PANCHKULA (HARYANA): A Panchkula court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former state police chief S P S Rathore, who molested teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago, leaving it open for the Haryana police to arrest him any time.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjeev Jindal dismissed the bail plea filed by Rathore after two fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against him Dec 29.
Rathore was booked under non-bailable charges like attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, forging evidence, wrongful confinement, fabricating false evidence and criminal conspiracy.
Neither Rathore nor his wife Abha Rathore, who is his counsel, were present in the court when the bail plea was dismissed.
Rathore had got interim relief Jan 1 from the court till Friday on his bail plea in the matter pertaining to the two fresh FIRs registered against him.
The court also rejected the anticipatory bail plea of another Haryana police official, Sewa Singh, a sub-inspector posted at Pinjore near Panchkula, who also has been accused of implicating Ruchika's brother Ashu in false cases of car theft, allegedly at Rathore's behest.
Sources in the Haryana police said after the court order that the state director general of police (DGP) and senior home department officials could now consult chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda before arresting Rathore.
The Haryana police, through the state government, have already recommended to the Central government that the fresh cases, including a third FIR charging Rathore of abetment to suicide of Ruchika, be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation.
"I am happy and I have hope that justice will be done. We want him arrested immediately," Ruchika's friend Aradhana, whose family fought the case against Rathore for over 19 years, said after the bail plea was rejected.
Aradhana alleged that state officials had already been supporting Rathore in the past and that she did not have much faith in the state machinery to take action against him.
"The CBI is a more independent agency and I hope they will be able to investigate the matter properly," Aradhana added.
Rathore's counsel said after the dismissal of the bail plea that they would move the high court to seek relief.
Ruchika, a teenaged budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore, then an inspector general of police, in Panchkula August 12, 1990. Three years later, Ruchika committed suicide.
Nineteen years after the molestation incident, Rathore was convicted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court here Dec 21 and sentenced to six months' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000.
The light conviction led to uproar in different sections of society, forcing authorities to re-visit the case and seek justice for the molestation victim.
A magisterial inquiry by the Chandigarh administration had Thursday indicted Ruchika's school, Sacred Heart school, and its principal for her expulsion on the flimsy grounds of non-payment of fee in 1990, just after her molestation incident. A Panchkula court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former state police chief S P S Rathore, who molested teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago, leaving it open for the Haryana police to arrest him any time.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjeev Jindal dismissed the bail plea filed by Rathore after two fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against him Dec 29.
Rathore was booked under non-bailable charges like attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, forging evidence, wrongful confinement, fabricating false evidence and criminal conspiracy.
Neither Rathore nor his wife Abha Rathore, who is his counsel, were present in the court when the bail plea was dismissed.
Rathore had got interim relief Jan 1 from the court till Friday on his bail plea in the matter pertaining to the two fresh FIRs registered against him.
The court also rejected the anticipatory bail plea of another Haryana police official, Sewa Singh, a sub-inspector posted at Pinjore near Panchkula, who also has been accused of implicating Ruchika's brother Ashu in false cases of car theft, allegedly at Rathore's behest.
Sources in the Haryana police said after the court order that the state director general of police (DGP) and senior home department officials could now consult chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda before arresting Rathore.
The Haryana police, through the state government, have already recommended to the Central government that the fresh cases, including a third FIR charging Rathore of abetment to suicide of Ruchika, be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation.
"I am happy and I have hope that justice will be done. We want him arrested immediately," Ruchika's friend Aradhana, whose family fought the case against Rathore for over 19 years, said after the bail plea was rejected.
Aradhana alleged that state officials had already been supporting Rathore in the past and that she did not have much faith in the state machinery to take action against him.
"The CBI is a more independent agency and I hope they will be able to investigate the matter properly," Aradhana added.
Rathore's counsel said after the dismissal of the bail plea that they would move the high court to seek relief.
Ruchika, a teenaged budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore, then an inspector general of police, in Panchkula August 12, 1990. Three years later, Ruchika committed suicide.
Nineteen years after the molestation incident, Rathore was convicted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court here Dec 21 and sentenced to six months' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000.
The light conviction led to uproar in different sections of society, forcing authorities to re-visit the case and seek justice for the molestation victim.
A magisterial inquiry by the Chandigarh administration had Thursday indicted Ruchika's school, Sacred Heart school, and its principal for her expulsion on the flimsy grounds of non-payment of fee in 1990, just after her molestation incident.
