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Zaheera asks for probe into Teesta's bank transactions

     New Delhi: The Best Bakery case prime witness, Zaheera Sheikh has filed an application before the Supreme Court Registrar demanding an investigation into social activist Teesta Setalvad's bank accounts. The Registrar is probing into the truthfulness of Zaheera's statements before the trial court in the Best Bakery case. Zaheera has alleged Setalvad of acquiring huge wealth through unfair means. She also urged the Registrar to check the bank accounts of Teesta's family members as well as cross-examine the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Teesta had brought the Best Bakery case in the focus by bringing the Apex Court's notice to various irregularities in the probe of post-Godhra riot cases. On NHRC's petition, the apex court had directed retrial of the Best Bakery case in Mumbai, transferring it from Gujarat and had also quashed the acquittal of all 21 accused. The Court later gave instructions to verify the authenticity of changing statements of Zaheera as well as Setalvad in the case.

     It had also asked her to provide details of her accounts to the court. The apex court had given Zaheera four weeks time to file the details of her assets in the wake of her allegedly changing her statements twice after taking bribe. It had also extended the time of high-level committee appointed by it to probe the authenticity of allegations and counter allegations by Zaheera and social activist Teesta Setalvad in the case to three months. Zaheera took a U-turn when she said that the fast-track court that acquitted all 21 accused for lack of evidence on June 27, 2003 had given her the justice she wanted. The prime witness in the Best Bakery case had also charged Teesta Setalvad with threatening her and forcing her to make statements under duress. She also alleged that Setalvad had held her captive and not allowed her to meet her family. She said she was made to sign legal papers and the matter was taken to the Supreme Court against her wishes. The case involved the killing of 14 people when the Best Bakery in the Hanuman Tekri area of Vadodara was attacked by a large mob and razed to the ground.

Mhatre booked under drunken driving in run-over case (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: The Mumbai Police has booked Ravindra Mhatre, the personal assistant to Shiva Sena supremo Bal Thackeray under the charges of drunken driving in connection with a car accident on Saturday in which two people were killed. "Now we are charging him with drunken driving. We have also charged him for drinking even though he did not even have a liquor permit on him," said Bipin Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police. Earlier, he was booked under a case of death due to negligent driving but now it has been found that he was under the influence of alcohol beyond the permissible limit. While the legal limit is 0.05 mg of alcohol, Mhatre's blood sample showed 0.09 mg of alcohol. Mhatre has been admitted to the Bombay Hospital after he complained of chest pain. On Saturday, two people were killed and two others were injured after being run over by Mhatre's car. The accident took place in suburban Vile Parle on Saturday. The relatives of those dead blame police for negligence. According to Manish, a relative of one of the victims, there was a delay in giving medical aid, which led to the death of his grandmother Leela Mhashelkar and aunt Swati Pawaskar.

Death sentence for raping minor (Go To Top)

      Coochbehar (WB): A sessions court here today awarded death sentence to Nepal Mandal for raping and then murdering a 11-year old girl, Namita Das nearly six years back. Additional Sessions Judge Somnath Banerjee gave the order of capital punishment in the case which occurred on May 13, 1999 when Mandal called the girl for helping him pluck mangoes from a tree in Paschim Rampur village and then raped her. Nandita's body was found inside a bush near a railway track. After examining her dead body, the doctors at a primary health centre found that asphyxia was the cause of her death. A total of 17 witnesses were put under trial. After examining the vaginal swab of the girl, the Regional Forensic Scientific Laboratory in Jalpaiguri had confirmed the rape.

Reds urge Govt to spurn US arms offer (Go To Top)

     Chandigarh: The Communists today criticised the US' offer of arms sale to India, saying it would "trigger an arms race in South Asia". "This is nothing but a conspiracy to cause strife between the two nations. They want to start an arms race between the two nations and we condemn it. We will raise this issue before the Congress party. India should not take any F-16s. We have been blaming Pakistan, so why are we asking for it like beggars?," CPI leader AB Bardhan said at the party's congress in Chandigarh. Washington had last week said that it was lifting a ban on sales of F-16 fighters to Pakistan - imposed in 1990 as a sanction against its nuclear weapons programme - to demonstrate support for a major ally in the war on terrorism. After offering F-16s to Pakistan, Washington also offered to India to sell the fighter jets and the more advanced "F-18 Hornet". It also said that it would consider providing technology for New Delhi's civilian nuclear programme, a sign that Washington is willing to look beyond Pakistan to develop long- term strategic ties with India. The Communists, with more than 60 members in the Lok Sabha, extend a crucial support to the Congress-led UPA government. Meanwhile, the main Opposition party the BJP said that the Union Government's response was not adequate. "This time when the (US) secretary of state visited, an announcement about resuming arms supply to Pakistan was made. Whether it is merely a coincidence or there's more to it, troubles us. When I say I am unhappy, it is not subjective, it my dissatisfaction to the way the present government has responded to it," BJP leader Jaswant Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

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