Jethmalani crosses swords with Sibal
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 21— Union Law Minister, Ram Jethmalani, today crossed swords with Congress spokesman and senior lawyer, Kapil Sibal, on a point of law raised by him in a letter to the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, on the Bofors deal.

Mr Jethmalani said in his letter to Mrs Sonia Gandhi he had exposed the lies that she spoke about her family friend, Ottavio Quattrocchi, and his share of the Bofors bribes.

He said though the letter had evoked no response or repudiation from the addressee, it had provoked vulgar abuse from her party spokesman, Kapil Sibal.

To Mr Sibal’s statement that Mr Jethmalani did not know law, Mr Jethmalani said "only a person who knows more law than me can make such a statement. I have not met Mr Sibal for for quite some time. When I met him last time he did not know that much law as to qualify him for such judgement. May be he has since picked up some from his mentor, Mrs Sonia Gandhi".

The Law Minister said in his letter to Mrs Gandhi he had made a proposition that police investigations were conducted secretly and confidentially and except when necessary for obtaining judicial orders and when public interest can afford such a disclosure documents remain secret.

The other proposition was that the principle of circumstantial evidence was too well known that if large amount of money was received from a person doing business with a public servant and that person has nothing to do with the transaction but was closely connected with the public servant. It was a fair inference that it was received for the public servant.

Mr Jethmalani said he believed that even a law student would deny the validity of these two propositions.

President notifies 3rd phase of L S poll

NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (UNI) — The process of filing nominations began today in 79 constituencies spread over five states with the President issuing the notification for the third phase of the 13th Lok Sabha elections on September 18.

Simultaneously, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh issued the notification for the third and last phase of polling in 98 constituencies of the 294-member state Assembly.

The states going to the polls in the third phase of the general election are Andhra Pradesh (14 constituencies), Bihar (19), Jammu and Kashmir (2), Madhya Pradesh (14) and Uttar Pradesh (30).

Returning officers in these constituencies will accept nominations till August 28, scrutiny will be held on August 30. Withdrawal of nominations will be allowed till September 1.

Campaigning will end on September 16, 48 hours before the day of poll. Counting will be taken up on October 6.

With today's notification, the poll process would have been notified in 348 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies. The notification for the first phase of polling on September 5 in 146 constituencies spread over 16 states and union territories was issued on August 11. The second phase of polling on September 11 in 123 constituencies spread over eight states was notified on August 12 (for 20 seats in Kerala) and August 17 (for the remaining 103 seats).

The notification for the fourth phase on September 25 in 74 constituencies spread over nine states would be issued on August 30. Separate notifications would be issued for the fifth and last phase on October 2 in 121 constituencies in nine states and one union territory. While the elections in 11 constituencies of Orissa will be notified on September 3, the notification for 110 constituencies will be issued on September 7.

The entire poll process would be concluded on October 10.

Militants kill 5 in Assam

GUWAHATI, Aug 21 (UNI) — At least 5 persons were gunned down by suspected NDFB militants in Assam’s Dhubri district today, official reports said.

The militants, who shot dead the five at Panbari, also kidnapped six others, including five officials of two tea gardens, since yesterday.

Three officials of Fatimabed tea estate in Barpeta district were kidnapped today. They were — Manager Bimal Das, Deputy Manager Nabajyoti Phukan and Assistant Manager Paniyankar Pujari.

The militants took away the pistol of Mr Lachit Boro, personal security officer (PSO) of one of the kidnapped officers, sources said.

Senior civil and police officials rushed to both places. Investigation into the kidnapping incident was on.

Suspected NSCN (IM) militants kidnapped two officials and a contractor of the Pakhimara tea estate under Udharbond police station of Cachar district last night.

They were — Mr Rajat Banerjee, Assistant Manager, Mr Subir Dey, Welfare Officer and Contractor Praphakar Singh.

The police launched an intensive combing operation to rescue them, the sources added.