Open revolt in Indian hockey, players refuse to turn up for practice
NEW DELHI: Indian hockey plunged into a fresh crisis on Friday with revolting hockey players deciding to boycott the ongoing World Cup preparatory camp here for an indefinite period in protest against non-payment of their dues.
The players took the unprecedented step to stay away from the camp after Hockey India, the interim body which is governing the game in the country, failed to respond to two of their letters asking the authorities to make the payments.
"We have decided to boycott the camp indefinitely till we are paid our money. We took such a decision in a meeting of players last night", captain Rajpal Singh said.
"Earlier we used to be paid after every tournament but it is not the case now. We had reminded the HI officials a few times, but nothing has been done. We will now report to the camp only after we are paid", Rajpal said.
The players' revolt comes barely a month before the hockey World Cup in New Delhi and is bound to have a bearing on the preparations for the high-profile event scheduled from February 28 to March 13.
The senior players were annoyed by the delay in payment and had written a letter to Hockey India President A K Mattoo demanding that money be paid within seven days.
The letter had no mention about the pullout but sources said that the players had actually made up their mind to withdraw from the camp if the payment was not made in a week's time.
Hockey India (HI) is, however, confident of sorting out the issue and has called some of the senior players for a meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.
Six of the senior players --captain Rajpal Singh, Sardara Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Sandeep Singh, Tushar Khandekar and Arjun Halappa --will be in Delhi on Saturday for a promotional shoot and are expected to meet the HI officals to sort out the payment issue.
"I had received their letter two days back. I have mailed my response to them yesterday. I have called them for a meeting when the players come to Delhi tomorrow", HI President A K Mattoo said.
"I will talk to them and look into the matter to understand what exactly their grievances are. I am confident that we will sort out the problem soon," he said.
Although the players claimed that they had given HI time till January 8 to resolve the issue, Mattoo said no such deadline was given to them.
"There was no mention of the deadline in the letter. Above all, they are the national hockey players. They should not have threatened us. They can't keep the dagger on my head to make me work. But we are confident about working out a solution when we talk to them", Mattoo said.
The players said that on the previous occasions they were paid money in advance but this time the fee has not been paid even after the conclusion of the tournament.
"We would like to be paid our money for Champions Challenge in Argentina. In the previous three years we were paid Rs. 25,000 each for every tournaments before we left India. We would like to be paid this time too and as for the future tournaments, please make arrangements to pay well in advance," the players had said in the letter.
India had won bronze medal in the tournament, held in Salta, Argentina last month.
Rajpal said the players were forced to take such a step because Hockey India "did not care for them".
"Hockey India does not care for the players, it is very sad. The sponsors are paying the money, but the players don't get anything," he said.
Apart from their dues, the players are also demanding an increase in their pay packages and some incentives.
China edges past Germany to become world's biggest exporter
BEIJING: China has edged past Germany to become the world’s biggest exporter. Though Chinese exports have also suffered a downturn during the financial crisis, it has done better than Germany owing to Beijing’s ability to prevent any gains in the local currency and the economic stimulus package.
Germany indirectly conceded defeat in the race when its national statistics office reported export figures below the levels achieved by China in the January-November period this year. Berlin reported exports of $1.05 trillion while Chinese exports were $1.07 trillion (734.6 billion euros) in the 11-month period.
Chinese exports fell 20 percent in the first 10 months of 2009 due to the global financial crisis. But there are signs of strong recovery and arrest the slide in exports in the first quarter of 2010 besides making some possible gains.
Analyst said Beijing’s refusal to buckle under western pressure to revise the rate of exchange for the Yuan helped Chinese exporters to stay afloat during the bad time. Premier Wen Jiabao said in an interview with the State media in late December that China will “absolutely not yield” to calls for currency gains from trading partners.
It is Beijing’s political will to resist western pressure as well as develop new markets by enhancing diplomatic exchanges with Asia and African countries that has helped China to both diversify and retain its export strengths.
Another reason is the generous export subsidy offered to exporters, who often earn a lot more from government support than they do by selling goods in foreign markets. Low cost loans and grants also helped a vast number of exporting companies to survive, analysts say.
The Global Trade Information Services Inc. earlier said that China shipped products worth $957.7 billion as compared to Germany’s exports of $917.7 billion in the first 10 months of 2009. But it is only now that Germany has confirmed China’s clear victory over it in the field of exports.
