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Mon, 25 March 2013
ED questions Kalmadi in CWG case
Timeline Refresh
22:32 ED questions Kalmadi in CWG case
Sacked CWG organising committee chief Suresh Kalmadi was today quizzed for nearly six hours by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into alleged forex violations in the run up to the 2010 sporting extravaganza.
During the questioning, the Pune MP was asked about other clearances that the Organising Committee (OC) of the CWG obtained from RBI to conduct overseas transactions, they said.
The agency has filed a case under the Foreign Exchange Management Act with regard to the Queen's Baton Relay that happened in London before the games and other funds that were brought in the country for the multi-disciplinary sporting event that were held here.
This is the first time the ED has questioned Kalmadi in detail with regard to RBI clearances that the Organising Committee had obtained while preparing for the Commonwealth Games.
21:25 Cong distances from Digvijay's remarks for Sanjay
The Congress today virtually distanced from party leader Digvijay Singh's remarks in support of actor Sanjay Dutt, sentenced under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai blast case, saying "the party does not comment on such matters".
"There is the rule of law. Nobody is big or small in the eyes of law. Anybody can submit his petition to the Governor of the President and they decide on that. The party does not comment on such issues," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told mediapersons in New Delhi.
Singh had said yesterday that "Sanjay Dutt is not a criminal, he is not a terrorist. Sanjay Dutt, at a young age, in the atmosphere of that time, thought that perhaps the way Sunil Dutt had been raising his voice against communalism and favoured the minorities, then perhaps he could be attacked."
20:52 NIA to probe Liyaqat arrest row
The Centre today ordered a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the circumstances leading to the arrest of suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Liyaqat Shah amid conflicting versions by Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir police.
"I have asked NIA to probe the case," Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said here. J and K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had spoken to Shinde on Saturday and demanded a "speedy and time-bound" probe by NIA into the circumstances leading to the arrest of Liyaqat.
While the Delhi Police claimed that he was a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, its Jand K counterpart insisted that he was one of those who had exfiltrated in 1990s and had returned to India to surrender under the rehabilitation policy of the state government.
20:45 Sharif begins PML-N's election campaign
Former premier Nawaz Sharif kicked off the PML-N's election campaign in northwest Pakistan today, pledging to carry out "economic explosions" on the lines of the nuclear tests of 1998 if his party is voted to power.
"We conducted the atomic blasts in Pakistan and this time, we have to carry out economic explosions for the people," he told a gathering of tens of thousands at a stadium at Mansehra in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
"Just like the nuclear blasts made us an atomic power, economic explosions during our next term will turn Pakistan into an economic powerhouse," said Sharif, whose party is one of the frontrunners for the general election scheduled for May 11.
20:11 PM arrives in Durban for BRICS Summit
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today arrived in South Africa on a four-day visit to attend the BRICS Summit, whichcould launch a development bank for the five-nation grouping and discuss ways to reform governance in international financial institutions.
The prime minister is leading a high-level delegation including Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.
20:00 India Inc Q4 revenue growth will nosedive: Crisil
The revenue growth rate of India Inc is expected to slow down to 6-7 per cent in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal from 17.5 per cent a year ago due to a sharp decline in demand, Crisil Research said today.
"We believe India Inc's revenue growth (excluding banks and oil & gas companies) will decelerate to 6-7 per cent in the January-March quarter from 17.5 per cent a year ago on the back of waning demand," Crisil Research said in its quarterly update of industry performance.
19:59 CBI arrests Additional Commissioner of I-T for graft
The CBI has arrested Additional Commissioner of Income Tax C S Bharti in Ahmedabad in an alleged graft case.
19:58 Pardon for Dutt: Amar, Jaya Prada to meet Maha Guv
Expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Lok Sabha MP from Rampur Jaya Prada have sought an appointment with Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan on Tuesday, apparently to seek pardon for actor Sanjay Dutt.
Dutt, who has already undergone imprisonment of 18 months, was on Thursday sentenced to five years imprisonment in Mumbai serial blasts case.
