Centre keen on dissuading Ramdev

NEW DELHI, May 31, 2011

Four days ahead of Baba Ramdev's threatened hunger strike on June 4 on the issue of black money and corruption, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) met to discuss the unfolding situation.

Informed sources said the government had decided to respond to the yoga guru's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, listing the measures the government had taken to tackle the issue of illicit funds, and to impress upon him that there was no need for him to launch an agitation.

Fearing a situation similar to the one that the government had faced in April when social activist Anna Hazare went on hunger fast on the issue of corruption, the CCPA on Monday discussed what course of action it should adopt, and the possible political fallout of the agitation. The role of RSS-affiliated organisations in whipping up public sentiment and fuelling the anti-government agitation on corruption also figured in the deliberations.

Given the beating the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has taken in recent months on the graft issue, it has, over the last week, unrolled a slew of measures in the hope of appeasing Baba Ramdev, who has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan unless the authorities take some convincing steps to facilitate the return of black money stashed away in tax havens abroad.

These included a meeting of senior Finance Ministry officials with Baba Ramdev, and the announcements over three successive days, May 28, 29 and 30, of measures by the government, indicative of its seriousness to deal with black money. They include the creation of a committee to advise the government on how to strengthen the laws dealing with illicit funds, commissioning a study on the generation of black money and the setting up of a special Directorate of Income Tax (Criminal Investigation).

Baba Ramdev's object is to compel the authorities to facilitate the return of black money to the country; the UPA's is to persuade him to abandon his fast.

Mr. Hazare's fast ended with the government capitulating to his demand for a joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill, but not before the issue had resonated throughout the country. With Baba Ramdev's publicists claiming that around one crore people from across the country will join him in his protest against corruption, the prospect is unnerving.

So a week ago, chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Sudhir Chandra — accompanied by a team of revenue officials — met Baba Ramdev to explain the steps the government had taken to tackle the problem, as well as the legal difficulties they faced in bringing back unaccounted money from the various tax havens. The yoga exponent had described the talks as “very positive,” but refused to change his plan until he saw some action.

Next on May 28, the government set up a committee under Chairman, CBDT, to examine the existing legal and administrative framework to curb the generation of black money, its illegal transfer abroad and its recovery. The committee, a government release said, would consider declaring wealth generated illegally as a national asset; enacting/amending laws to confiscate and recover such assets; and providing for exemplary punishment. The report should be ready within six months.

Fresh study

Then on May 29, the government announced that the Finance Ministry had commissioned an “in-depth and fresh study,” engaging three top national-level institutions to estimate unaccounted income and wealth held within and outside India, to throw light on the nature of activities that encourage money laundering and its ramifications on national security.

Curiously, this is not a new measure, as the same release says the study had commenced in March 2011 and was expected to be completed within a period of 18 months. Indeed, the information was first given by Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam in a written reply to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha on March 1, 2011.

New directorate

Finally, on Monday, May 30, the government announced yet another measure to deal with corruption and black money: it said it planned to create a new Directorate of Income Tax (Criminal Investigation), to be headed by an officer of the rank of Chief Commissioner of Income Tax ‘to look into criminal matters having any financial implication and which could be punishable as an offence under any direct tax law.'

Keywords: Baba Ramdev, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, black money issue

Security, trade to dominate Indo-German talks

NEW DELHI, May 31, 2011-

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives here on Tuesday for holding talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a dozen topics, involving Cabinet Ministers from both sides.

While Dr. Merkel will interact with Dr. Singh and receive the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding later in the evening, the Cabinet Ministers accompanying her will hold talks with their Indian counterparts.

“This type of across-the-board interaction by Germany is limited to its very close allies like some European countries, the United States and Israel,” German Ambassador Thomas Matussek told newspersons.

The first such interaction kicked off on Monday with External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna meeting his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle. They agreed to hold a meeting on counter-terrorism in September with cooperation in technology, equipment and sharing of operational intelligence as the focal areas.

