Andhranews

New Delhi, Sept. 6: Former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh’s lawyers are planning to challenge the Enforcement Directorate’s actions in court. Mr Singh’s lawyers have confirmed that a petition seeking redressal for malicious prosecution is being drawn up and the same will be filed soon. Mr Natwar Singh’s counsel, senior advocate Pradeep Kumar, has also sought to know from the ED the basis on which the former external affairs minister’s son Jagat Singh’s name was linked to the transactions in foreign bank accounts in the Iraq oil-for-food scam.

Mr Kumar said that Mr Jagat Singh does not have any bank accounts in any foreign country, so the question of any transaction does not arise. The counsel also maintained that Mr Jagat Singh was not related to any of the companies named by the ED in any manner. The notice issued by the ED to Mr Singh and his son Jagat, as well as three others, was based on frivolous grounds, the lawyer claimed. The grounds cited by the ED stood questioned because the Pathak Inquiry Authority gave a clean chit to his clients on the basis of documents provided by the ED, the senior advocate told this newspaper.

The Pathak Inquiry Authority had in its report said that neither Mr Natwar Singh nor his son Mr Jagat Singh had gained financially or materially from the UN oil-for-food scheme. Besides this, the counsel has further sought to know from the ED whether the statements by accused persons make sufficient grounds to prosecute a person (in this particular case Mr Jagat Singh), and the reasons for not relying upon the submissions by Mr Jagat Singh that he was not related to any of the companies that had conducted business in the controversial Iraqi oil contracts.

“Jagat Singh does not have any bank account in any foreign country and there was no transaction as claimed by the ED and the notice attributing (to) him the transactions was served on him to malign his image, Mr Kumar said, and added that the evidence on which the ED had related the names of his clients in the Fema violations case had also been sought. The reasons for removing the names of certain accused from the ambit of the probe had also been sought from the ED, the lawyer added.

Mumbai, Sept. 6: Names of prominent politicians such as Union agriculture minister and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra minister for public works Chhagan Bhujbal have now cropped up in the tapes which were recorded while fake stamp papers case prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi was subjected to narcoanalysis tests in Karnataka in 2003.

The tapes were made public on Tuesday, but despite the sensational value they might not have much weightage in the case since the Central Bureau of Investigation has already investigated the allegations and found nothing. Mr Pawar said on Wednesday, while speaking to a television channel: “I have never been called by the CBI for questioning in this case. I don’t know who this buffoon is.” Asked whether he would step down, he said: “Why should I step down? He is an accused himself... who is he to accuse others. This happened three years ago.”

Reacting to the tapes, Mr Bhujbal said the case was an old one and had no value now. “I do not understand why the matter is being brought up now since it has been three years since the test was conducted. Telgi has levelled these allegations before also. The SIT and the CBI have finished investigations and he (Telgi) is naming me because I got him arrested years ago,” said Mr Bhujbal.

Excerpts

Q: Who are those politicians?
AKT: Abdul Karim Telgi: Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr Bhujbal.

Q: And in Karnataka?
AKT: In Karnataka I cannot name, because I have told everything to the boss... still there are no arrests.

Q: Now if you tell the arrests will made. Tell me about the politicians.
AKT: Politicians are the backbone of this business, and I would prefer not to take the names.

Q: Who has threatened you?
AKT: Threatening is there... the SIT report says... somebody will kill me. But God is great, he will not allow this mission... make it a failure.

Q: Give me the names of the politicians.
AKT: I have given out the names.

Q: Which politician has threatened your life?
AKT: Politicians are bad animals, you cannot trust them. I forgive and forget.

Q: Who are these people. Tell me, who did you give money to in Karnataka?
AKT: I gave the money to Manoj Mehta.

Q: To whom did he give the money.
AKT: To the boss... known to Chhagan Bhujbal.

Q: What about Roshan Baig?
AKT: Roshan Baig is a friend, there is no doubt... I have my own system to talk to the police officers personally.

Q: To whom did you talk personally?
AKT: To many officers. Mr Bawa.

Q: Through Bawa, did you send the money to somebody? Through Wali did you send money?
AKT: Yah.

Q: To whom? Give me the names of the officers.
AKT: Karanjappa... Mr Smith.

Q: Through whom did you send the money to Bhujbal?
AKT: Bhujbal is a different story.

Q: Who are the political leaders?
AKT: I have a relation with every officer.

Q: But who are the officers?
AKT: Many officers from Karnataka Cabinet, MLAs. Everybody in Maharashtra knows... Lala (Telgi) is stuck to his mind.

Q: Tell me names.
AKT: I have decided not to tell anything about police and politicians. That is my principle.

Q: Is there any threat for you?
AKT: Yes, a threat.\

Q: From whom?
AKT: From the police itself, possibly Karnataka police.

