New public involvement project on the anvil: Atomic Energy Regulatory Board chief

MUMBAI: Justice A M Thipsay of the Bombay high court on Saturday said while its true that Indian needs more energy, the important question when it comes to Nuclear power plants is how to ensure safety first. "Rules need to be very clear as safety of people is more important and there needs to be no ambiguity."

The judge was present at a meet on India's Nuclear Energy sector held by the Nuclear Law Association in the city which saw the legal heads of various large corporations including Pierre Charreton, general counsel, Areva present.

The chairperson of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board S S Bajaj announced that a new public involvement approach is on the anvil and will be implemented during their next review of the proposed Nuclear Power Plant in Haryana. He said that authorities were raking seriously some of the concerns expressed.

The head of the corporate legal group at General Insurance Corporation of India GIC Re Y Ramulu said the company was planning to go ahead with nuclear insurance for smaller projects even for the "hot zone''.

Ravi Kadam the former advocate general of Maharashtra spoke of the need to decide public interest litigations more speedily when they are filed to oppose large technical projects. In his inaugural address R B Grover, Homi Bhabha Chair and Director, Homi Bhabha National Institute said that the relaxation of NSG guidelines had led to concrete results. He pointed out that "Uranium has been imported and has been used in existing PHWRs resulting in improved capacity factors and increased electricity generation'' with 2011-12 seeing a steep rise in power generation over the previous two years.

Behram Vakil, Senior partner of the leading law firm AZB chaired a session on nuclear energy projects and private sector participation which focused on international collaborative projects, international investments and liability issue. He did say that funding does pose a concern for mega projects with half the money to come from within the country.

Charting out the next five year plan since 2012, Grover said for Uranium—the main raw material—augmentation of operations at Tummalapalle in AP are on and new production centres coming up at Gogi in Karnataka, Labapur in AP and KPM in Meghalaya as well as Kanampalle in AP. When it comes to fuel fabrication, the next five year plan also envisages the completion of ongoing projects at Pazhayakayal, expansion in Hyderabad, a new unity at Kota and another unit at a green field site, he said.

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J&K assembly adjourned after furore over Afzal issue

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was rocked by repeated disruptions on Friday, which ultimately led to the House being adjourned for the day, as various parties demanded that Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's mortal remains be handed over to his family.

Cutting across party lines, members of the House from the ruling National Conference as well as opposition PDP and CPM had moved adjournment motions seeking discussion on the situation in the aftermath of Guru's execution and handing over of his mortal remains to his family.

Led by the leader of the opposition Mehbooba Mufti, PDP legislators flashed placards and demanded suspension of the business of the House to discuss the issue, with CPM member MY Tarigami, too joining in urging the speaker Mubarak Gul to accept their demand.

But when the speaker tried to pacify them saying that a discussion would be held in due course, PDP members raised slogans like 'Guru ki body ko wapas karoo, wapas karoo' (Return Guru's body).

"If there is a serious issue, (then) you have to suspend the normal business and discuss (it). But I fail to understand the attitude of this government (since yesterday)," Mehbooba Mufti later told reporters here.

The protests continued for over 15 minutes, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for 45 minutes.

As the House reassembled after the adjournment, the speaker said that he had received adjournment motions of five members of NC besides those from PDP and CPIM and that he would take a view on them.

However, PDP members continued their protest even as the speaker started discussion on the governor's address.

With noisy scenes continuing in the House, the speaker adjourned the House for a second time around noon and later for the day.

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Trinamool Congress minister wins assembly bypoll

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress minister Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury won the Assembly by-election from English Bazar constituency in Malda district on Thursday with a margin of 20,452 votes.

Choudhary defeated his nearest CPM rival Kaushik Mishra. In the other two constituencies of Rejinagar and Nalhati, the Congress and Forward Bloc are leading respectively, State Election Commissioner Sunil Gupta said.

All three seats were won by Congress candidates in the 2011 Assembly elections at a time when Congress had an alliance with the TMC.