Europe's exporting powerhouse which is bailing out economic laggards in the European Union and is involved in the war in Afghanistan, Germany is looking for quicker breakthroughs with India on the economic and security fronts.

The first-ever Indo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations will see Dr. Merkel and her Defence Minister making a pitch for the Eurofighter Typhoon, a four-nation endeavour in which Germany is the “lead nation.” The deal is estimated at close to $11 billion, and like Eurofighter, its sole competitor, French company Dassault, is banking on the Indian order for future survival.

On Afghanistan

The two sides will also exchange notes on the situation in Afghanistan where Germany is reducing troops by this year end and wants to pull out rest of its forces by 2014. Discussions on the political process - meaning the logjam over good and bad Taliban, and seeking the involvement of neighbouring countries - will be high on the agenda, particularly because Germany is the host country for one such initiative later this year.

While Mr. Matussek wanted Islamabad to “come clean” on the links between its security forces and Islamic militants, Germany also believes that Pakistan must be helped economically and its army [be] encouraged to sustain operations against militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). In this respect, it will air a proposal for helping Pakistan economically, which is being resisted by India.

Intensive discussions are expected on two issues on which both countries do not see eye to eye – the bombing of Libya and the selection of a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief.

New Delhi is appalled at the continuing bombing of Libya while Germany, which abstained with India when the proposal came up at the United Nations Security Council, is now inclined to support the French-Anglo-U.S. insistence on a regime change or the removal of Muammar Qadhafi.

On a new IMF chief, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit at Sanya, China, wanted the candidate from an emerging economy, while Germany wants the next choice to be again from Europe.

In the area of economics, Germany would like to consolidate its advantage of being a leading provider of vocational training at a time when demand in India is huge but the capacity limited or under-par. It is also concerned over some intellectual property issues and limits on foreign investment in select sectors.

Keywords: Indo-German talks, Eurofighter Typhoon, Jawaharlal Nehru Award, BRICS, Afghanistan

Court notice to gutka-makers for using plastic pouches

NEW DELHI, May 31, 2011-The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to gutka manufacturers on an application alleging that even after the ban order restraining them from using plastic material in package sachets they were flouting the law and were still using plastic pouches.

A vacation Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and C.K. Prasad issued notice on the application filed by advocate Abani Kumar Sahu, who alleged that almost all the companies — Pan Parag, RMD Gutka, Dilbag Gutka, Rajashree Gutka, Rajdarabar Gutka — were flouting the order. The Bench posted the matter for final hearing on July 6.

The application said: “Even long after the cut-off date of March 1, fixed by the Supreme Court, all the gutka and pan masala manufacturers are using plastic material in package sachets to sell such product to public. It is a deliberate and ingenious flouting of the law on their part.”

Deceptive concealment

Mr. Sahu said: “Many gutka and pan masala companies continue to use regular plastic material within the outward paper packaging material to deceptively conceal the usage of such plastic material and convey a misleading picture of superficial and seemingly visible external compliance with the Supreme Court's order.”

He said that such violations could not have occurred without the active collusion or tacit connivance of the officials of the enforcement machinery of the government. He sought a direction to restrain these companies from using plastic material in their packaging sachets.

Keywords: plastic waste, gutka, tobacco products

Verdict reserved on Kanimozhi's bail plea

NEW DELHI, May 31, 2011

The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved verdict on the bail petitions of DMK Member of Parliament Kanimozhi and promoter and director of Kalaignar TV, Sharad Kumar, accused and remanded in judicial custody in the 2G spectrum case.

Justice Ajit Bharihoke reserved verdict after hearing arguments from senior counsel Altaf Ahmed and R. Shanmugasundaram and counsel V.G. Pragasam for Ms. Kanimozhi and Mr. Kumar and senior counsel and special Public Prosecutor for the 2G scam case, U.U. Lalit, for the CBI.

