U2's music will generate money for tsunami victims

     Washington: Pop band U2 are continuing to help tsunami victims by making their music available as ringtones for telecommunications firm Nextel's new Boost Mobile. According to rate the music, a dollar of each downloaded ringtone will go to UNICEF for the benefit of an estimated 1.5 million children affected by the tsunami disaster.

Chargesheet filed against Kanchi seer

     Kancheepuram: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday filed a chargesheet against the Kanchi seer, Jayendra Saraswati, 71 days after his midnight arrest in Mehboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh in connection with the September 3, 2004 Sankararaman murder case. The chargesheet, running into 1,873 pages, was filed before Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate-I G Utthamaraj in his chamber at 12 30 p.m. by Superintendent of Police, Premkumar, who heads the Special Investigating Team (SIT). Both the Kanchi seers have been charged under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, and if convicted, could attract sentences ranging from three years rigorous imprisonemnt to capital punishment. The charges have been framed on the basis of evidence given by 370 witnesses, Premkumar said, adding "this also included circumstantial evidence." The trial would be conducted in a regular court. Asked whether the prosecution case would stand in the court, Premkumar said nearly 50 witnesses have already given statements before the magistrate. Police sources said the chargesheet contained a set of evidences, which had not been furnished before the Supreme Court in the bail plea of the senior seer, Jayendra Saraswati. The Tamil Nadu Police received a big shot in the arm on Thursday, when Ravi Subramaniam, a key accused in the case turned approver.

State order on case withdrawals not mandatory for courts: SC (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: In a significant order the Supreme Court today ruled that the State's recommendation to withdraw a case is not mandatory for courts. Two-member bench of Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice B N Srikrishna directed, "The law is very clear that the withdrawal of prosecution can be allowed only in the interest of justice". They agreed that conducting prosecution came completely under the State's legal territory but it was the duty of the judiciary to ensure that the concept of justice must prevail. The Bench said that the case could be withdrawn only if it brings acquittal or harmony among the parties. The judgment came in the case of the Madhya Pradesh high court allowing withdrawal of a case on prosecution's logic that seven year long pending trial had caused intense mental tension to the accused.