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Bilkis Bano rape case hearing postponed

     Mumbai: A district court today postponed the hearing of a gang rape case occurred during the communal riots in Gujarat three years ago. Bilkis Bano, a key witness in the gang rape case, had alleged that a mob of 500 people had attacked them and at least three women, including her sister, were gang raped on March 3, 2002 during the riots. "The next hearing has been postponed till tomorrow because the accused could not be brought to court due to Muharram," said Rajendra Shirodkar, defence lawyer. The public prosecutor said that they presented an application in the court regarding the acquittal of one of the accused Sangeeta Prasad and six police officers who are not related to the case. "We had made an application to the court that like Dr. Sangeeta Prasad and other police officers who are not related to the case should be freed on the same ground as the others. In this regard, the court has given time till tomorrow to put forward their case," said R.K. Shah, public prosecutor. Bano and her husband Yakoob Patel are the only survivors in the family out of the 16. The rest were burnt alive. More than 1000 people had died in killings after 59 Hindus were burned to death in a train by a mob. After the incident, the couple is living at an undisclosed location under the protection of a voluntary organisation.

3 killed, 2 RJD MPs externed; campaign ends in Bihar, Jharkhand (Go To Top)

     Patna/Ranchi: Crude bombs on Monday exploded in a ruling RJD MLA's house killing three persons and authorities externed two party MPs, including a brother of Chief Minister Rabri Devi, in an eventful finale to campaign in Bihar as electioneeting ended for the final phase of polling in assembly polls in the state and Jharkhand on February 23. Three persons were killed and two seriously injured when the bombs went off inside the house of RJD MLA from Dhaka Manoj Kumar Singh in Bihar's East Champaran district. The Election Commission externed RJD MP Sadhu Yadav, brother of the Chief Minister, from Gopalganj constituency where his wife Indrani Devi is in fray. Gopalganj comes under Yadav's Lok Sabha onstituency. By contrast, it was a quiet end to the din and bustle of electioneering in Jharkhand where 28 of the 81 seats go to poll in the last round. An estimated 2 crore 65 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the last phase of polling in the two states scheduled for February 23. Nearly two crore voters are eligible to choose their representatives for 93 of the total of 243 seats in Bihar in the final phase of elections.

Shahabuddin to remain behind bars till Feb 28 (Go To Top)

     Siwan (Bihar): Controversial RJD MP from Siwan, Mohammad Shahabuddin may have been granted bail by the Patna High Court, but he will not be released from the Beur Jail till February 28 as per the orders of the district magistrate. Shahabuddin was put in jail for violating the Bihar Control of Crime Act 1981. On Friday, the Patna High Court had granted bail to the MP in conenction with the Munna Chaudhary abduction-cum- murder case. Earlier, the district administration had claimed that Shahabuddin has been barred from entering Siwan District for six months. But Monday's order is another setback for the jailed MP.

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