar Association's Santosh Mishra।

The High court had found Anand and Khan guilty of trying to bribe witness Sunil Kulkarni to favour accused Sanjeev Nanda in the BMW hit-and-run case।

However, the Bar Association argues that the punishment given is unjustified, as barring a lawyer from practice is the job of the Bar council and not the court।

"We've had a very successful strike today as lawyers on their own didn't practice today without any pressure since they understand that the verdict is unjust," says Patiala house Bar Association's R K Wadhwa।

But senior members of the legal fraternity point out that striking work is only damaging the reputation of the Bar।

"The entire Bar of Delhi could have chosen to file a petition in the SC or in the HC। Instead of resorting to strike as a strike gives a wrong message to the people," says advocate K T S Tulsi.

A year and a half ago the Bar council had initiated inquiry against Anand and Khan, but no action had been taken so far। And as protests continue.

questions are being raised - is the bar council serious enough to send a strong message by punishing the offending lawyers?

Musharraf in 'protective custody'

Islamabad:, August 23, 2008 : Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf is under protective custody and will be allowed to move freely only after a new head of the state is elected and the judges he sacked after declaring an emergency in November 2007 are restored, an official said।

"He is under protective custody but is free to meet friends and relatives," said the official, adding this is mainly because of security reasons।

"Once the new president is elected and judges are restored Musharraf will be allowed to leave the country," he said।

According to sources, Musharraf, who resigned Monday, wanted to visit the US but was stopped by the authorities। "It has been conveyed to him that he will allowed (to travel) after three-four weeks after the election of the president," said the source.

The Presidential election, which was scheduled for September 17, has been brought forward to September 6।

"Some officials are suggesting Saudi Arabia as Musharraf's destination because of security reasons। There are suggestions that he would be sent to the kingdom, where he will stay for at least six months before leaving for any other country," said another official.

The official said that Musharraf would not be allowed to shift into his five-acre farmhouse in Islamabad that is under construction for the last three years. Musharraf had bought the property, valued at $5 million, after he seized power in 1999.

Pune BPO rape victim hit by tragedies

Pune, August 23, 2008 : The woes of the 22-year-old victim of gang rape just seem to be multiplying। While the woman, who was working as a customer care executive at IBM Daksh at Phursungi on Pune-Solapur road, lost her father - a goldsmith - on Thursday, doctors treating her at Jehangir Hospital have diagnosed her with severe blood clotting in the brain (Cortical Venous Trombosis).

Deputy superintendent of police (Pune Rural) Ravindra Sinh Pardeshi told DNA that the clotting had affected her speech and comprehension, as a result of which the police was unable to record her statement, which is vital to make an headway in the case।

"She is also suffering from continuous headaches due to the blood clotting in her brain। However, the treatment administered to her is helping her recover," he added.

The victims 25-year-old friend had lodged a police complaint that she was gang raped by about eight to 10 persons, allegedly by the cab drivers hired by the company, on the night intervening of August 7 and 8।

Pardeshi told DNA that the woman, who was earlier admitted to the Sassoon General Hospital, has now been shifted to Jehangir Hospital for treatment।

According to a city neurosurgeon, the cortical venous thrombosis is caused due to various infections such as pelvic infection among pregnant women and pressure on the backbone। "Its the blockage of the veins at the surface of the brain," he said.

Though, the victims brother and mother have been by her bedside at the hospital, they havent told her about her fathers death. "Her father wasnt well since the last few days. His health deteriorated after learning about his daughter. Unfortunately, he passed away on Thursday," said Pardeshi.