Earlier, in response to the court directions issued on May 24, Mr. Lalit produced in a sealed cover a copy of the supplementary charge sheet explaining the role of the two accused in the scam. Opposing the bail, Mr. Lalit submitted that the accused had attempted to create a “smoke screen” by projecting the bribe trail of Rs.200 crore as a loan transaction.

Describing the transaction as “dubious,” he pointed out that no contemporaneous documents were executed by any of the companies which were part of the money transaction and maintained that the amount of Rs.200 crore received by Kalaignar TV was nothing but a bribe.

However, Mr. Ahmed asserted that the amount of Rs.200 crore Kalaignar TV received from M/s. Cineyug Pvt. Ltd. was purely a loan and not a bribe as claimed by the CBI in its charge sheet. Counsel argued that it was a transparent transaction and the amount, received through bank, was duly accounted for, repaid and there was nothing dubious in the transaction.

Mr. Ahmed read out the charge sheet and said it was not the role of the CBI to question the defence of the accused that the amount received was a loan and say that such a defence was inadequate. There was no material with the CBI to show that the amount received was not a loan.

On the CBI's submission that the bail pleas of five corporate honchos were dismissed by the High Court, Mr. Ahmed argued they stood on a different footing as they figured in the first charge sheet as licencees. But in the present case the petitioners were alleged to have received the proceeds of the crime and they had no role in the alleged crime. Since all the documents were with the CBI, there was no point in keeping the accused in jail.

In her appeal against the trial court's May 20 order refusing bail, Ms. Kanimozhi said, “She is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the case due to the biased media reporting concocted on the basis of conjectures and surmises. As a Member of Parliament and whip of the DMK party in the Rajya Sabha, she has to attend Parliament sessions and all-party meetings convened from time to time in connection with parliamentary business.”

Keywords: Kanimozhi bail plea, 2G spectrum scam, Kalaignar TV, Sharad Kumar

27 killed as bus falls into rivulet in Assam

GUWAHATI, May 31, 2011-At least 27 passengers were killed and more than five are missing when a bus carrying a marriage party fell into a rivulet at around midnight on Monday night in the Kamrup (Rural) district of Assam, police said.

The bus, carrying around 40 passengers from Guwahati to Tihu in Rangia sub-divison of the district, plunged into the rivulet when a “wooden” bridge, which it was crossing over, gave in, police and rescuers said.

The incident happened at Rajabari on Hajo-Guwahati road.

So far, six passengers have been rescued and were admitted to a hospital in the neighbouring Nalbari district.

The bus has been fished out and police personnel, with the help of Army and locals, were searching for those who are missing. The groom has been identified as Naba Sharma of Betbari Lokhra area in Guwahati.

Keywords: Assam bus accident

Contentious issues bog down Lokpal Bill panel

NEW DELHI, May 30, 2011-

The Joint Drafting Committee on the Lokpal Bill on Monday for the first time got bogged down by contentious issues. The UPA government opposed scrutiny by the Lokpal of the Prime Minister, the higher judiciary and acts of MPs inside Parliament — in the context of seeking cash for votes and for raising questions — and, as a way out, embarked on wider consultations.

Both Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal, who briefed the media on behalf of the government, and representatives of civil society Arvind Kejriwal and advocate Prashant Bhushan separately said the next meetings on June 6 and 10 would be an attempt at resolving these issues after eliciting the opinions of the States, political parties and the general public.

Both sides admitted divergence of opinion on four of the five contentious issues discussed at the fifth meeting of the committee, and the expression of the two sides on the deliberations was equally at variance.

Mr. Sibal stressed the guiding principle of the exercise was the supremacy of the Constitution and any Lokpal Bill had to be consistent with the Constitution.

On the other hand, both Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Bhushan pointed out the government's opposition to most of their proposals and expressed disappointment at the government's “not very reasonable” response at the meeting.