The Nalhati Assembly seat fell vacant after its MLA Abhijit Mukherjee, son of President Pranab Mukherjee, quit his seat to fight the Lok Sabha by-election from Jangipur.

Elections to English Bazar and Rejinagar seats were necessitated following resignation of Congress MLAs Krishnendu Choudhury and Humayun Kabir after their switch-over to the TMC.

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Babbar Khalsa terrorist arrested in Punjab

AMRITSAR: (IANS) A Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist with a reward of Rs.10 lakh on his head has been arrested in Punjab, police said Wednesday.

Narain Singh Chaura was arrested Tuesday evening in Jalalabad village of the border district of Tarn Taran, some 300 km from Chandigarh.

Chaura was booked under the provisions of the Explosives Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar in May 2010 and since then he had been untraced and on the run, a Punjab Police spokesperson said.

Following revelations by Chaura, police have recovered an AK-56 assault rifle with 20 rounds, a .30 pistol with 50 rounds, five hand grenades and other ammunition from Kurali village in Mohali district near Chandigarh, the spokesperson added.

Two of his accomplices -- Sukhwant Singh and Sukhdev Singh -- were also arrested following leads provided by him during interrogation.

Chaura was being tracked by police as he was trying to revive militancy in Punjab, a senior police officer said in Chandigarh.

He was also involved in Chandigarh's Burail Jail break by Babbar Khalsa terrorists Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara and Paramjit Singh Bheura. The trio escaped from the high-security jail through a 108-foot-long tunnel on the intervening night of Jan 21-22, 2004.

The police spokesperson said that Chura, who used different names, had been actively associated with militant activities in Punjab since early 1980s.

"In 1984, he crossed over to Pakistan and was instrumental in smuggling in a huge consignment of weapons and explosives during the initial stages of militancy in Punjab. While in Pakistan, he authored a book on guerrilla warfare and other seditious literature," the spokesperson said.

"He returned to India in 1986, went underground and later again crossed over to Pakistan. In 1989, he came back to operate in India under the assumed names of Chamkaur Singh and Kapoor Singh Jamraudh. He founded the Akal Federation and later the Khalistan Liberation Army outfits," the spokesperson added.

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Islamic scholars condemn killing of Shia Muslims in Pakistan

MUMBAI: A group of Islamic scholars today called upon international bodies like United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and governments across the world to devise ways to put an end to killing of Shia Muslims in Pakistan.

"It is extremely shameful," Islamic scholar Maulana Sayed Ahmedalo Abidi, Imam-e-Juma Khoja Jama Masjid Dongri and Principal of Houza Ilmiya Najifi House, told reporters here.

"Shias are being attacked, shot and bombed. This is extremely serious," he said, urging the Indian government to take up the issue in international forums.

He also appealed to the government of Pakistan to ensure that Shias were protected from violence unleashed by militants.

The Islamic scholars said the Army must be made directly responsible and accountable for the law and order situation and safety of all people, including Shias in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.

"The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan must look into the issue," said Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, General Secretary All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board.

Pakistan has been besieged by militant attacks in recent years, many of them carried out by Pakistani Taliban, who have been waging a bloody insurgency against the government.

Radical Sunni militant groups have also increasingly targeted the country's Shias because they do not view them as real Muslims, Rizvi said in a statement.

Many of these sectarian attacks have occurred in southwest Balochistan province, which has the largest concentration of Shias in Pakistan, he said.

The Islamic scholars also condemned the twin blasts at Hyderabad recently.

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Ishrat case: Police officers' custody extended till Feb 28

AHMEDABAD: A local court today extended the custody of two police officers, Tarun Barot and Bharat Patel, arrested on Saturday by CBI in connection with alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan, for three more days.

Additional chief judicial magistrate H S Khutwad said "The accused police officers have been remanded to police custody till February 28 for further interrogation."

The agency had earlier argued that the duo, during their one-day police custody granted by the court yesterday, were adopting evasive tactics and not cooperating during interrogation.

