2100 HRS
30th March, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• CBI questions former Uttar Pradesh Minister Raja Bhaiya's Cousin and MLC Akshay Pratap Singh in Zia-ul-Haq murder case.

• A Delhi Court remands suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militant Sayyed Liyaqat Shah to 14 days judicial custody.

• Former Law Minister of Odisha Raghunath Mohanty and his wife facing dowry charges, sent to judicial custody.

• In Assam, indefinite curfew clamped in Sualkuchi town in Kamrup after protesting silk weavers clash with Police.

• Saudi Arabia assures India that the Kingdom will take care of Indians working there; Indian Embassy in Riyadh asks expatriates not to panic.

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Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today questioned former UP Minister Raja Bhaiya's cousin and MLC Akshay Pratap Singh in Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haq and two others murder case. CBI sources said Singh was questioned in detail in Kunda about his whereabouts on the day of incident in which village head Nanhe Yadav, his brother and DSP Haq were allegedly murdered during violence arising over a land dispute. Earlier, the CBI had recovered a blood-stained wooden rod and ammunition belt with six live cartridges from various places in Pratapgarh district during its ongoing probe. The agency registered four cases to probe the killing of DSP Haq and two others. Our Correspondent reports that the former Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya is one of the suspects in the case. He had to resign from the Uttar Pradesh Ministry after his name cropped up in the case.

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A court in New Delhi today remanded suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militant Sayyed Liyaqat Shah to 14 days judicial custody. He has been booked by Delhi Police for waging war against the country. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Manoj Kumar sent 45-year-old Shah, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, to Tihar jail till April the 12th after he was produced in the court before the expiry of his 15-day police remand.

The Delhi police in its application has submitted that Shah has revealed that he is a trained militant of banned terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and was settled in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

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The former Law Minister of Odisha Raghunath Mohanty and his wife, who are facing dowry charges, have been sent to judicial custody till the 2nd of April. Hearing the bail application of the Mohanty duo, the SDJM Court in Balasore today passed the order to this effect. The court has asked the Human Rights Protection Cell, HRPC, probing into the case to submit the up-to-date case diary for further hearing on the bail application on the 2nd of the coming month. The Mohanty couple, before being arrested last night near Kolkota by a team of HRPC, were said to be absconding since their daughter-in-law brought dowry allegation against them on the 14th of this month.

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President Pranab Mukherjee presented silver trumpet and trumpet banner to the President's Bodyguard, PBG, at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening. An audio-visual presentation highlighting the history and significance of the trumpet and the banner and the modern-day role of the PBG was made at the function. Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Mukherjee lauded the professionalism, dedication and commitment of President's Bodyguard.

It is the oldest regiment of the Indian Army and has a rich history of service with distinction through professional excellence, unflinching dedication and commitment. It has upheld the hightest standards of service

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The government has set up a National Power Committee to ensure strict discipline and resolve inter-state issues in utilisation of electricity grids in the country. According to an order by the Ministry of Power, the panel will address issues among Regional Power Committees that work towards improving operational performance of grids in a particular region.

The committee's role will be crucial in evolving a common approach to issues related to reliability and security of the power grid system in the country, against the backdrop of growing complexity in managing them.

Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority, the apex planning body for the power sector, will be heading the 18-member committee.

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In Assam, indefinite curfew has been clamped in Sualkuchi town in Kamrup (Rural) district after protesting silk weavers today defied prohibitory orders and clashed with Police. Quoting Police sources, our Correspondent reports that one Police Officer and three civilians sustained injuries in the clashes.

Senior officials are camping at Sualkuchi to take stock of the situation. One column of army has been deployed and they are staging flag march. One additional company of Assam Police is also maintaining a strict vigil. Three injured persons were undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. The unfortunate incident occurred when local people and traders set ablaze imported fabrics for allegedly selling in the name of local clothes. Security forces retaliated when angry mob attacked them.Sualkuchi is known for its famous paat and muga fabrics. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi appealed all not to take law in their hands. Opposition parties of the state condemned the incident.

Manas Pratim SarmaAIR News, Guwahati.

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Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that the direct cash transfer scheme will help cash benefits reach people without the hindrance of middlemen. He was speaking after opening community halls built under MPLAD fund at Azhavidangan, Keezhayur in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu today. The minister pointed out that at present only a percentage of the total benefit announced by government is reaching the people because of leakages. He said that to get the benefits all people should open accounts in banks or post offices compulsorily. He said old age pension, student scholarships and many other cash subsidies and benefits will be operated through Direct cash transfer scheme. He urged the rural people to give higher education to their children using the educational loans provided by banks.

