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New Delhi, July 24 Even as elusive Union Coal and Mines Minister Shibu Soren, facing charges in a 29-year-old massacre case, sent in his resignation, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court for securing his immediate presence in the trial court at Jamatra, Jharkhand, to face trial.
CCS finalises brief for talks with China
Comedy king of silver screen
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Vajpayee to visit flood-hit areas of Bihar today
India peeved over Pak comments Orientation
course for MPs
HP minister meets Ahmed over hostage issue
PPCC leader calls on Sonia Gandhi
BSF, NCW to form vigilance panel
Rain god blesses Andhra
Four injured in ONGC plant fire
RS bypoll
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PIL for securing Soren’s presence in trial court
New Delhi, July 24 The PIL filed by advocate V.K. Ohri has also sought a direction from the apex court to the Sessions Judge, Jamatra, to expedite the trial proceedings, which had already been delayed by about 30 years. A direction has also been sought to restrain the Jharkhand Government from withdrawing any criminal case relating to the Jharkhand Movement from the court. The PIL also sought an inquiry into the whole episode as to why there was such a long delay in holding trial in the case and why the trial court judge failed to secure his presence all these years in a serious offence like mass murder, in which 10 persons — nine belonging to a minority community — were killed by a mob allegedly led by him. Mr Ohri has named all states as respondents in the case apart from the Union and the Jharkhand Governments. He has pleaded the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines for all states and the high courts in the country to ensure that “trial of senior public functionaries, who are accused of serious offences, is monitored by them to ensure speedy disposal”. Guidelines have also been sought for all states to ensure that investigations in heinous crimes is completed as fast as possible and chargesheets are filed within a reasonable time limit, especially when public functionaries who can influence the investigation, are involved. “If influential persons are allowed to get away without facing trial in criminal cases, it will pose a big threat to society,” the PIL said. To ensure fairness in trials involving public figures, there should be speedy disposal so that it is “insulated from the influence of the accused on the trial proceedings,” the petitioner has urged. It is strange that the massacre case against Soren dates back to 1975 and his presence is being sought by the court 20 years after the filing of the chargesheet. The petitioner has also said that attempt of the Jharkhand Government to withdraw criminal cases against certain accused arbitrarily “violated” the rights of the citizens, specially the victims of such crimes, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. As per the prosecution, a mob armed with lethal weapons and led by Soren had collected at Chirudeeh village in Jamatra district on January 23, 1975, and had indulged in violence, killing 10 persons and setting on fire an equal number of houses.
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Soren’s
resignation eyewash: BJP New
Delhi, July 24 “The resignation demanded by
the Prime Minister is ‘c/o’ which is undemocratic, shameless and
intended to mislead and confuse the people. The Prime Minister owes an
explanation to the nation on the whereabouts of Mr Soren,” party
Vice-President and Spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told mediapersons
here. Meanwhile, the BJP has decided to intensify its agitation
against the Andhra Pradesh Government’s move to give five per cent
reservation to the Muslims. |
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CCS finalises brief for talks with China
New Delhi, July 24 External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, who was present at the CCS meeting, told TNS today that only Sino-Indian border question and the upcoming talks between the two countries Special Representatives was discussed. Asked if issues like the Iraq hostage crisis and the Shibu Soren episode also came up for discussion at the meet, Mr Natwar Singh replied in the negative. Mr Dixit, who briefly spoke to the waiting reporters at the end of the CCS meet, said since there was a new government at the Centre, the last two rounds of talks between Mr Brajesh Mishra, National Security Adviser (NSA) in the Vajpayee government, and Dai were reviewed and the position finalised about "what we should say to him and what we should ask him to inform us". He said it was an ongoing process and the brief required a high-level political clearance. The talks would be held at Hyderabad House. Mr Dixit would host a dinner in honour of Mr Dai on July 27. This will be the third round of Special Representatives-level talks between India and China. In the previous two rounds, Mr Brajesh Mishra had held talks with Mr Dai. Mr Dixit had several rounds of meetings with Mr Brajesh Mishra after he took over as NSA and Mr Mishra briefed him on the stand taken by the Vajpayee government on many issues, including India's talks with Pakistan and China.