"The encounter case is an old one and the accused police officers are adopting various tactics to hide crucial evidence during interrogation," CBI lawyer Abhishek Arora said.

The CBI argued that "the accused police officers, knowing fully well that the police custody granted to them was only for 24 hours, did not at all cooperate during interrogation and gave evasive replies."

Opposing the remand application, counsel Brijrajsinh Jhala, who argued for Patel, said that despite being given 24 hours for interrogation, they were probed only for one and a half hours.

He also said that "false evidence is being created in the name of interrogation", adding that CBI has mentioned that some Call Detail Record (CDR) of police officials involved in nakabandi and encounter was available while earlier the agency had said that CDR was permanently lost.

CBI counsel, however, pointed out that in the initial FIR filed by the Crime Branch, it was mentioned that CDR was permanently lost but the FIR filed by CBI stated that for commercial purposes (billing), telecom companies could make CDR available for seven years.

The CBI had arrested Special Operation Group (SOG), Gandhinagar police inspector Bharat Patel and suspended Mehsana Dy SP Tarun Barot late on Saturday evening.

Patel was police sub-inspector with Crime Branch, Ahmedabad in 2004.

The Gujarat police had alleged that 19-year-old Mumbai girl Ishrat Jahan, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were a part of the conspiracy to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. They were killed in an encounter on June 15, 2004 on a stretch of road between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Earlier, CBI had arrested Girish Singhal, Superintendent of Police with State Crime Records Bureau, and J G Parmar, retired DSP and the court, after rejecting their remand, had sent them in judicial custody.

After Ishrat's mother complained about the alleged fake encounter, Gujarat High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which concluded that the encounter was fake. The high court handed over the case to CBI on December 1, 2011, and monitoring the investigations.

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LeT has sent threat letter claiming responsibility for blast: Andhra BJP

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh BJP chief G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said he has received a threat letter purportedly written by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in which it claimed responsibility for the Dilsukhnagar bomb blast.

He received the letter by post on Saturday written in Urdu and English, he claimed at a press conference here.

He, however, refused to give a copy of the letter saying he has handed it over to Abids police station.

In the letter, the LeT stated that its next target is Begam Bazar, Reddy claimed.

Begum Bazar is another crowded wholesale market in the city.

When contacted, Abids police said, "We have received a letter from Kishan Reddy today (Sunday) and it is being verified."

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PM to visit Hyderabad tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Hyderabad tomorrow to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of twin bomb blasts there.

Singh will visit the hospital where the injured are being treated besides taking a briefing from chief minister Kiran Reddy, sources said.

Two bombs exploded within a span of minutes in Hyderabad on Thursday evening, killing 16 people and injuring 117.

The central government yesterday came under sharp attack in Parliament, with the Opposition saying terror was being dealt with in a casual manner.

Strongly condemning the blasts, the Prime Minister had said soon after the incident that those responsible for the "dastardly" act would not go unpunished.

He appealed to the public to remain calm and maintain peace.

Singh has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of those killed in the blasts and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured from the PM's Relief Fund.

Investigators today claimed to have got "vital clues" in the probe, with the needle of suspicion zeroing in on banned militant outfit Indian Mujahideen.

Police announced Rs 10 lakh award for information leading to the perpetrators of the serial blasts.

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Afzal's family hasn't approached us: Tihar DG

NEW DELHI: The family of Afzal Guru, who was hanged two weeks ago at Tihar jail, has not yet approached the prison authorities to pray at his grave though the government has made the offer for his close relatives.

"We have not received any letter from Guru's family in this regard," Director General of Tihar Prisons Vimla Mehra told reporters.

The government has already said it will allow Guru's close relatives to visit his grave, an offer rejected by the family which has been insisting on return of his body to them.

Asked whether jail authorities will allow family members to visit Guru's grave if they make a request, Mehra refrained from giving a direct reply, saying "the government is considering it."

