tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Saturday, January 9, 1999
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Judges sworn in
NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (PTI) — Solicitor-General N. Santosh Hegde and Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ram Prakash Sethi were today sworn in as Judges of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Adarsh Sein Anand administered the oath of office to them in a brief ceremony in the Chief Justice’s court.

Defamation suit
PATNA, Jan 8 (PTI) — Former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra will file a defamation suit against former CBI Director Joginder Singh for "Character assassination" and "distorting facts" about him (Mishra) in his recently released book, "Inside CBI". Mr Mishra also chief patron of the Bihar Jan Congress (BJC), told newspersons here today that the former CBI Director in his book had tried to establish a nexus between him, RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav and former Acting Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, Dr Ram Raj Ram, by "distorting facts".

Islamic award
DUBAI, Jan 8 (UNI) — A renowned Indian Islamic scholar, Mulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi, was presented with the prestigious Dubai Islamic Personality of the Year Award for 1998 here last night by United Arab Emirates Defence Minister and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The award included a cash prize of 1 million dirhams that Maulana Ali Nadvi donated to religious education institutions in India and various Islamic countries.

CVC Ordinance issued
NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (PTI) — An Ordinance seeking to confer statutory status on the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and making it a multi-member body was issued today by the Government. President K R Narayanan promulgated ‘the Central Vigilance Commission, 1999’ to give continued effect to the provisions of the August 25 CVC Ordinance which was amended by another Ordinance on October 27 following directions by the Supreme Court after January 11 when they are scheduled to lapse.

Takht chief's visa
NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (PTI) — The Akal Takht Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, will not apply for a fresh visa and denied reports that he has submitted a fresh application to the US Embassy, his close aide said here today. He said a coordination committee of various US Sikh organisations on whose invitation the Jathedar was going there, was pursuing the matter with the American Administration on the basis of his earlier application.

33 LTTE men killed
COLOMBO, Jan 8 (PTI) — Sri Lankan soldiers today claimed to have killed over 33 LTTE militants in different land and sea battles in the north and east and destroyed three rebel boats. According to the Lankan naval sources here, over 15 LTTE sea Tigers were killed when navy vessels destroyed two rebel boats and damaged four others after a marathon five-hour sea battle near north-east Mullaithivu last night.

3 gangsters shot
MUMBAI, Jan 8 (PTI) — Three gangsters were shot dead and two constables injured in two separate encounters with the police in the metropolis since last night. A gangster owing allegiance to the Manchekar gang was shot dead at Pantnagar in north-east Mumbai early today. In another incident two gangsters of the Chhota Shakeel gang were killed at Andheri.

Fiat cuts prices
MUMBAI, Jan 8 (PTI) — Fiat Auto tonight joined the passenger car price war offering basic petrol and diesel versions of its Uno Trend model at the lowest ex-showroom prices of Rs 2.37 lakh and Rs 2.78 lakh, respectively, in Mumbai. The price in Delhi of the two basic versions would be Rs 2.39 lakh and Rs 2.80 lakh, respectively. The basic versions would be a part of a new range of four petrol options and five diesel options Fiat has scheduled to launch during 1999 to "meet competition", Fiat said in a release here.