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Comedy king of silver screen
MEHMOOD'S the man who introduced the guffaws and bellylaughs to the movies. Before him there had been Johnny Walker, but the comedy wasn't quite riotous as Mehmood made it. What came to the known as "comic interludes" now became a stock ingredient of every film.
It was said that during his peak days in the film industry, some top heroes refused to work with Mehmood for fear of being overshadowed by
him. Mehmood's name was synonymous with a lungi, half moustache and a peculiar lingo, which was a combination of Hindi and South Indian languages. All this undoubtedly made him the comedy king of the silver screen, a position which he held for a
decade. Mehmood stepped into the celluloid world in keeping with his father, actor-dancer Mumtaz Ali's wishes. As things got bad at home, Mehmood did odd jobs and even worked as a driver with filmmaker
P.L. Santoshi. When a junior artiste in Santoshi's film fell sick, Mehmood was asked to step
in. The young boy did it only too gladly---- he was to get Rs 100 per day for the role. He even taught top actress Meena Kumari and her sister Madhuri table tennis. Eventually, the teacher and his student (Madhuri) fell in love and got married. Being a self-confessed
'chamcha' of Johnny Walker, Mehmood followed him everywhere. This turned out to be a boon for him. Raj Khosla spotted him and offered him a small role in Dev
Anand-starrer "CID" in 1956. Guru Dutt too offered him a bit role in
"Pyaasa". Next came "Parvarish" with Raj Kapoor and
"Chhoti Behan" with Tarachand Barjatya. Then came the landmark
"Sasural" which branded him a comedian for life. But on the personal front, his marriage to Madhuri broke and he married an American girl Tracy. He remained with her and their eight
children. Meanwhile, professionally, Mehmood's career rose to dazzling heights with films like "Dil Tera
Deewana", "Beti Bete", “Phoolan ki Sej”, “Tumse Achcha Kaun
Hai", “Love in Tokyo” “Gumnaam”, “Johar-Mehmood in Goa", “Neel Kamal” and
“Aankhen’’. In his films like "Pathar Ke Sanam",
"Humjoli", "Bhai Bhai", "Gunahon Ka Devta" and
‘‘Aulaad’’ he was paired with Aruna Irani. But earlier he made a hit pair with Shubha Khote and acted with
their in several films in the '60s, including
“Grihasti”, “Bharosa”, “Ziddi” and “Love in Tokyo”. As his popularity increased, so did his ambitions. From being a supreme joker —who cracked smutty jokes, danced boisterously and indulged in whatever gags — he turned producer and director. Significantly, it was
Mehmood, who as a producer, gave the present-day legend Amitabh Bachchan his first break as a hero in "Bombay to
Goa". Mehmood made films that were jubilee hits — "Chhote Nawab" in which musical genius R.D. Burman made his debut, "Pati
Patni", "Bhoot Bangla", "Padosan" and "Kunwara
Baap" with his polio-ridden son and Ginny aur Johnny" with daughter. He also ghost- directed
"Garam Masala" "Bombay to Goa" and "Do Phool" for friends. People, however, will remember Mehmood most for
"Padosan" in which he plays Saira Banu's South Indian music teacher. Another all-time favourite is
"Pyar Kiye Ja". Mehmood's evergreen scene wherein he tells Om Prakash a horror story that he plans to turn into a film is also the most remembered today. Even in his twilight years Mehmood continued to do small roles in
"Khalnayika" and "Udhaar Ki Zindagi" and was occasionally seen on TV in interviews. One of his sons, Lucky Ali, is a popular singer today.
Mehmood's health by now had deteriorated so much that he was constantly on oxygen. The most successful comedian of Hindi cinema breathed his last on Friday. |
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Kohli interrogated in Swiss woman’s rape case Kolkata, July 24 Instead, Interpol officials and a batch of the Punjab Police would come to Darjeeling in a day or two for further interrogation. Kohli was interrogated today by a Delhi police official in connection with the rape and murder of a Swiss national in New Delhi on October 15, 2003. The Inspector-rank official arrived from the Capital yesterday and interrogated Kohli, who is at present in judicial custody here, Darjeeling SP Rajiv Mishra, said. |
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Vajpayee to visit flood-hit areas of Bihar today
New Delhi, July 24 Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani would visit Assam on July 27, BJP spokesman M.A. Naqvi told newspersons here today. The BJP condemned the “casual” comment of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav on floods in his home state. “It is unfortunate that the minister, who should have been working day and night to extend all possible help to the flood-ravaged people in Bihar, has made such casual remarks,” Mr Naqvi said. Mr Yadav had yesterday reportedly told newspersons here that “the rising waters actually provided an opportunity to the poor to eat as much fish as they want”. |
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India peeved over Pak comments
New Delhi, July 24 “We are disappointed at the tone and substance of some of the comments made in the press release issued by the Pakistan Foreign office yesterday” after the Singh-Musharraf meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters here. He was asked about the Pakistani statement in which it quoted Musharraf as having told Singh that there should be simultaneous progress on all bilateral issues including Kashmir within a reasonable timeframe. Musharraf, according to the statement, told Singh “it is important to address this issue with sincerity with a view to reaching a final settlement that accorded fully with the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiris within a “reasonable timeframe”.