On the criticism that the letter sent to Guru's family informing about his hanging reached two days after his execution, Mehra said, "It was a job (Afzal's hanging) assigned to us and we followed the official procedure to execute it."

Guru was hanged at Tihar jail on February 9 in a top secret operation after his final appeal for mercy was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee. His body was buried inside the jail premises.

Addressing an annual press conference, the DG also listed various activities undertaken at the jail in the past one year.

She said a blanket making unit was established at jail number nine this year where 80 convicts are working currently. The unit supplies blankets to Delhi Police and Delhi Health Department.

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Trade unions warn of bigger agitation

NEW DELHI: Major trade unions on Thursday warned the central government of bigger agitation in the country, describing the two-day national strike as "the beginning of the chapter".

"The two-day countrywide agitation has been successful but we will launch a bigger agitation and this is only a beginning of the chapter," All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters here.

"More and more factories and people joined the strike on the last day (Thursday). Those factories which were opened yesterday (Wednesday) joined the agitation today (Thursday)," he told reporters here.

He was accompanied by other leaders of several trade unions which included likes of Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Dasgupta also said that international trade unions of Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Japan and other countries expressed their solidarity with the strike.

"It is not us but the government which is responsible for the strike, which has reportedly caused a loss of Rs.26,000 crore. Had they paid heed to our demands, it would not have happened," Dasgupta said when asked about the strike's ramifications on the economy of the country.

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Chopper scam: CBI engages two law firms in Italy

NEW DELHI: CBI has engaged two law firms in Italy for liaisoning with the authorities to get legal assistance in probing the role of Indians in connection with the alleged kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal.

Official sources said on Wednesday that Chiomenti law firm and Grippo law firm have been asked to help in coordinating with the Italian authorities for getting documents and other relevant material pertaining to the AgustaWestland deal for supplying 12 helicopters to India.

The two firms will represent India's case with the Italian government and the local courts for getting evidence regarding alleged kickbacks in the deal. Kickbacks to the tune of Rs 362 crore were allegedly paid to swing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

The sources said the joint team of the CBI and defence ministry in Italy was told that the probe in that country was also in its initial stage and that arrests made in that country so far were more of a preventive nature so that the evidence was not tampered with.

Italian authorities have arrested Giuseppe Orsi, the chairman of Italian Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, chief executive officer of AgustaWestland.

The team, which comprises a legal officer from the CBI as well, is likely to soon meet the judge hearing the matter in connection with the alleged kickbacks.

The joint team comprising a CBI DIG, a law officer of the agency, a joint secretary level officer of the ministry and an official of the external affairs ministry has been camping in Milan to gather as much inputs as possible.

The two law firms have been appointed keeping in mind their work in international cases. Chiomenti law firm was established in 1948 and has 270 attorneys in six countries including in London. Grippo law firm with 360 attorneys has a presence in five countries including the UK.

The CBI's decision to send a team to Italy came after it virtually drew a blank from the defence ministry in getting some official inputs regarding alleged kickbacks.

The CBI was handed over a letter from the defence ministry seeking a probe by it in the case which has triggered a storm in the country. Attached with the letter were some Indian and Italian press clippings, which, the CBI said, could not form the basis for registering a case.

This was followed by CBI seeking help of Interpol which also expressed inability to provide any help in the absence of any regular case not having been registered by the agency, they said.

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Centre not releasing funds on time, alleges Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the Union government of not releasing funds of the centrally-aided projects and schemes in time, thus slackening the development process in the state.

Interacting with reporters after presenting the Budget for the financial year 2013-2014, Akhilesh Yadav said the Union government was delaying funds not only for Uttar Pradesh but for several other states too.

He cited the case of the irrigation sector in which the Union government had committed itself to give Rs 1,700 crore but had only released Rs 45 crores. Similarly, he claimed that funds had not been completely released for the rural job guarantee scheme.

Responding to charges leveled by the opposition that 45 per cent of the last Budget outlay was yet to be spent, the chief minister said this time he would physically verify for himself that schemes are on time and that the money allocated for them is properly utilized.