19:57 Sebi's Sahara orders: Final SAT hearing tomorrow
The Securities Appellate Tribunal will hold its final hearing on Tuesday on Sahara group chief Subrata Roy's plea against Sebi's attachment order of his bank accounts and other assets, along with those of two group firms and their top executives.
Roy has approached the SAT against the attachment orders issued by Sebi last month. The Tribunal, in its last hearing in Mumbai on Saturday, had decided to continue to hear the matter in Delhi on March 26.
19:55 Kayani, Kerry discuss Afghan reconciliation process
Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the reconciliation process in Afghanistan during a meeting in Jordan, a military spokesman said today.
Kayani, who is on a two-day bilateral visit to Jordan, met Kerry in Amman last night.
"Both (leaders) discussed the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and security issues concerning the South Asian region," the spokesman said, without giving details.
19:54 Rhino calf found dead in Kaziranga National Park
Close on the heels of a rhino being killed by poachers in Kaziranga National Parkon Saturday, the carcass of a rhino calf was found in the park today.
This has taken the death toll of rhinos in the World Heritage Site to 14 since January this year.
The carcass was recovered by the personnel of Special Forest Protection Force and India Reserve Battalion during routine patrolling, park authorities said.
19:27 Congress, SP legislators fight in front of Sonia
Congress and SP legislators were locked in a verbal duel in front of UPA chairperson and local MP Sonia Gandhi at a meeting in Rae
Bareli today, prompting her to step in to soothe frayed tempers.
At a meeting of the district vigilance and monitoring committee, Congress MLC Dinesh Singh alleged bias in selection of villages, under a scheme launched by the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh.
He alleged that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was diverting central funds for the scheme, sources said.
This was strongly objected to by state minister Manoj Pandey, who said the discussions should be confined to development issues.
19:26 Tamil women soldiers recruited to Sri Lankan Army
A batch of 95 Tamil women soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army held their passing out parade at the security force's headquarters in the former LTTE stronghold of Kilinochchi in the north.
This was the first time the army saw such a large group of Tamil women joining the organisation en bloc, although the army has had a fair number of Tamil woman officers serving it ever since its founding, military officials said.
19:25 Kerala: Bus falls into gorge, 8 killed
Seven final year engineering students were among eight persons killed and 30 others injured when their bus fell into a gorge at Thekkinkanam in the district today.
The driver was among those killed.
The students, who belonged to the final year batch of the Electronics and Instrumentation branch at the Sarabhai Institute of Science and Technology at Vellanad in Thiruvananthapuram, were on their way to Munnar from Kodaikanal on a picnic when the mishap occurred, said the police.
19:22 ED questions Kalmadi in CWG case
Sacked CWG Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi was today questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into alleged foreign exchange violations in the run-up to the 2010 sporting extravaganza.
The agency has filed a case under Foreign Exchange Management Act with regard to the Queen's Baton Relay -- which happened in London before the games -- and other funds that were brought in the country for the multi-disciplinary games that were held in Delhi.
19:21 No Vegas vacation for Prince Harry!
Prince Harry, who is trying to shed his image as Britain's 'fun-loving royal', is planning an official visit to the United States in May, though he won't tour sin city Las Vegas this time.
The 28-year-old grandson of Queen Elizabeth II has not included Las Vegas on his itinerary this time, after nude pictures of him from a private visit to the country last year made the wrong kind of headlines across the globe.
19:18 Chautala's plea rejected by court
A Delhi court today turned down the plea of jailed former Haryana chief minister O P Chautala, who is facing trial in a disproportionate assets case, to undergo pacemaker implantation at a private hospital, instead of a government facility.
While rejecting his plea, Special CBI Judge Manu Rai Sethi directed the jail superintendent to get the 78-year-old INLD leader, who is serving sentence in connection to a graft case, referred to the RML Hospital, saying it has all the infrastructure and facilities required for his treatment.
19:17 Current account deficit to be 5 pc: Rangarajan
India's Current Account Deficit for 2012-13 is likely to be around 5 per cent of the GDP, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan said today.
"I think we need to wait for a little more data to come in, but I think it could be around 5 per cent of GDP this fiscal year," Rangarajan told reporters on the sidelines of an event.