But the civil society members took a tough stand later and issued a warning to the government that they would attend the next few meetings in a bid to persuade the government to agree to a strong and effective Lokpal Bill, but if disagreement persisted they would take to the streets.

In a statement, they described Monday's meeting as “quite disastrous” and expressed shock at the stand taken by the Ministers on various issues. “Definitely, the government's intentions are suspect,” they charged and issued an appeal to the people to be prepared “for the next huge movement in the country.” Anna Hazare, whose indefinite fast forced constitution of the JDC on the Lokpal Bill, was apprehensive of the government meeting the deadline of formulating the Bill by June-end and regretted the slow approach of the government.

Refusing to divulge details of the discussions, Mr. Sibal said the issues centred on Parliament, the judiciary and the Public Service Commission, and the opinions were divergent. It was regarded necessary to elicit the opinion of the States and political parties before seeking to resolve them at the next two meetings of the JDC.

He contended that since the States appointed the Lokayukt, it was necessary to know the States' perception on the Lokpal.

Stressing on a practical approach for taking forward the exercise for a strong legislation, as corruption was an issue that concerned the people, Mr. Sibal said the government was committed to an effective Lokpal.

Keywords: Lokpal BIll, Joint Committee meet, anti-corruption, India Against Corruption, Anna Hazare

‘Denied' vaccine, boy dies of rabies

KHAMMAM, May 30, 2011

 A 16-year-old boy, who was bitten by a stray dog and allegedly denied anti rabies vaccine at the district headquarters hospital over three weeks ago, succumbed to rabies at a private hospital here on Sunday.

Five more persons were attacked by stray dogs at different places in and around Khammam. Sources said that Anjaiah and Biksham of B. K. Bazar sustained multiple injuries after being attacked by stray dogs on Sunday morning. Another person was injured when was attacked by the stray dogs while he was accompanying his daughter to a DIET-CET centre near Rotary Nagar. Ironically, the boy breathed his last just a few minutes after Minister for Horticulture R. Venkat Reddy enquired about his health and assured “all help” from the government.

The incident set off protests from the relatives of the boy who accused medical officials concerned of negligence.

Challa Balu, 16, a native of Danavaigudem village in Khammam rural mandal, suffered injuries along with his parents Narsimha and Savithramma besides two others after they were attacked by a stray dog near a dumping yard in the village on May 1.

They approached the doctors concerned at the district headquarters hospital on the same day. However, a lady doctor reportedly sent them away after giving some medicines without administering ARV. Later, the boy was forced to run from one government health centre to another to get the vaccine in vain, sources said.

Balu was admitted in a town-based private hospital on Saturday when he developed rabies symptoms. However, he died at the hospital on Sunday morning. Earlier, heartrending scenes were witnessed at the private hospital when Balu cried for help and pleaded with the doctors to save his life.

He succumbed to rabies even as the doctors at the private hospital watched helplessly. Devastated over Balu's death, his sister Sirisha broke down. When some officials assured financial help to their family, she shot back: “We don't want money. You bring my brother back”.

Crying inconsolably Savithramma, the mother of Balu, alleged that her grown up son died due to the negligence of a doctor at the civil hospital in Khammam. “The lady doctor denied us anti-rabies vaccine citing shortage and sent us away when we approached her for vaccination,” she charged.

Magisterial probe

Meanwhile, Khammam RDO V Venkateshwarlu said that a magisterial inquiry would be conducted into the incident. Proposals would be sent to the government to ensure adequate financial help, house site and other needy assistance to the family of the victim, he said.

Keywords: dog bite, anti rabies vaccine

Telangana State at any cost: KK

KARIMNAGAR, May 30, 2011

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, K. Keshava Rao, said that the Telangana Congress leaders were prepared to go to any extent to achieve separate Telangana State and uphold their promise made to the people of the region.

Mr. Keshava Rao was in Karimnagar district to attend a private function in Jagtial town on Sunday and had a brief halt at R&B guest house. Talking to newsmen, he said that the government had already announced formation of separate Telangana State on December 9, 2009. “However, my own friends (seemandhra leaders) have sabotaged the carving out of separate State”, he said.