He also said that after the last budget, his government has only got some seven to eight months to work and hence there were some problems. "In this year's Budget, special focus has been given to social sector and poverty alleviation schemes," he added.

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Advani best PM for NDA, Modi could be home minister: Govindacharya

BHOPAL: Former BJP ideologue and RSS thinker KN Govindacharya said on Sunday night that veteran BJP leader LK Advani and the UPA government defence minister AK Antony would be the most suitable candidates to run for Prime Ministerial post. Amidst the clamour for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's prime ministerial candidature within the BJP and allied saffron organisations, Govindacharya thought differently.

Speaking to TOI, he argued: If the NDA has to come to power, then LK Advani should be leading the 2014 Lok Sabha as PM candidate while Narendra Modi should be assisting him.'' Reminded that LK Advani has already been the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2009, Govindacharya explained that in 1984, the party's tallest leader Atal Behari Vajpayee lost his seat from Gwalior. Vajpayee was defeated by Madhavrao Scindia. But Vajpayee became the Prime Minister of the country 13 years later,'' he reasoned.

The national scenario at the moment is such that we need more seasoned leaders to be at the helm of affairs. If the party wants to utilise the popularity of Narendra Modi, then he should be involved in the process of government functioning. Instead of trying yet another experiment, the party should put its trust in tried and proven leaders,'' Govindacharya said. Narendra Modi, he said, could be given the post of Home minister so he can learn the ropes of government functioning at the centre.

Talking about the Congress party, he argued that AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi has a lot more to learn'' and suggested the name of AK Antony. Had Pranab Mukherjee not been the President, he would have been the best option for the Congress. The culture of sycophancy has so gripped the Congress party that it should be abhorred. And someone has to call and spade a spade in that party,'' he said.

He said that if inexperienced leaders like Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi are made Prime Minister then it would be unfair for them, their parties and injustice to the nation.'' Talking on the 2014 General elections, he argued for a change: The stalemate and stagnancy has to be broken and this regime at the Centre should go. And we have to churn for a fresh start in politics.''

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Delay in justice a major challenge, Chief Justice of India Kabir says

AHMEDABAD: Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir said on Sunday a major problem being faced in delivery of criminal justice was delay "where the entire process takes almost 15-16 years".

Delivering Justice P D Desai memorial lecture here on 'Administration of Criminal Justice', Justice Kabir said, "Today a major problem is delay where the entire process, from the time when an offence is registered to the stage of final conviction, takes almost 15 to 16 years."

"I hope everybody involved in the process would perform their duty to expedite the wheels of justice," he added.

"....this (delay) is the main thing which bothers judiciary. And because of inordinate delay, sometimes we see angry reaction from public feeling that something should be done immediately," he said while elaborating the challenges in administration of criminal justice.

"One such incident took place on December 16 last year in Delhi. First reaction was let us set up fast track courts for the offences against women and girls," he said citing the incidence of gang rape in a moving bus which created widespread outrage.

"On January 2, first fast track court was set up in one of the district in New Delhi to take up such cases. Then you might have come across media reports that trial in one case was completed in 9 days and trial completed in another case in 13 days," he added.

"Something like this happens and people start reacting. It is a knee jerk reaction...But one can not blame any one part of the system. Look at the large population we have, which is at present 1.20 billion and it is increasing," he added.

"Where do we stand in regards to the judge population ratio? In USA, there are 125 judges for 1 million citizens and in India we have 6 judges for 1 million," he said while highlighting the ground reality of the country.

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Veerappan's aides move SC against execution of death sentence

NEW DELHI: Four aides of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan on Saturday moved the Supreme Court against the execution of their death penalty in connection with a landmine blast that had killed 22 policemen in Karnataka nearly 20 years ago.

Veerappan's elder brother Gnanaprakash, Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran were awarded death sentence in 2004 in connection with a landmine blast at Palar in Karnataka in 1993 in which 22 police personnel were killed.