18:55 China defends deal to build nuke plant for Pak
Tacitly confirming reports of signing of an agreement with Pakistan to build a huge 1000 MW nuclear power plant, China today defended the deal, saying it conformed to safeguards of the IAEA and rejected allegations that it has violated NSG norms.
"China has noted the relevant report," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing.
He was replying to a question on reports from Washington that Beijing has secretly entered a deal with Pakistan to construct the plant at Chashma in Punjab province.
18:35 HC turns down Achuthanandan's plea
The Kerala high court today turned down the plea of veteran Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan -- for an early hearing of his plea for CBI probe in the Ice Cream Parlour sabotage case -- and posted it after May 23.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellurand Justice Vinod Chandran refused Achuthanandan's plea and posted the case for May 23.
18:34 UK PM plans tougher immigration crackdown
British Prime Minister David Cameron today unveiled further plans to tighten rules for foreigners in the country, even as the department in charge of tackling immigration came under severe criticism for its inability to clear backlogs of over 300,000 unresolved immigration cases.
Migrants will lose their right to benefits after six months unless they "have a genuine chance of finding work", Cameron wrote in an article in The Sun, ahead of a major speech on immigration, which also sets out steps to restrict the rights of some immigrants to social housing in the country.
18:07 Tharoor to host Kerala Tourism's online quiz show
Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor will conduct a quiz show for promoting tourism in his home state Kerala. The online video quiz show hosted by Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram, for Kerala Tourism will kick-off early May and go on for two months, a release from Tourism Department said here today.
It will be easy to join the show from anywhere in the world while the quiz master reels out questions on God's Own Country's bountiful nature, geography and culture. The participants need to merely register themselves on the Kerala Tourism website (www.keralatourism.org), the virtual platform for the quiz show. The registration will begin on April 20.
18:01 Cop thrashed by Maharashtra MLAs suspended
Just in: Sachin Suryavanshi, the policeman who was thrashed by MLAs, has been suspended for using foul language against MLA Kshitij Thakur.
Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil announced Suryavanshi's suspension in the Assembly.
Both MLAs Ram Kadam and Kshitij Thakur were granted bail on a surety of Rs. 15,000 each on Monday.
The MLAs will have to appear before the Mumbai Crime Branch once a week, reports said.Kadam and Thakur had surrendered before the Mumbai Police on Thursday.
18:00 Jain hawala case: ex-DIG sentenced to jail for taking bribe
A former senior CBI official was today sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Delhi court for demanding and accepting bribe for not invoking TADA against the Jain brothers in the controversial 1991 Jain hawala case.
Former CBI DIG O P Sharma, 75, who was supervising the hawala case, was handed down the jail term and slapped with a fine of Rs one lakh by Special CBI Judge Pradeep Chaddah.
The court held him guilty of demanding bribe from the Jain brothers -- Surendra and Janendra Jain-- for not arresting them in the controversial case in which names of senior politicians and government servants had cropped up.
17:51 Liquor cheaper than water in Modi's Guj: Congress
Opposition Congress today alleged that liquor has become cheaper than water in parched Gujarat as Chief Minister Narendra Modi is busy chasing his "dream" to become prime minister and ignoring the plight of common people.
"Water is not easily available in drought-hit areas in the state but liquor is not only readily available but at the rate cheaper than water", state unit Congress president Arjun Modhwadia told reporters here.
17:35 Shiv Sena demands a ban on MIM
Demanding that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) should be banned throughout Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena said today that incidents which took place in the recent past have demoralised the police.
Raising the issue in the State Legislative Council during a debate on law and order in the state, Shiv Sena MLC Diwakar Raote said, "MIM was banned by the British. MIM chief Assaduddin Owaisi has been banned in Aurangabad, but his party should be banned in throughout Maharashtra".
17:17 Inquiry into flagship scheme in Sonia's constituency
An inquiry will be held into works under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna in Sonia Gandhi's constituency, it was decided at a meeting attended the Congress chief and officials.
"At the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting, it has been decided to conduct an inquiry by a committee into construction and maintenance works done under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna.
