x FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014
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india news
Rajiv killers get SC reprieve The apex court also commutes Bhullar’s death sentence to life term, extends stay on death sentence of two convicts in the December 16 Delhi gang rape case IANS, NEW DELHI
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he Supreme Court on April 1 dismissed a central government plea seeking recall of the verdict by which it had commuted to life the death sentence of three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. After considering the Centre’s plea seeking recall of its verdict, the bench, in a brief order said: “We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers. We find no merit in the review petition and the same is The court held that unreasonable delay in accordingly dismissed.” deciding the mercy petition was a ground for The bench on February 18 had commutation of death to life imprisonment commuted the death sentence of three conspirators in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to life for commutation of death to life extended till April 7 the stay on the imprisonment, citing its January 21 imprisonment. Rajiv Gandhi was execution of the death sentence of judgment. killed by an LTTE suicide bomber Mukesh and Pawan Gupta, two of The three convicts are V. Sriharan at an election rally in Sriperum- the four convicts in the December alias Murugan, A.G. Perarivalan budur on May 21, 1991. 16, 2012 gang rape, as it sought a alias Arivu and T. Suthendraraja In 1998, all the 26 accused in the copy of the trial court judgment. alias Santhan, currently lodged in case were sentenced to death by a The death sentence of the four Tamil Nadu’s Vellore prison. special trial court. In 1999, the convicts was upheld by the Delhi They had sought commutation of Supreme Court confirmed the High Court on March 13. A special their death sentences due to the long death sentences of four — Muru- sitting of the apex court bench of delay in deciding their mercy peti- gan, Santhan, Perarivalan and Nali- Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and tions. The apex court in its January ni — while the capital punishment Justice Shiva Kirti Singh had stayed 21 judgment held that inordinate, to the others was reduced to varying the execution of the death sentence till March 31. unexplained and unreasonable delay terms of imprisonment. In another judgment, the in deciding the mercy petition of Both accused have contended the death row convicts was a ground Supreme Court on March 31 that they were denied a fair trial.
BRIEFS Six pc growth this fiscal possible: CII NEW DELHI: India can achieve a growth rate over 6 percent in the 2014-15 financial year, provided systemic reforms are carried out quickly by the new government, Confederation of Indian Industry president Ajay S Shriram said here on April 1. He said the growth rate could be taken back to the 8 percent level in the next three years. “A marketfriendly environment is required that would proactively promote investments, business and entrepreneurship,” Shriram, said at a press meet.
Kejriwal questions Modi wave, attacks Sonia NEW DELHI: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on April 1 hit back at BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying if there was indeed a ‘Modi wave’ in India, then why was the Gujarat chief minister fighting the Lok Sabha polls from two places. The former Delhi chief minister was equally harsh on Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Accompanied by hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party workers, Kejriwal elicited enthusiastic response from Delhi residents as his campaign entourage wound through the crowded areas of Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi constituencies. Asked why Modi branded him “a Pakistani agent” and an “AK-49”,
Kejriwal shot back: “Why doesn’t Modi talk about issues I have raised, instead of calling me a Pakistani agent?” “And if there is indeed a Modi wave, why is he contesting the election from two places?”
EC nod to RBI for new bank licences NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on April 1 allowed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue new
bank licences before the completion of general elections next month. “The commission is of the view that Reserve Bank of India may take necessary action as deemed appro-
priate by the Bank,” the EC said on its website. The RBI has sought the Election Commission’s nod over the issue of grant of new bank licences as a matter of caution on not violating the poll code of conduct, which came into force with the March 5 announcement of general elections. Earlier, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said the granting of new bank licences has no link with politics and the process is purely economic and regulatory. “This is not in any way a political process...,” Rajan said.
Jindal suit: HC directs Zee India’s to own satellite to follow NBA guidelines navigation system soon IANS, NEW DELHI
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he Delhi High Court on April 1 directed the Zee group to follow the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) guidelines while telecasting pro-
Life term for Katara killers upheld by HC NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on April 2 upheld the life imprisonment awarded to three convicts in Nitish Katara murder case while terming it a “honor killing”. A division bench dismissed the appeals of the three convicts against a trial court verdict of May 2008 which awarded them life imprisonment for abducting and killing Nitish Katara in 2002.
INDIA NEWS
EAST COAST EDITION
Naveen Jindal
grammes. It was hearing a defamation suit filed by lawmaker Naveen Jindal contending that the group aired “highly defamatory and malicious” programs against him. Lok Sabha member Jindal moved the high court seeking a restraining order for Zee News channel from
telecasting programmes based on him on the basis of “false, fabricated, manipulated and misleading documents and information”. Justice V.K. Shali asked the Zee group to follow the NBA guidelines while telecasting programmes. Jindal’s plea said that airing highly defamatory and malicious programs against him and Jindal Steel and Power Limited would cause irreparable loss and injury to their reputation and goodwill. The plea said the channel had shown offensive material about Jindal, saying he “offended the sentiments of a particular community and caste, made false promises to people with an intention not to fulfil them, is a liar, is a proven corrupt person, is engaged in illegal and unethical trade and business and doesn’t deserve to be given ticket to contest election”. Stating that the channel violated the NBA regulations, the plea sought permanent injunction from publishing or telecasting any vindictive, defamatory news against him.
IANS, CHENNAI
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ndia is expected to have its own satellite navigation system with the launch of three more satellites before the end of this year, said the Indian space agency’s chief on March 31. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman K.Radhakrishnan told IANS that Indian communication satellite INSAT3E has been decommissioned couple of days ago and the users are being migrated to other satellites. “We will be receiving the signals from our navigation satellite system by the end of this year. We will be launching three more navigational satellites before the end of this year,” Radhakrishnan said over phone from Bangalore. The ISRO will be launching the second navigational satellite badged Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1B (IRNSS1B) April 4 evening at 5.14 p.m.
The 1,432 kg satellite will be carried by Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). According to Radhakrishnan, though the IRNSS is a seven satellite system, it could be made operational with four satellites. The two more navigation satellites will be launched during the second half of 2014.