India now has to pay for Brahmaputra flood data

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) The crucial flood data of Brahmaputra river being shared by China with India will no longer come for free।

India will now have to make payments for receiving the data that helps it prepare in advance for floods as the two countries recently signed a fresh five-year MoU।

Under the MoU, China will provide India the hydrological information, including water level, discharge and rainfall from its three stations located at Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia from June 1 to October 15 every year।

The details will enable India to improve flood forecasting and timely warning for mitigation measures।

The data was being given to India for free from 2002 but China now wants payment for the information it would send between 2008 and 2012, sources in the Union Water Resources Ministry told PTI।

"After a fresh bilateral understanding, we will have to provide a token amount to it to maintain the staff and equipment at the monitoring stations located in inhospitable terrains," the sources said, adding modalities would be worked out later।

New Delhi had first entered into a MoU with Beijing for sharing of hydrological information on downstream Brahmaputra river in flood season by China in 2002।

The Brahmaputra originates in south-west Tibet as Yarlung Tsangpo. It is also called Yarlung Zangbo in China.

Vijender loses semifinal bout, settles for bronze

Beijing, Aug 22 (PTI) Vijender could not be the alchemist and turn his bronze into gold but today's semifinal defeat could not deny him the honour of being India's first Olympic medal winning boxer।

Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux simply outsmarted the Indian 8-5 to win the 75kg category semifinal in a comprehensive manner and the outcome meant Vijender had to be content with the bronze, which he was already assured of।

The Cuban negated Vijender's height and reach advantages by playing from a distance। He simply did not allow Vijender land a single blow in the first, third and fourth rounds.

Even two penalty points in the final round could not make any difference for the Cuban had tilted the game in his favour a long away।

Surprisingly, barring the second round, Vijender held himself back throughout the bout and mostly sprayed his punches।

Emilio, son of 1972 Munich Games gold medallist Emilio Correa Vaillant, was precise with his blows। He did not resort to wild arm swinging or uppercuts but relied mostly on straight punches, which paid him rich dividends.

Clearly the faster of the two, Emilio led 3-0 early in the second round and though a desperate Vijender managed to reduce the gap to 4-3 by the end of the round, the Cuban proved his superiority again in the lop-sided third round that virtually sealed the fate of the bout।

"Once he went 3-0 ahead, a comeback was always difficult. I tried my best and reduced the gap in the second round but could not really pull it off," a dejected Vijender said after the bout.

Indian, US warships to carry out wargames in Arabian sea

New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) The US navy will field its most powerful warships led by the latest nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Ronald Reagan and nuclear submarine USS Springfield in a new range of wargames in the Arabian sea from October 15, a naval official here said।

Indian and US warships will undertake complex air-to-air, under-sea and warship-to-warship manoeuvres in the wargames for ten days, the official said।

Along with the carriers and submarines, the Malabar series of wargames on India's western seaboard will also see participation by latest guided missile cruisers, destroyers and frigates as well as long range maritime F-18 and Jaguar fighters।

"The naval wargames will be complex in nature involving anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres, flying operations and crossdeck embarkations," the naval official said signalling a resolve of the two countries to take their military-to- military interaction to a new high।

The new Malabar series of wargames come close on the heels of frontline Indian Air Force Sukhoi fighters taking part for the first time in fighter exercises at the world's most advanced air wargames complex at Nellis Air Base in the Nevada desert of the United States.

Congress giving priority to BCs: Srinivas

Hyderbad Kamis, Agust 21 2008, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President D Srinivas today denied media reports that the party was not giving priority to the Backward Classes in the selection of District Congress Committee (DCC) Presidents। Addressing a press conference here, he said the Congress was the only party in the country, which was giving priority to the weaker sections, including Backward Classes and minorities.

Stating that the Congress had given more than 50 per cent posts to the people from the weaker sections, he said the party had appointed 11 BCs , two minorities and 15 from other classes as DCC Presidents after detailed discussions with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and other senior leaders in the state। Mr Srinivas said he along with Mr Reddy had a detailed exercise on the selection of candidates for the DCC Posts. The same list was sent to the Congress High Command and it was approved by AICC President Sonia Gandhi.

He said, ''my wish is to see more than 100 candidates from weaker section sitting in the assembly on behalf of the Congress party, and the whole exercise of reshuffling the organisational set up is for coming back to power in the next elections in the state।'' Regarding the selection of DCC Presidents for Kurnool and Khammam, he said the High Command would take a decision very soon.

Selection of President for the Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee was pending with the High Command, he added.