Attacks on Indians in Australia tragic: Rao
New Delhi: Describing the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia as "tragic", Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has said the environment of fear and suspicion prevailing in that nation is not good for bilateral relations.
The violent incidents are of grave concern to us and also for parents who are mostly from the middle-class and send their children there at great cost and difficulty, she said.
"These incidents have shaken the confidence of Indian students and their parents about Australia," Rao said in an interview to 'Outlook' magazine.
"It is very very important to restore that confidence. A climate of fear and suspicion is not good for the relationship between the two countries," she said.
Commenting on Sino-Indian relations, the foreign secretary said, the cooperation between India and China at Copenhagen has helped establish a very positive paradigm.
Arguing that Copenhagen ought not to have surprised people, Rao said, "Setting aside what one many have seen in the media, we have to acknowledge that the relationship has grown tremendously in the last few years."
On Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed's visit to India next week, she said it will be a "landmark" event Indo-Bangladesh bilateral relations.
"Considering the spirit of mutual trust and confidence, I think both governments are on the same page," she said.
J-K remains vulnerable to cross border militancy: Chidambaram
New Delhi:The Government on Friday said the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir, remains vulnerable to militant attacks sponsored by forces from across the border.
Complimenting the state police and CRPF for successfully eliminating two militants in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar on Wednesday, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the militants were in communication with their handlers outside the country.
"The incident highlights the fact that the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir, remains vulnerable to militant attacks sponsored by forces from across the border," he said in a statement.
The Home Minister said at the same time the country's capacity to neutralise a militant attack has also increased considerably.
"I would emphasise once again that the country, especially the security forces, must remain in high level of vigilance but there is no cause for panic. We must remain calm and confident that our security forces can face any challenge," he said.
Top cop arrested in Mumbai, charged with murder
Mumbai: Encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma has been arrested along with two constables in connection with an alleged fake encounter case in 2006.
Sharma, who was involved in over 100 encounters, was arrested on Thursday night and would be shortly produced in court. The arrest comes in the wake of investigations made by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Bombay
High Court into the alleged encounter of gangster Ram Narayan alias Lakhan Bhaiya on November 11, 2006 near Nana-Nani park in suburban Versova, officials said.
Lakhan's brother, advocate Ram Prasad Gupta, had filed a petition in the high court alleging that the victim had been shot dead in cold blood by a police team headed by Sharma.
According to the petitioner, Lakhan was picked up from his house by police seven hours prior to his death. His family members had then filed a complaint with police fearing that he may be killed in an encounter. They had also sent telegrams to police commissioners of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane in this connection.
According to the police, Lakhan was close to Chhota Rajan henchman D K Rao.
Acting on a tip off that Lakhan would come in the park, they led a trap for him and in the subsequent encounter between the two sides, Lakhan was killed.
Following the petition, the court had ordered the probe by the SIT team headed by DCP M M Prasanna.
Indian Business News
18 pct loan growth possible in FY10: SBI
Mumbai: Loan growth at State Bank of India, the country's largest lender, could reach 18 per cent in the current financial year to end-March, its chairman said on Friday.
"We will definitely cross 16 per cent as per our estimate. It is also possible to touch 18 per cent," O.P. Bhatt said at a news conference ahead of a banking conclave organised by the bank from Monday.
State Bank, which along with its associates controls almost a quarter of Indian bank loans and deposits, expects to maintain interest margins in the December quarter, Bhatt said.
He added that treasury gains are wearing off.
RIL revises Lyondell offer to $13.5 bn
New Delhi: Reliance Industries has offered USD 13.5 billion to buy LyondellBasell Industries, 12.5 per cent more than its previous offer, and may sweeten it further to get control of the bankrupt petrochemicals firm.
Mukesh Ambani-led RIL had in November offered about USD 12 billion in cash for a controlling stake in Lyondell and a couple of weeks ago sent a letter increasing its offer to USD 13.5 billion, sources familiar with the development said.
RIL has offered to buy about USD 2.2 billion in new stock and support a separate USD 2.8 billion rights offering by Lyondell to take the company out of bankruptcy. Most of the remaining would be in cash, they said.
The revised offer has not found much support from the US firm and RIL may sweeten the offer further, the sources said adding the company had time till February to make another offer.
An RIL spokesperson, however, declined to comment.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported that Lyondell's board had rejected RIL's revised offer. It saw Lyondell valuation at about USD 15.5 billion, USD 2 billion more than RIL's revised offer.
Lyondell had a year ago filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the US law after being unable to meet its debt obligations when global economic downturn saw demand dropping.