“We have spoken a lot about Telangana. Now, it is time to get back our own State by any cost and uphold the image and self-respect of the Telangana region,” he said. To a query, he said that he had opposed the second States Reorganisation Committee for Telangana when he was APCC president. The party high command had already respected the first SRC recommendations for the formation of Telangana State.

Reiterating that the Congress party high command was for Telangana, he said that the party not taking any action against the Congress leaders for demanding separate Telangana State indicates its stand on Telangana. On the other hand, the TDP had sacked its legislator Nagam Janardhan Reddy for raising the voice for separate Telangana State, he said and alleged that the TDP was trying to sabotage the Telangana movement. He demanded that the TDP president, N Chandrababu Naidu, write a letter to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram disclosing his stand on Telangana .

Keywords: Telangana Congress, separate Telangana

Govt refuses including Prime Minister under ambit of Lokpal

New Delhi, May 30, 2011

Sharp differences came to the surface at a meeting of the drafting committee for Lokpal bill on Monday with the government strongly opposing proposals for inclusion of Prime Minister, higher judiciary and acts of Members of Parliament inside Parliament under its purview.

At the meeting held under the Chairmanship of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, contentious issues came up for discussion in the committee for the first time.

Anna Hazare, one of the members of the committee, who is spearheading the campaign for a strong and effective Lokpal bill, said that he was not hopeful of the government meeting its deadline of June 30 for preparing the bill.

Arvind Kejriwal and Prasahant Bhushan, both civil society members of the committee, said except on one issue of keeping citizen charter and public grievances under the jurisdiction of Lokpal, the government opposed the demands for bringing the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and the corrupt acts of MPs inside the Parliament under the ambit of the Lokpal.

They said the government’s proposals on Monday were “worse” than what it had proposed in its first bill, which had been “condemned and rejected.’

Mr. Kejriwal said even the latest bill of the government had kept Prime Minister under the purview of Lokpal but the government has gone back on it.

As no agreement could be reached between them on Monday, the government has decided to write to States and political parties to seek their opinion on these “issues of divergence” and get back to them at the next meeting on June 6.

Mr. Sibal said there was need to take the view of the States since Lokayuktas have to be appointed there.

Mr. Bhushan said the government representatives told them that bringing the Prime Minister under Lokpal’s purview would make him ‘dysfunctional.’

He pointed out that the government’s bill itself had a provision for bringing Prime Minister under the Lokpal and even now he was not beyond the purview of investigation on corruption issues.

“We only wanted that he comes under the purview of an independent agency instead of the agencies that come under the government which results in conflict of interest,” Mr. Bhushan said.

Mr. Kejriwal also rued “Prime Minister wants to be investigated by an agency like CBI, which is under him but not by an independent agency.”

Besides Mr. Mukherjee, those who attended the meeting from the government side were Ministers P. Chidambaram (Home), Mr. Sibal (Law), Salman Khurshid (Minority Affairs) and M. Veerappa Moily (Law).

From the civil society side, those present were Mr. Hazare, Shanti and Prashant Bhushan, Mr. Kejriwal and Santosh Hegde.

While the civil society members wanted the Lokpal to have powers to investigate corruption cases against the entire bureaucracy irrespective of its hierarchy, the government was of the view that it should confine to officers of Joint Secretary level and above.

On the issue of investigating corruption cases against the MPs, the government said that it has no objection to the Lokpal investigating corruption issues involving them outside Parliament but opposed the proposal to allow Lokpal to investigate the acts of corruption by the MPs inside Parliament.

The government also wanted that the defence personnel should be kept out of the purview of the bill, Mr. Kejriwal said.

He added that the government also held the view that the offices of Chief Vigilance Commissioner and CBI should not be merged with Lokpal.