16:41 Sanjay Dutt has suffered a lot: Mamata
Joining the bandwagon of politicians and filmstars seeking pardon for actor Sanjay Dutt convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case by the Supreme Court, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said he had "already suffered a lot for the blunder".
"I have received many requests from civil society and film personalities to see that Sanjay does not suffer more," the chief minister said in a Facebook post.
16:31 MNS workers attack Indiabulls' Amravati office
Suspected MNS activists today attacked the office of diversified conglomerate Indiabulls in Camp area of the city, second such incident since party chief Raj Thackeray yesterday accused the company of "usurping" water meant for farmers for its power plant in the parched district.
"A group of 20-25 youths, shouting slogans hailing MNS, stormed the Indiabulls' office at Camp area around 12 PM and damaged the windowpanes and a glass door," a company spokesman told PTI.
16:29 Collegium system should be revisited: Advani
Senior BJP leader L K Advani today said the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court judges should be revisited to include the Executive in the process as reports of corruption, nepotism, favouritism and other ills have been gaining ground in the judiciary.
In his latest blog posting, Advani cited views of retired Supreme Court judges Rumal Pal and J S Verma as well as the Law Commission report to insist that the present collegium system- comrpising of Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court- is not adequate.
16:26 Hong Kong court rejects landmark maid residency bid
Hong Kong's top court today rejected a bid to give hundreds of thousands of foreign maids the right to live in the city permanently, angering activists who said the ruling amounted to discrimination.
In turning down the attempt to give maids the same residency rights as other foreigners, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that there was no need to refer the case to Beijing for a final say, which would have sparked new controversy.
Officials in semi-autonomous Hong Kong had suggested enlisting the advice of the Chinese central government on the immigration question, sparking warnings that they were jeopardising the territory's cherished judicial independence.
16:13 2012 Ladakh scuffle: 4 Army officers face action
A Court of Inquiry into a scuffle that broke out between officers and jawans in Ladakh following alleged molestation involving an orderly on Monday announced disciplinary action against commanding officer and three other officers.
The inquiry, made public on Monday, also recommended disciplinary action against 168 personnel in the face-off incident.
The inquiry was ordered after the Defence Ministry sought a report from the Army on the incident that took place on May 10, 2012.
The incident took place at Nyoma -- 150 km from Leh town, when a group of officers and jawans clashed following an incident of alleged molestation involving an orderly and the reported capturing of the armoury by agitated soldiers.
The clash took place allegedly after a jawan misbehaved with the wife of a Major who beat him up, sources said.
16:10
Even though the reason for his resignation is not known, there has been speculations about discomforts in the UPSC on the alleged highhandedness of two members and also against Chairman
Snippets from Delhi
Vijay Singh on Monday resigned as member of Union Public Service Commission two months ahead of his demitting Office.
Even though the reason for his resignation is not known, there has been speculations about discomforts in the UPSC on the alleged highhandedness of two members and also against Chairman
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M F Farooqi, an IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, is the new Telecom Ministry Secretary. Shananu Behura, former fertiliser secretary, has been named as the new Heavy Industries Ministry secretary. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to approve these proposals on his return from BRIC conference in Durban.
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Priyanka Gandhi has denied reports in a Hindi news daily that she is to contest from Amethi.
Adding to the media frenzy is Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma's reported statement that Priyanka will certainly be contest from the seat and the media should run the story and not the denial
15:58 South Korean national molested in Kolkata bus
A South Korean national was allegedly molested while boarding a bus in the Kolkata's Thakurpukur area on Monday.
The accused was arrested after the victim lodged a compliant at the Burrabazar police station, Deputy Commissioner of police (central) D P Singh said.
The accused was arrested under section 354 of the IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and will be produced in court today, he added.
15:30 Ladakh base revolt: Army to act against CO, others
Just In: Army inquiry recommends disciplinary action against 168 personnel including the unit's commander in officer-jawan face off incident in Ladakh last year.
In Nyoma in Ladakh last year, officers and jawans had come to blows after alleged misbehaviour of a young officer with a soldier during a firing practice session allegedly in the presence of their wives.
15:22 VVIP helicopter deal was tainted: AK Antony
Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday confirmed that corruption had taken place in the controversial helicopter deal with Italian company AgustaWestland. He added that a new defence procurement policy would soon be ready.