Their mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 13 and according to sources, their hanging has been fixed for Sunday.

The four convicts are lodged in a jail in Belgaum in Karnataka.

A TADA court in Mysore had in 2001 sentenced them to life term which was enhanced to death sentence by the apex court.

Gang leader Veerappan was killed in an encounter with the Tamil Nadu police in October 2004.

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Chopper scam: Govt warns of blacklisting Italy's Finmeccanica

NEW DELHI: With the VVIP choppers deal facing charges of kickbacks, government on Thursday formally asked Italian firm Finmeccanica to state whether any money was illegally paid to any Indian entity or individual amidst its warning of legal action including blacklisting of the firm.

The ministry of defence, which is under attack on the issue, came out with a factsheet detailing the sequence of the Rs 3 crore deal for 12 helicopters clinched in 2010 by a Finmeccanica subsidiary AgustaWestland.

It notes that the mandatory technical requirements of the chopper were changed in the tender during the Vajpayee government in 2003, with the then national security adviser Brajesh Mishra playing a key role.

The CEO of AgustaWestland has been asked to "categorically state the clear position in view of the current developments indicating specifically if any financial transaction has taken place with any Indian individual/entity which would be violative of the integrity pact or any other terms and conditions of the contract", it said.

Noting that the contract with AgustaWestland carried an integrity pact that bars paying of bribes or involvement of middlemen, the ministry warned of "strict action including cancellation of contract, recovery of payment, blacklisting and penal action can be taken against the vendors."

It said the Government is "determined to take all possible legal and administrative action against the guilty parties and accordingly has ordered a thorough probe by CBI."

Giving details, the fact-sheet said that the first request for proposal was issued in March 2002 mandating requirement of 6,000 metre (18,000 feet) flying altitude for selection of the chopper.

This requirement made it clear that AgustaWestland could not participate in the deal.

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Helicopter scam: Congress fears BJP may disrupt budget session

NEW DELHI: Fearing disruptions in parliament, the Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of politicising the allegations of graft in the VVIP chopper deal and 2G spectrum to raise them during the budget session from February 21.

"All these issues are being developed into a political issue to be raised in parliament...The BJP will not gain anything from this...It may raise the issues but we hope they will not cross the limits," Congress spokesperson PC Chacko told reporters here.

The defence ministry has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the $750 million deal for 12 VVIP AgustaWestland helicopters, following the arrest, in Italy, of its manufacturer Finmeccanica's chief on charges of graft.

"The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has no agenda to oppose the government in the session...hence it is trying to raise a smoke screen of corruption in defence deals," Chacko said.

Ruling out wrong-doing in the VVIP chopper deal, Chacko said this was not possible due to a transparency clause under which any defence equipment supplier had to sign an integrity pact with the government if the deal was worth over Rs 300 crore.

"The defence minister has already ordered a time-bound inquiry...If any wrong-doing is found, strong action will be taken...the firm may be blacklisted and the deal cancelled," said Chacko.

Any decision on this will be taken only after the CBI probe, he said. He defended the government, saying there was no delay in ordering a probe.

"As soon as the issue surfaced, the government had written to the Italian and UK governments asking them to furnish details...but nothing has come," said Chacko.

The CBI Monday removed AK Singh, its chief prosecutor in the 2G spectrum case, after he was allegedly found to have discussed the prosecution strategy with one of the accused. The CBI possesses an audio recording with the suspected voices of Singh and one of the accused.

The issue has led to huge uproar and attack by the opposition parties, including the BJP, against the government.

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Will impound Yasin Malik's passport if requested, MEA says

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns over Kashmiri separatist leader YasinMalik sharing the dais with 26/11 mastermind HafizSaeed in Pakistan and demands for revoking his passport, the external affairs ministry on Tuesday said if it receives a request for impounding Malik's passport it would "act on it".

The external affairs ministry said: "If we receive a request to impound his (Malik) passport, we will act on it."

Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the passport was given to Malik, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), after getting a "no objection" from other Indian ministries and agencies.

"When violation (of provisions of passport) is indicated... when it is brought to our notice, we will act," he said, adding that the government would act with Malik "as fit of a citizen of India".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that Malik's passport be revoked for sharing the dais with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at a rally held to protest the execution of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday.

Akbaruddin said India has raised with Pakistan the issue of bringing to justice Saeed, "the evil mastermind of the Mumbai attacks".

"Hafiz Saeed continues to pour vitriol on India...he is a fit case to bring to justice and we will do so," he added.

Earlier, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said the matter of Malik pertains to the home ministry and "I'm sure they will take appropriate steps. When they do, they will inform us".

BJP president Rajnath Singh said the government should "seriously" take cognizance of Malik sharing the public dais with Saeed.

"The government should seriously take cognizance of this. It's not a small issue. I expect this much from the government," he told reporters here.

BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu also criticised the government, saying Malik's passport should be revoked immediately.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said it was the home ministry's mistake to allow Malik to go to Pakistan and the party would raise the issue on all forums.

Malik has said that Saeed was on the stage for 10 minutes and they did not exchange any words.

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Suryanelli: Convict claims PJ Kurien was involved

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a new turn in the Suryanelli gangrape issue, the lone convict in the case on Monday alleged that Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien was involved in it as claimed by the victim.

Dharmarajan, the convict who is absconding after obtaining bail, told a television channel that the principal investigator in the case had pressured him not to mention about Kurien's alleged involvement in the case.

Kurien, however, rubbished Dharmarajan's claim holding that the statement of an accused after conviction has no legal validity.

"I took Kurien in my Ambassador car to the Kumali Guest house (on the day the girl alleged she was molested).... Why should I lie on that.... I am ready to swear by my deceased father," he told Mathrubhumi News from an undisclosed place in Karnataka where he is said to be hiding.

Dharmarajan, who alone was convicted by the high court in 2005 while acquitting 35 others in the case, alleged that former ADGP Sibi Mathews, who headed the SIT, insisted that he should not name Kurien in the case.

At the same time, Superintendent Joshua, another member of SIT, wanted him to mention Kurien's name.

Dharmarjan, who was charged with taking the girl to several places for 40 days between January and February in 1996 and sentenced to five years by the High Court, recalled that Kurien was spared the identification parade conducted as part of investigations.

Rejecting Dharmarajan's allegation, Sibi Mathews said he was trying to "create confusion" and wondered how he did not tell these things in the court during the trial.

Reacting to the charge, Kurien told reporters at Pathanamthitta, "This is a settled position of the Supreme Court (that the statement of an accused after conviction has no legal validity).

"Secondly, every accused gets a chance to make a statement before the judge. He did not say this at that time. You (mediapersons) find out why he is making this claim now.

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21 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants caught

MUMBAI: The Special Branch of the city police arrested 21 Bangladeshi illegal immigrants, including nine women, who were employed in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai as labourers, police said.

The police conducted raids at Rey Road, Mankhurd and Navi Mumbai's Kalamboli areas and caught the illegal immigrants. "We have been working to trace the illegal immigrants. The accused have been arrested," said a police source.

Last year, the total number arrests of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants went up to 1400. On December 1, raids were conducted in different parts of the city when 57 Bangladeshi illegal immigrants were apprehended, police said adding that during their interrogation, they revealed that many more from their country lived in neighbouring Thane district without valid documents.

Accordingly, raids were conducted in the next five days, when 195 illegal immigrants were nabbed from Thane district's Mira road, Naigaon, Bhayinder, Nalasopara and Kharghar areas, said deputy commissioner of police (Special Branch) Sanjay Shintre. Among the arrested, 56 were females and 64 were children, police said adding that all the accused either work as labourers. Police said that once formalities in a particular case are completed, the batch is taken to Kolkata. From there, BSF escorts them to the Bangladesh border, police added.

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