Bribery charge: Virbhadra briefs Ambika, Singhvi
New Delhi, January 1
The Congress leadership today distanced itself from the issue involving alleged payoffs to Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh with party president Sonia Gandhi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi both refraining from meeting him.

Police lathi-charge Youth Congress activists in Delhi on Wednesday. A Tribune Photo

No retirement for Hooda�s favourite babus
Chandigarh, January 1
The Haryana Government today appointed outgoing Chief Secretary PK Chaudhery as Adviser (Development and Governance Reforms) making him the eighth Chief Secretary to be �rehabilitated� during the nine-year tenure of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

HC: Vulgar messages amount to outraging woman�s honour
Chandigarh, January 1
In a first, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that sending vulgar messages and blackmailing women after floating "objectionable photographs" on the Internet amounts to "outraging honour". Dubbing it as a "grave and heinous offence," the High Court has called for curbing with a heavy hand the increasing tendency of indulging in such activity.

Accused set Bengal rape victim on fire: Parents
Kolkata, January 1
The controversy over the death of a 16-year-old rape victim at Madhyamgram in North 24-Parganas took a new turn today following allegations by the bereaved parents that their daughter did not commit suicide but was burnt to death by the anti-socials who had been demanding withdrawal of an FIR lodged against them.

Women protest against rape of a 16-year-old girl, in Kolkata on Wednesday. PTI

Non-subsidised LPG cylinder dearer by Rs 220 The government on Wednesday hiked the price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG), which customers buy after consuming their quota of subsidised cylinders, by a steep Rs 220 per cylinder on firming international rates. (Details on Nation page)