"Yes, corruption has taken place in the helicopter deal and bribes have been taken. The CBI is pursuing the case very vigorously," Antony told reporters here.
As soon reports first surfaced of alleged corruption in the deal, the Defence Ministry ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation to probe if kickbacks were paid to Indian middlemen in the Rs 3,700-crore deal to buy 12 high-security VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.
14:41 Govt cuts Public Provident Fund rate to 8.7%
Millions of small investors will get lower returns on the popular post office scheme, Public Provident Fund (PPF), with the government cutting the interest rate on PPF to 8.7 per cent from 8.8 per cent with effect from 1 April, 2013.
The finance ministry today said that along with PPF rates, it has also cut National Savings Certificate (NSC) rates but left savings deposit rate and one-year time deposit unchanged.
The interest rate on the 10-year NSC has been slashed to 8.8 per cent from 8.9 per cent.
The savings deposit rate has been left unchanged at 4 per cent and the one-year term deposit too stays at 8.2 per cent.
14:14 Liaqat Shah arrest: Centre orders NIA probe
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday handed over Hizbul terrorist Liaqat Shah's case to National Investigation Agency (NIA), relenting to Jammu and Kashmir government's pressure, which had demanded the case be transferred to NIA for a "time bound speedy probe". NIA will now probe the circumstances under which, Liaqat was arrested.
A controversy broke over the arrest of Liaqat Shah by Delhi Police, which claimed that Liaqat had come to the national capital to plan a suicide attack during Holi celebrations. However, the charges were contested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police saying that he was returning to the Valley to surrender.
The Delhi Police had then submitted a report to the Home Ministry, which examined both the versions. Omar took up the matter with Shinde over phone as the latter was away in Maharashtra with President Pranab Mukherjee.
"I have spoken to him and asked for a speedy and time bound probe by the NIA to establish the facts in this case," the J&K CM had said.
14:13 Juhu party: Cricketer Rahul Sharma chargesheeted
The Mumbai Police has filed a chargesheet in the 2012 Juhu rave party case.
The police have charged cricketer Rahul Sharma with drug use at the rave party. South African all-rounder Wayne Parnell has been named absconding accused in the case.
The cricketers were present at the May 20, 2012 party at Juhu's Oakwood hotel.
They have been accused of consuming cannabis.
Rahul Sharma, actor couple Apoorva Agnihotri and Shilpa Agnihotri, and others had been rounded up after a raid on the suburban hotel.
The police had conducted a raid in May 2012 on the party, where drugs were allegedly being consumed, and rounded up around 86 persons.
13:23 MNS men now attack Indiabulls' Amravati office
A day after damaging property belonging to Indiabulls' office in Mumbai, alleged Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers on Monday attacked the company's office in Amravati district of Maharashtra.
The attacks came in the wake of the MNS chief Raj Thackeray's criticism of the Maharashtra government for diverting drinking and irrigation water needed by drought-hit farmers to the Indiabulls power plant.
Speaking at a rally in Amravati, he had also said: "There will be severe consequences if projects like that of Indiabulls Pvt Ltd, which require diversion of water, aren't stopped immediately."
Also, the Mumbai police have reportedly arrested two MNS activists in Indiabulls' Mumbai office attack case.
On Sunday evening, around 15 unidentified persons had pelted stones on the office of Indiabulls Finance Centre in Central Mumbai. According to a report, the vandals have been identified as MNS workers.
13:19 Won't offer even outside support to the UPA: DMK
M Karunanidhi-led DMK on Monday indicated that there will be no change in its stand on the UPA government and the southern party will not extend any support to the Congress-led ruling coalition at the Centre.
The development was confirmed by DMK leader Tiruchi Shiva who said, "The party will not offer even outside support to the UPA."
A decision in this regard was taken during the executive meet of the DMK to chalk out the party's future course of action against the UPA government for its slow response to the Sri Lankan Tamil issue.
Party chief M Karunanidhi's son and former Union Minister MK Alagiri skipped the party meeting in an apparent indication of widening split in the DMK over its decision to withdraw support to the UPA government over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.
