Wednesday, February 22, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Manu, 8 others acquitted in Jessica murder case

New Delhi, February 21 A city sessions court today acquitted prime accused Sidharth Vashist, alias Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Minister Vinod Sharma, in the sensational murder of ramp model Jessica Lal at a South Delhi bar seven years ago.

Jessica Lal     Manu Sharma

Armed forces, Railways drop chicken  from menu New Delhi, February 21 The Railways has decided to take off chicken and egg dishes from its menu and has banned chicken and eggs in any form on trains and stations. Instructions to this effect have been issued to all zonal railways and to Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC).

Nation page: Panel on bird flu source set up
Punjab page: Review meeting on bird flu
Chandigarh page: Poultry farmers hit hard
Jalandhar page: "No threat of avian flu in Punjab"
Ludhiana page:  Poultry farmers’ loss is retailers’ gain
Delhi page: Poultry business strangled
Himachal page: Poultry farmers fear loss
Health & Fitness page: The bird flu scare
World page: 40 fowls die due to bird flu

India, US may ink N-deal during Bush’s visit
New Delhi, February 21
There are twin good news for India’s civilian nuclear energy programme under negotiations with P5 countries like the United States and France.

Law practice after 45? Forget it, says Bar Council
Chandigarh, February 21
The Punjab and Haryana Bar Council has decided not to give licence to anybody who has crossed the age of 45 years. At a meeting held yesterday, the elected representatives of the legal fraternity, who are also given the power to take errant lawyers to task and also frame rules for governing lawyers¸ formally decided to bar qualified law graduates, who have crossed the age of 45 years, from getting a licence to practice law.

Editorial Question of Lordship

Teachers held for raping minor
Abohar, February 21
Jagdev Singh and Kewal Singh, teachers of a private school in Khat Sajwar village near Sadulshehar, 31 km from here, have been arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl student, SHO Sarwar Ali confirmed today.

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Govt in fix over SC order on institutions
	HARYANA: 16,000 teachers to be appointed soon
	HIMACHAL: Bird flu: poultry farmers fear loss
	J&K: Farooq, PDP leader not to attend PM’s conference
	CHANDIGARH: Poultry farmers hit hard; sharp decline in sales
	LUDHIANA: Poultry farmers’ loss is retailers’ gain
	DELHI: Jessica Lal murder case: All 8 accused acquitted
	Opinions:French perfume
	BUSINESS: GE engines to power A-I, Jet planes
	NATION: Armed forces apolitical: Pranab
	WORLD: Pervez rakes up Kashmir issue
	SPORTS: Dalmia in dock over misuse of funds

Dalit youth dies in police custody
Dera Baba Nanak (Gurdaspur),  February 21
Harjeet Singh, a Dalit youth of Niko Sarai village in Dera Baba Nanak area was killed in Batala police’s custody allegedly due to torture. The police cremated his body at night without informing his family. Harjeet Singh along with his brother Nirmal Singh were picked up 10 days ago by the police on the charge of theft and kept in Civil Lines Police Station of Batala.

Punjab page: Dalit branded

Dalmia in dock over misuse of funds
New Delhi, February 21
The wranglings in the cricket board took a serious turn today with the new regime headed by Sharad Pawar accusing former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya of misappropriating funds. BCCI treasurer N. Srinivasan said former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmia has been given a show-cause notice for misappropriation of PILCOM funds. (Details on Sports page)

Shabana, Farooque enthral theatre lovers in Pakistan Islamabad, February 21 After Bollywood and music, Indian theatre is now enthralling Pakistan with a play featuring Shabana Azmi and Farooque Shaikh staged before packed audiences and receiving rave reviews. Farooque Shaikh Shabana Azmi