RJD MP Shahabuddin to be shifted from Siwan Jail: EC

     New Delhi: Cracking the whip, the Election Commission on Thursday ordered shifting of controversial RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin from Siwan Jail in Bihar to ensure peaceful polling in the remaining two phases of assembly elections in the state. In a directive to the Bihar government, the EC asked the authorities to transfer the RJD strongman from Siwan, his Lok Sabha constituency, to any other jail in the state where elections are over. The state government could also lodge him in Beur Jail in Patna, EC sources said. The sources said the commission was apprehensive that the presence of Shahabuddin, facing several criminal charges, in his home district Siwan might vitiate the poll process and the conduct of free and fair elections on February 15 and 23. The commission`s action comes in the wake of reports alleging that the RJD muscleman was holding `durbars` in the jail premises itself where his writ runs giving a go-by to jail rules as well. Meanwhile, the RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav said the Election commission should not interfare in court related case. He was speaking to reporters on sideline of is a election campaign in Bihar.

Govt under pressure to release Nanavati report (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Home Minister Shivraj Patil has said that the Nanavati Commission report will only be released as and when the government chooses to do so. A day after Justice Nanavati presented his report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Home Minister indicated that the report had not indicted the top Congress leadership. A fortnight ago, a TV channel had reported that Justice Nanavati's report had stayed away from involving former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi or the Congress party as a whole for failing to control the violence. "There is a procedure which has to be followed when the inquiries are constituted and the reports are given and the reports are examined by the government," Patil said. "After examining the report, the government then gives the Action Taken Report. So we will follow the procedure," he added. Meanwhile, the Minority Commission chairman, Tarlochan Singh, who is also a member of Om Prakash Chautala's party, also met the Home Minister today, asking that the report be made public. But judging from the home minister's remarks, the Congress appears confident that the Nanavati report is not likely to revive the ghosts of 1984 in a manner that will politically damage the party.

CBI starts Gutka baron-underworld nexus probe (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started investigations into the gutka baron-underworld nexus by sending a team to Mumbai. The case was earlier transferred to the CBI by Maharashtra Police on the orders of the Centre. Rasik Dhariwal, who is the owner of the Manikchand Group and S M Joshi, the owner of the Goa Group, are facing charges of having links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's gang and are reported to be hiding in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Maharashtra Police had filed the chargesheet against Anees Ibrahim, Dawood's brother, and three others under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The chargesheet, however, did not name Dhariwal or Joshi. Both have had non-bailable arrest warrants issued against them by a MCOCA court to appear for police questioning. Last October, the police arrested Jamiruddin Ghulam Rasul Ansari alias Jumbo and his associate Rajesh alias Rajaram Panchariya, on the charges that they helped Dawood Ibrahim and his brother Anis Ibrahim Kaskar set up gutka companies in Pakistan, which has now grown up into a 150 crore empire. The case dates back to the early 90s when the two gutka manufacturers, who were business partners apparently fell out over a settlement of dues. They allegedly approached Dawood Ibrahim asking him to mediate. In return, according to the police, gutka barons established a gutka factory in Pakistan and supplied raw material for the gangster's brother. Both Dhariwal and Joshi are reported to be in the UAE. Despite an extradition treaty with the UAE, the Maharashtra Police could not bring them back to India.