12:43 After DMK, Mulayam set to pull the plug on UPA?
CNN-IBN reports: After the DMK pullout, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has signalled at pulling the plug soon on the United Progressive Alliance government.
SP sources said Mulayam has made up his mind that he wants an early election in 2013.
The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has been telling his party workers to be ready for the early polls scenario, sources said.
Mulayam is likely to hold a big rally after Holi and will make his intentions clear, they added.
According to the sources, Mulayam has now realised that this is the last time he can have a go at the prime minister's post.
Speaking at a rally in Sangli in Maharashtra on Sunday, Mulayam said that the time for a single-party government is over and all the like-minded parties must come together.
12:21 2002 hit-and-run case: Salman skips court hearing
Just In: Bollywood actor Salman Khan fails to appear before Sessions Court in 2002 hit-and-run case.
The case came up for the first time before the Sessions Court after a Magistrate transferred the matter to that Court by charging the actor with a more serious charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder'.
Along with the prosecution's case against Salman, the court was also to hear his appeal against the Magistrate's order, invoking the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' against him which attracts a punishment upto ten years in prison.
Sessions Judge U B Hejib had scheduled the hearing for March 25, and the 47-year-old had been asked to be present on that day, the sources said.
It was to be Salman's first appearance before the Sessions court after Bandra Magistrate's court referred the case to the Sessions Court (because the offence he is now charged with is serious).
12:02 Mother of 4 is 110th Tibetan to self-immolate
A mother of four, Kal Kyi, set fire to herself on Sunday afternoon in Aba, a Tibetan area of Sichuan Province in China, becoming the 110th Tibetan to self-immolate in protest over Chinese rule since 2009, according to a report on an India-based Tibetan Web site, Phayul.com.
Her death comes more than two months since a respected Tibetan writer, Naktsang Nulo, published an online essay calling for the Dalai Lama to ask Tibetans to stop self-immolating.
Unusually, the essay is still available on China's censored Internet, where mention of the self-immolations is normally removed quickly.
12:00 Meghalaya gangrape vic 'harassed, denied admission'
First she was gangraped and almost beaten to death.
Now this 16-year-old girl is facing numerous forms of harassment.
After her family decided to shift her to another town, at least one school denied her admission in the new location.
The family is also under pressure to withdraw the case, according to rights activists.
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11:57 Kothari sworn in as Rajasthan Lokayukta
Former judge of the Rajasthan High Court Justice Sajjan Singh Kothari was today sworn in as Lokayukta.
Governor Margaret Alva administered him oath of office in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Chief Justice Amitava Roy, members of council of ministers, BJP State President Vasundhara Raje and senior officers were present during the ceremony at Raj Bhawan.
The post had been lying vacant since May last year after the retirement of G L Gupta.
Kothari's selection was made by a panel that included the Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court.
11:15 UK tourist in Agra 'shouted for help for an hour'
A British woman who jumped from a hotel balcony in India fearing sexual assault said on Sunday she shouted for help for more than an hour before she fled.
The 31-year-old from London said she had barricaded the door of her hotel room in Agra with furniture to stop two men from entering.
"I held my key in the lock and I could feel them turning it from the other side," she told the BBC
A dental hygienist by profession, she injured both legs in the jump but said her ordeal could have been a lot worse.
The manager of the hotel and another member of staff appeared in court on Wednesday accused of harassing the British woman, with their lawyer saying they denied the charges.
10:22 Indiabulls office attack: 2 MNS workers arrested
The Mumbai police have arrested two Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers in Indiabulls office attack case, a report said on Monday.
On Sunday evening, around 15 unidentified persons pelted stones on the office of Indiabulls Finance Centre in Central Mumbai.
According to a news channel, the vandals have been identified as MNS workers.
Notably, the attack came hours after MNS chief Raj Thackeray's criticism of the Maharashtra government for diverting drinking and irrigation water needed by drought-hit farmers to the Indiabulls power plant.
Speaking at a rally in Amravati, he had also said: "There will be severe consequences if projects like that of Indiabulls Pvt Ltd, which require diversion of water, aren't stopped immediately."