Economy may grow at 7% this year: PM
New Delhi: The Indian economy is expected to grow at 7 per cent this year and may soon return to sustained high growth path of 9-10 per cent, Prime Minister said on Friday at a conference of non-resident Indians.
Manmohan Singh said the government would like to address key constraints in the infrastructure and the agriculture sectors.
Indian Sports News
Cairns is welcome to sue me: Lalit Modi
Sydney: Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi defended the IPL’s decision not to include Chris Cairns in the auction over alleged match fixing allegations, and said that the former New Zealand all rounder is free to sue him.
Hitting back at the Kiwi all rounder, Modi said: “Cairns is welcome to sue me if he wants.”
Modi rejected Cairns application to feature in the auction for IPL-3 because of his dismissal from the rival Indian Cricket League in 2008 over alleged match fixing charges.
Cairns said: “The allegation made by Lalit Modi that I have been involved in match fixing is scandalous and wholly untrue. For him to circulate such a falsehood around the world is outrageous. Modi’s allegation has caused me huge personal distress and professional damage.”
“I cannot allow these slurs to ruin my future and I have instructed my solicitors, Collyer Bristow LLP, to bring proceedings for defamation against Modi,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.
Earlier Modi had said on Cairns: “Legally you may be correct. But he has a stigma around him for the same and as such the governing council has decided to withdraw his name from the auction.”
“Our tournament is by invitation only and as such we take issues at anything to do with match-fixing very seriously. Similarly Dinesh Mongia will not be allowed. We have zero tolerance for anything to do with the subject and as such will not like to take any chances if we don’t have to.”
Cairns and Mongia were sacked from the ICL for disciplinary reasons.
Hockey players revolt against non-payment of dues
Pune: Indian hockey plunged into a fresh crisis with revolting hockey players deciding to boycott the ongoing World Cup preparatory camp in Pune for an indefinite period in protest against non-payment of their dues.
The players took the unprecedented step to stay away from the camp after Hockey India, the interim body which is governing the game in the country, failed to respond to two of their letters asking the authorities to make the payments.
"We have decided to boycott the camp indefinitely till we are paid our money. We took such a decision in a meeting of players last night", said captain Rajpal Singh.
"Earlier we used to be paid after every tournament but it is not the case now. We had reminded the HI officials a few times, but nothing has been done. We will now report to the camp only after we are paid", Rajpal said.
The players' revolt comes barely a month before the hockey World Cup in New Delhi and is bound to have a bearing on the preparations for the high-profile event scheduled from February 28 to March 13.
The senior players were annoyed by the delay in payment and had written a letter to Hockey India President A K Mattoo demanding that money be paid within seven days.
The letter had no mention about the pullout but sources said that the players had actually made up their mind to withdraw from the camp if the payment was not made in a week's time.
Hockey India (HI) is, however, confident of sorting out the issue and has called some of the senior players for a meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.
Dhoni, Kohli win it for India
Mirpur (Bangladesh): Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed left the cricketing world shell-shocked when they led Bangladesh to victory against world champions Australia in 2005. In the last decade, the side has fashioned one-day wins against Pakistan, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa and Sri Lanka. But ask anybody on the streets in Dhaka, and they will say that there is an extra edge that comes with humbling India — as their team had done one dramatic day at Port-of-Spain in 2007.
The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur — which has been half-full and docile for the first couple of days — turned into an intimidating cauldron on Thursday night as India slipped to 51 for three within the ninth over of their chase. The visitors had lost Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh already, and the Bangladesh faithfuls in the stands sensed another historic night.
But the noise which had reached a crescendo soon got mellow, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni played kill-joy in a cool and collected manner to lead India to a comfortable six-wicket win. Coming in to bat with 246 runs still required, the Indian skipper scored his seventh ODI ton — remaining unbeaten on 101 off 107 balls — and shared a 152-run stand with Virat Kohli, who scored a defiant 102-ball 91. Kohli fell nine runs short of a century, but Suresh Raina joined his captain and crushed the partisan crowd’s hopes of a dramatic turnaround, finishing with a 43-ball 51.
Earlier in the day, though, Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and bravely elected to bat — a decision which took even Dhoni by surprise, as he later pointed out — and his batsmen didn’t let him down. Led by Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and later Mahmudullah, the Bangladesh batsmen not only embarrassed India’s much vaunted bowling attack, they also piled on a number of batting records, as they reached 296 for six.