— PTI |
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Orientation
course for MPs New Delhi, July 24 The session was inaugurated by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri for a number of first-timers in the House. Mr Dinesh Trivedi, one of the Vice-Chairmen, also made a strong case for using wit and humour, especially in charged-up situations, to prevent them from turning into unsavoury incidents. Actress turned Parliamentarian Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party) wanted to know who were the great Parliamentarians and the reasons for their greatness. Mr
Anil Ambani, also of the SP, suggested that the participation of a
member in the House debates or the raising of questions should be put
on the Internet.  |
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HP minister meets Ahmed over hostage issue
New Delhi, July 24 According to an official spokesman, Mr Kuldeep Kumar conveyed the sentiments of the people of the state and particularly of the families whose members have been taken hostage by the militants. |
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PPCC leader calls on Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi, July 24 What he found disturbing was that the Act, therefore, confined the Rajiv-Longowal accord to the dust bin necessitating a Presidential reference under Article 143 of the Constitution on the issue of sharing of river waters among states. Mr Cheema apprised Mrs Gandhi of the general political situation in the state and the cause of the party's poor showing in Punjab in the recent Lok Sabha elections. |
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BSF, NCW to form vigilance panel
New Delhi, July 24 The BSF Director-General, Mr Ajai Raj Sharma, told mediapersons here today that 2.5 per cent of the total number of prostitutes in India are from Bangladesh. The NCW Chairperson, Dr Poornima Advani, wondered why Section 366 B of the Indian Penal Code is not invoked against persons allegedly
involved in trafficking. “We have to make sure that the law catches all those involved in the trafficking of a woman like the pimps, agents and brothel owners who somehow slip through the cracks while the poor and exploited women get caught.’’ |
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Rain god blesses Andhra
Hyderabad, July 24 Even as Karnataka refused to release Krishna waters for AP from Almatti Dam even after the Centre’s intervention, heavy and widespread rainfall since yesterday in many parts of coastal Andhra and Telangana regions have raised hopes among the state’s farming community. On the other hand, cloud seeding operations that had hit snags for the first two days, finally bore fruit on Friday when the experiment seemed to have worked in the drought-prone districts of Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Rangareddy districts, which received moderate rainfall. Like icing on the cake, even Krishna waters from Almatti, according to state officials, will flow into Andhra without Karnataka’s help, as reservoir levels of Almatti Dam were increasing. |
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Four injured in ONGC plant fire
Mumbai, July 24 The fire began in a drain outside the ONGC complex in the Uran Charphatta area, said a fire brigade spokesman. Slum dwellers living close to the premises alerted the police and fire tenders were rushed to the site. Before the fire tenders reached the spot, the fire had already spread to the LPG-2 storage unit and damaged it, said the fire brigade officials. However, the ONGC officials quickly
activated the emergency measures and prevented the fire from spreading. The fire officials suspected that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the powerlines located near the LPG-2 unit. |
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RS bypoll
New Delhi, July 24 The tenure of vacant seats will end on January 27, 2006. While notifications for the bypoll will be issued on July 30, the last date of filing nominations papers have been fixed as August 6. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on July 7 and last date of withdrawal of candidature has been fixed as August 9. |
Agra doctor surrenders 12 injured in group clash |
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MEHMOOD'S the man who introduced the guffaws and bellylaughs to the movies. Before him there had been Johnny Walker, but the comedy wasn't quite riotous as Mehmood made it. What came to the known as "comic interludes" now became a stock ingredient of every film.
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