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Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker N Manohar today issued notices to 18 MLAs seeking explanation about their alleged violation of whip issued by their respective parties during the recent voting on no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers. The speaker has asked 9 Congress MLAs and 9 Telugu Desam Party MLAs to give their replies in 14 days. These MLAs had voted against their party whips during the voting on no-confidence motion moved by Telangana Rastra Samithi. Both Congress and TDP urged the Speaker to take action against their party members who violated the whip under the anti-defection law.

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The war of words between Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma and Samajwadi Party Chief continues. Verma today charged the SP Chief of misleading the minorities. He also alleged that Mulayam Singh Yadav had a tacit understanding with the BJP.

Talking to media persons on the side lines of a function at Allahabad Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav reiterated that SP will continue to support Congress led UPA government at the Centre to check communal forces from coming into power at the centre. He said his party would not support NDA.

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The kin of eight security personnel martyred in the 2001 Parliament attack, today took back the gallantry medals which they had returned in 2006 to protest against delay in the execution of Afzal Guru. They received the medals from President Pranab Mukherjee today. The families had decided to take back the medals after Afzal was hanged last month.

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today made it clear that it is mandatory for all cable operators to carry the signals of DOORDARSHAN National and DD News channels on their network. He added that stringent action has been taken against the Cable operators and MSO’s who overlooked the guidelines issued by the Ministry. Speaking in an informal conversation with public representatives and officials of the Ministry in Indore, Mr. Tewari said more regional input will be included in News Bulletins and other News based programmes.

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In Rajasthan the State Congress has started election campaign for coming assembly elections from today with flagging off congress sandesh yatra from Jaipur.This yatra will cover all 200 assembly constituencies in next three months. In the first leg Congress Sandesh Yatra will cover Dausa,Sawai Madhopur and Karoli districts.

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An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale struck Bhachau in Kutch district of western Gujarat today. According to the Institute of Seismological Research, Ahmadabad, the earthquake struck 22 km north of Bhachau, near Choburi at noon.

There are no reports of any loss or damage to life and property.

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The prices of both gold and silver fell today due to sluggish demand amid absence of any market moving factor from the global front. While gold fell by 130 rupees to 30,070 per 10 grams, silver lost 700 rupees at 53,500 per kg on reduced offtake by jewellers and industrial units.

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Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamad, met Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah in Tajikistan capital Dushanbe on the sidelines of the Asian Development Dialogue and conveyed the anxiety and concerns of India on the issue of Nitaqat program by the Saudi Arabian authorities. The Prince assured Ahamad that Saudi Arabia will always give the best consideration for Indians working in the Kingdom and values its very cordial relations with India.The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has said that there is no need to panic over the media reports related to the action over Nitaqat program.

The Indian Embassy has requested the Saudi authorities to ensure that no Indian national legally employed in Saudi Arabia faces difficulties. The Embassy said in a statement that it will keep the Indian expatriate community updated on the further developments through the media releases. The statement said that those Indian nationals who have completed the formalities with the Saudi authorities for their final exit, but do not have a valid passport, would be issued a travel document or the Emergency Certificate for their return to India.

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In Afghanistan fourteen armed insurgents were killed, four wounded and as many arrested during joint clearance operations by Afghan security forces and the international troops in various provinces in the past two days. Afghan interior ministry in a press release in Kabul said the operations were conducted in Nangarhar, Laghman, Badakshan, Kandhar and Helmand provinces. Some ammunition and improvised explosive devices were also confiscated from the insurgents. Afghan police defused three landmines in Zabul and Daikundi provinces during the period.

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Officials in southern Pakistan say armed men have attacked a school, killing the principal and wounding at least six children. Authorities said the children, between the ages of five and 10, were receiving their results at a school in the neighbourhood of Karachi when the attackers struck. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

In another incident, a suicide bomber killed a policeman and wounded six other people in the northwestern region this morning.

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The former South African President, Mr Nelson Mandela is now breathing without difficulty, as he continues to respond to treatment in hospital for a recurrence of pneumonia. Doctors said his condition continues to improve. The South African Presidency revealed that the 94-year old has been battling a pneumonia and a lung infection, impairing his breathing.

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In Bangladesh, the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan police today arrested 16 people including a Jamaat-E-Islami Leader and four Pakistani nationals on charges of assembling militants and trafficking fake Indian currency. Briefing reporters in Dhaka today, official spokesman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Joint Commissioner of the Detective Branch Monirul Islam said that the arrested Jamaat-E-Islami leader was an eye specialist