10:21 2002 hit-and-run case: Will Salman appear in court today?
Bollywood actor Salman Khan is all set to appear in person before a Sessions Court in Mumbai in the 2002 hit-and-run case today.
However, a news channel has quoted Salman's lawyer as saying that the actor would not appear in court as he did not receive the summons.
The case would come up for the first time before the Sessions Court after a Magistrate transferred the matter to that court by charging the actor with a more serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Along with the prosecution's case against Salman, the court would also hear his appeal against the Magistrate's order, invoking the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' against him which attracts a punishment up to 10 years in prison.
09:57 Split wide open in DMK, Alagiri skips party meet
In an apparent indication of widening split in the DMK over its decision to withdraw support to the UPA government at the centre over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, party chief M Karunanidhi's son and former Union Minister MK Alagiri skipped a crucial meet of the party on Monday.
According to reports, Alagiri, who is upset with the 'manner' in which the party pulled out of the UPA government, also left for Madurai.
Alagiri also met his father and party chief M Karunanidhi on Sunday and conveyed his strong displeasure over the partys decision to withdraw support to the Congress government at the centre.
Sources close to the DMK claim that Alagiri is upset with younger brother MK Stalin, who is believed to have pushed Karunanidhi to pullout of the UPA government.
09:23 Ford India faces flak for turning women to baggage
Car manufacturer Ford has been accused of undermining attempts to tackle violence against women in India with an advert showing three gagged and bound ladies in the back of a car.
The ad also appears to show a grinning Silvio Berlusconi, notorious for his "bunga bunga" sex parties, in the driver's seat of the Figo.
Indian ad agency, WPP, produced the image for Ford and uploaded it onto the internet last week. It has since been withdrawn.
In a statement, WPP said: "We deeply regret the publishing of posters that were distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within WPP Group. These were never intended for paid publication and should never have been created, let alone uploaded to the internet.
"This was the result of individuals acting without proper oversight and appropriate actions have been taken within the agency where they work to deal with the situation."
09:17 Inside India's city of widows
India is jam-packed with holy sites and pilgrimage destinations. But few places are as closely associated with the deity Krishna as is Vrindavan, on the banks of the Yamuna, a few hours' drive south-east of Delhi.
Here, in this temple-crammed town, the name of Krishna is on everyone's lips along with the name of his childhood sweetheart, Radha.
Krishna, according to great epic the Mahabharata, was born in the nearby forest and it was around here that the young flute-playing trickster flirted with the goat herders - the gopis - and enjoyed that now infamous love affair known to every Hindu with the beautiful, divine Radha.
Radha and Krishna, the two names bound together forever and in the minds of every pilgrim who arrives in town to walk the ritual circuit of temples and bathing ghats (steps leading down towards the water).
But Vrindavan has its darker, less-loving side - it is known as "the city of widows".
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09:15 Top Saudi cleric says Twitter is for clowns
Saudi Arabia's top religious cleric has criticised the microblogging website Twitter, calling it "a council for jokesters" and a place for unjust, incorrect messages.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al-Sheikh made the remarks during a speech to other Saudi clerics on Friday.
The mufti's remarks came on the same day that an imam at Mecca's Grand Mosque said people had the right to express themselves, but should do so cautiously in order to protect the nation's prestige and unity.
Earlier this year, the mufti called on Muslims to avoid Twitter as it "invited [people] to throw charges between them, and to lie in a manner that brings fame to some".
The latest remarks have generated a wide range of reactions on social media.
09:14 Do Indian men think girls looking sexy invite rape?
A shocking series of brutal attacks has led to a national debate on sexual violence.
The recent cases have led to worldwide outrage, and demonstrations led by women have filled the streets of major cities. But what do India's young men think?
The Observer gathered a group in the western region of Goa to hear their views. They were: Abhijit Harmalkar, 28, a driver; his brother, Avinash, 24, a factory worker; Bhivresh Banaulikar, 26, an auditor; Brindhavan Salgaonkar, 20, a factory worker; Robin Shretha, 21, a waiter; and Papi Gonzales, 32, the owner of the bar.