The civil society members, however, rejected the government’s contentions and expressed dismay at its response.

Self-regulation

“There were too many fundamental differences on the bill today,” said Mr. Kejriwal adding the government wanted “self regulation” to take care of the issue of corruption in higher judiciary and the acts of MPs inside Parliament. We told them that self regulation has not worked in the last sixty years.”

Mr. Bhushan said “the response of the government was not very reasonable on all the issues. We were a bit disappointed by the response of the ministers. This whole concept of self-regulation does not work.”

Asked whether he is hopeful of an early resolution on these contentious issues, Kejriwal merely said “let us see and wait what happens“.

Mr. Sibal, however, expressed confidence that the bill for a strong and effective Lokpal will be a reality. “We must provide the country with a transparent legislation as corruption is an issue which concerns everybody. We remain committed to provide the people an effective Lokpal.”

Asked what will be the guiding principle of the government in drafting the bill amid so many differences, Mr. Sibal stressed “the guiding principle is that the Constitution is supreme. Any Lokpall bill must be consistent with the provisions of the Constitution.”

Mr. Kejriwal, however, said if keeping everything like judiciary, PM and MPs violate the Constitution then what will come under the Lokpal’s ambit.

He said that a decision has now been taken to seek public opinion on these contentious issues on website and seek their suggestions.

It was decided that the joint drafting committee will meet twice on June 6 and 10.

Keywords: Lokpal BIll, Joint Committee meet, anti-corruption, India Against Corruption, Anna Hazare

Nitish orders high-level probe into doctor’s killing

Patna, May 30, 2011

Taking serious note of prisoners beating a jail doctor Buddhadev Singh, youngest brother of an ex-MP Satyadeo Singh, to death inside Gopalganj jail, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday ordered a high-level probe.

“It is a shocking incident... we won’t tolerate it”, Mr. Kumar said.

He directed state Home Secretary Amir Subhani to rush to Gopalganj and inquire into the incident.

Stating that stern punitive action would be taken against perpetrators of the crime, he said Mr. Subhani would submit a report about the circumstances relating to the murder soon.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said the state government would bring the Doctors Protection Bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature seeking to protect doctors.

Prisoners of Gopalganj jail had beaten the jail doctor to death when he had gone inside to treat an inmate.

According to official reports, the doctor was called by an inmate Ranjan Yadav who was suffering from chicken pox and as soon as the doctor had reached, a group of inmates undergoing jail sentence, brutally assaulted him.

The injured doctor was first admitted to a government hospital in Gopalganj but was brought to Patna Medical College Hospital as his condition had deterioted, the report said.

He was declared brought dead at PMCH.

“We have asked the Superintendent of Police (Gopalganj) to ensure speedy trial of the case within a stipulated time—frame”, ADG (headquarters) Rajbardhan Sharma said.

An FIR has been registered against Ranjan Yadav and six other inmates, he said adding police investigation was on.

Keywords: Prison violence, Doctors Protection Bill, Nitish Kumar 

India, Pakistan resume Siachen talks

May 30, 2011 New Delhi-After a gap of three years, defence secretaries of India and Pakistan on Monday met here to discuss the long-pending Siachen issue.

Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar is leading the Indian delegation at the two-day talks with his Pakistani counterpart Lt General (Retd) Syed Ather Ali.

India and Pakistan decided to resume the talks last year after Prime Ministers of both the countries met in Thimpu and decided to take forward the dialogue process.

While the Pakistani delegation has two civilian officials and four military officers, the Indian side includes Special Secretary R.K. Mathur, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. General A.M. Verma and Surveyor General S.Subha Rao, defence officials said.

After the talks, the Pakistani Defence Secretary will call on Defence Minister A.K. Antony this evening.

Siachen, the world’s highest militarised zone, has been a long pending issue between India and Pakistan over differences on the location of the 110-km long Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) which passes through the Soltoro Ridge and Siachen Glacier.

“The AGPL is not clearly marked beyond the grid reference point of NJ—9842. The two countries have decided to de-militarise the Siachen Glacier, but the matter is stuck as there are apprehensions on both sides,” officials said.

India wants Pakistan to authenticate the AGPL, both on the maps and the ground, as it occupies most of the dominating posts on the Saltoro Ridge, they said.

Pakistan, in turn, has been insisting on maintaining the pre-1972 troop positions as agreed in the Simla Agreement.

On Pakistan Army’s advances in the glacier in 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot and deployed its troops in most of the dominating features in the area.

The defence secretary-level talks between the two countries on Siachen dates back to 1985.The decision to hold joint talks was taken by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistan President General Zia-ul-Haq.

The Pakistani delegation arrived in India on Saturday.

Keywords: Indo-Pak. talks, Siachen issue

2G scam: Delhi court refuses bail to Cineyug Cinema director Karim Morani, orders judicial custody

May 30, 2011 New Delhi -A Delhi court on Monday rejected filmmaker Karim Morani's bail plea and ordered him to judicial custody in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam case.

In his order on the bail application of the Cineyug Films director, special judge O.P. Saini ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take him into custody.

"The accused has used every possible legal subterfuge to delay the ultimate as he has filed seven applications within a span of less than one month. Not only this, his counsel prayed in the evening of May 26 that the pronouncement of order may be deferred to May 30 till evening as they are likely to move superior court," the court observed in its order.

"He avoided court from May 6 to 23 on medical grounds, though as per the medical paper field on his behalf on May 11, he was stable and having no fever with normal blood pressure," it said.

Morani has been accused by the CBI of facilitating kickback to the DMK's Kalaignar TV. The CBI has alleged that Morani took Rs 6 crore for facilitating transfer of Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV.

So far, all attempts to seek bail by the 2G scam accused have remained unsuccessful. Though Morani tried a different route to secure bail, he too failed in his attempt. Now, he too will be sent to Tihar jail, where other accused, including former telecom minister A. Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi have been lodged for their alleged roles in the scam.

Morani's lawyers, earlier in the day, had filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court for urgent hearing taking the plea of personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. His attempt was seen as a desperate bid to take the matter to another court. However, the lower court decision came even before his petition could be heard in the high court.

Morani is known to share close ties with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. His daughter Zoa is all set to make her debut in Always Kabhi Kabhi, produced by Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment.

Zoa reportedly said recently that the 2G scam has not affected the relationship between the Morani family and the actor.  

Defections on rise in Yemen

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Hundreds of Islamic militants cemented control over a town in southern Yemen on Sunday, even seizing army tanks, military officials said, while breakaway army units encouraged other military forces to switch their loyalties and join the uprising.he growing number of defections in the military posed the most serious threat yet to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade grip on his country.A leader of the breakaway forces, Maj. Gen. Abdullah Ali Elewa, appealed to other units to join."Stand side by side with the courageous armed forces, Republican Guards and security officers who endorsed the peaceful popular youthful revolution and announced their support to stand up to the tyrants and corrupt, and unjust," he said.Elewa, a former defense minister, was one of nine military officers who signed the statement, named "Statement Number One" in the style of a military regime, though the officers are not in power. The group included leaders of four of Yemen's five military divisions.Saleh labeled them "traitors" and "war mongers.""We understand the demands of the youth revolution, but we ask them first to get rid of those corrupt, agent and traitor elements who defected from the military," Saleh said in a statement.Late Sunday, several explosions were heard in the capital Sanaa. Their origin was not known.Also, witnesses in the southern city of Taiz said security forces attacked protesters camped out in the central square with rifles and water cannon in an attempt to clear the area. Doctors said 150 people were taken to hospitals with injuries. In an earlier clash in Taiz, six protesters were killed, activists and doctors said.Throughout the three months of protests against his 33-year rule, Saleh has repeatedly argued that the terror group would overrun the impoverished corner of the Arabian peninsula if he falls.