The talk revealed a disturbing mindset
09:06 Assad death report dismissed as 'ridiculous' rumour
Media websites were abuzz with rumours of Syrian President Bashar Assad's death on Sunday, after he had supposedly been shot the previous day. But RT later heard from a source close to the government that the news is completely untrue.
The president was reportedly shot dead by his Iranian bodyguard, then taken to a Damascus hospital, as roads were blocked and the surrounding buildings seized by government forces. Then, French weekly, Le Point, reported that the news was denied by the Free Syrian Army. All while some Israeli and Lebanese sources confirmed Assads death.
However, a source close to the Syrian government, in a conversation with RT.com, has dismissed the rumors as outlandish, and the fact that the news had spread at all, bizarre. "It is not true. Definitely it is not. The first one to bring this news was an Israeli [website] so it is a shame to all the news channels, newspapers and websites copying this thing without any source. Just the Israeli website brought this news and all the channels [used]. So it is ridiculous. And he [Assad] does not have an Iranian bodyguard."
Social media websites like Facebook and Twitter have widely been blamed for the rumor spreading so quickly.
09:02 The startling rise of disability in America
In the past three decades, the number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed.
The rise has come even as medical advances have allowed many more people to remain on the job, and new laws have banned workplace discrimination against the disabled.
Every month, 14 million people now get a disability check from the government.
08:41 Scindia fans fight for crown
The Congress is witnessing a full-fledged war in Madhya Pradesh, where polls are scheduled later this year.
Union minister of state for power Jyotiraditya Scindia is increasingly getting restless over his inability to lead the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC). Scindia told party workers recently that if he is given "one chance", he would teach the ruling BJP a lesson.
State Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria reacted sharply. "What does Scindia want? How many chances does he want?" the tribal MP said, pointing at Scindia's standing in the state Congress and the party's dismal electoral performances since 2003.
Bhuria, a Union minister before taking over as MPCC chief, wondered why Scindia, 42, was not satisfied despite holding independent charge of the power ministry.
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08:39 Maoist plays mad but ends in cuffs
One of the Maoists freed in exchange for the 2011 release of Odisha collector R Vineel Krishna has been held in Andhra Pradesh after a day's dramatic chase that saw him first jump off a police van and play a lunatic.
Sriramula Srinivas alias Sudarshan, 55, is also a key accused in the 2003 assassination attempt on former chief minister and Telugu Desam boss Chandrababu Naidu and in the murder of a state home minister, A Madhav Reddy, three years earlier.
Both attacks were landmine blasts.
Sudarshan, a native of Andhra's Nalgonda district, is a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and said to be eighth in the hierarchy. He is also secretary of the rebels' Andhra-Odisha Border Committee, blamed for the abduction of IAS officer and Malkangiri collector Krishna.
08:36 Navneet Kaur wins Femina Miss India
Chandigarh girl Navneet Kaur Dhillon won the Femina Miss India 2013 contest in a glittering grand finale of the 50th edition of the beauty pageant on Sunday night.
Sobhita Dhulipala became the first runner up while Zoya Afroz was adjudged the second runner up for the prestigious beauty pageant.
Reportedly, 23 girls from different parts of India fought for the coveted award.
This year's competition was celebrating its 50th year.
Auditions for the competition were held at Pune, Goa, Indore, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Delhi.
Karan Johar, John Abraham, Asin, Chitrangada Singh, Shiamak Davar, Ritu Kumar and Yuvraj Singh were the judges for the event.
The show also featured performances by Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai and Sonu Niigam.
08:33 PM leaves for Durban to attend BRICS Summit
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left New Delhi on Monday morning on a four-day visit to Durban in South Africa to attend a five-nation Summit on March 26 and 27 that could launch a BRICS development bank and discuss ways to reform governance in international financial institutions.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation including Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, the Prime Minister will also have an opportunity to meet with the new Chinese leadership on the Summit sidelines when he calls on President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
The highlight of the Summit of the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) is the possible setting up of the BRICS bank. But there is no no clarity on its corpus.
The bank is expected to promote growth and investment in its member-states and other emerging markets and will be a strong voice in the lobbying for the reform of international financial institutions.
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