Q: Who are the politicians who have threatened you?
AKT: Politicians are bad animals. We cannot trust them.

Q: Which politicians have taken help from you?
AKT: There are many... from Karnataka... I do not remember.

Q: You can remember. Just one or two important names.
AKT: Roshan Baig.

Q: Who else?
AKT: Automatically you will come to know that.. it is very difficult to tell because there is a threat to my life.

Q: From whom? Have the police communicated a threat to you from politicians? Which of them?
AKT: Almost all.

Rajam, (Srikakulam), Sept. 6: Five engineering students of GMR Institute of Technology (GMRIT) here sexually abused a junior student on Tuesday night. They got another student to film it on his cellphone camera. Four of the students were arrested on Wednesday: D. Vijaybhaskar Rao, Tirupati Ramesh, Talapaka Ravi, Yerraiah Babu and B.B. Krishna Chaitanya. Santosh, a third year student, is absconding.

The police arrested the students under the provisions of AP Prevention of Ragging Act, 1997 which also covers sexual abuse. Police has seized the cellphone which was used to film the incident and used the images to identify the students and their crime. Deccan Chronicle will not identify the victims. All the students were staying at Anjali Complex, a private building. The college is currently closed for holidays.

According to deputy superintendent of police P.V. Krishnaiah, the ragging began on Monday night when three students, Vijayabhaskar Rao, Ramesh and Santosh, called in a junior student and asked him to perform oral sex on Vijayabhaskar Rao. When the student refused, they made him clean the room till dawn on Tuesday.
On Tuesday night, Vijayabhaskar Rao, Ravi, Yerraiah Babu and Chaitanya called in another student and compelled to perform oral sex on Ravi.

This student succumbed to their threats. They called in another student to film it on his cellphone camera, Mr Krishnaiah, a sub-divisional police officer, said. Both the victims lodged complaints with the police who arrested the senior students on Wednesday. The police also seized the cellphone with which the incident was shot. Police said three students, Bhaskar Rao, Chaitanya and Santosh, had been detained in the third year after they failed in the examinations.

Hyderabad, Sept. 6: K. Raheja Corp, a real estate developer, is set to get special economic zone (SEZ) status for about 40 acres of Mindspace, its 100-acre IT park at Madhapur, government sources said on Wednesday. The sources said K. Raheja Corp is also lobbying for SEZ status for 66 acres in a 100-acre IT park proposed at Pocharam and another proposed 200-acre IT project near the international airport at Shamshabad.

According to the sources, the Centre, based on the recommendations of the State government, would issue a notification according SEZ status for 40 acres of Mindspace which is still undeveloped. The State government has also recommended SEZ status to Bangalore-based Divyasree for its proposed IT park in 38 acres near Nanakramguda.

Though K. Raheja Corp applied for SEZ status for the entire 100-acre area of Mindspace, they are not eligible for 60 acres as constructions had already come up. The status will be given only for 40 acres. “Even in the two other projects at Pocharam and Shamshabad we will seek the status only for the area where IT units are proposed and not for the residential and entertainment zones,” said Mr Ravindranath of K. Raheja Corp.

The principal reason for companies like K. Raheja Corp to seek permission for SEZs is because of the tax exemptions available to the zone. Export-oriented companies, including software companies, have been getting tax breaks for the last nearly 20 years, but the exemptions will stop in 2009, despite intense lobbying by the software services industry. Several business houses have since latched on to the SEZ concept to continue feeding at the public trough, through tax breaks.

According to a senior IT and Communications department official, units in the SEZ will get 100 per cent tax exemption for the first five years of their operation, 50 per cent for the next five years, and some exemption on the profits they plough back into the business for the final five years. Besides the proposed tax exemptions, according to estimates, K. Raheja Corp will get minimum cost difference of 10-15 per cent in construction because of incentives on excise duty on cement and steel.

The developer is also likely to quote a higher price for built-up space in the SEZ. “Because of the delay in awarding SEZ status we have not been able to take up construction for six months and the net advantage is coming down,” Mr Ravindranath said.

Sripadasagar to flood Satavahanas’ capital

Karimnagar, Sept. 6: Kotilingala, a village considered to be the first capital of Satavahanas, the first independent ruling dynasty in the Deccan region, may soon be wiped off the map. It is within the ambit of the upcoming Sripadasagar project and will be flooded once it is completed. The historic site, considered to be 2,500-years-old, is located in Velgatur mandal on the right bank of river Godavari, about 65 km from Karimnagar.

Many archaeological finds have been made in Kotilingala and surrounding areas. Ruins of ancient structures including a mud fort and a Buddhist stupa still exist in the village, reminding the locals and visitors of its magnificent past. Coins brought out by Chimuka Satavahana — the founder of the Satavahana dynasty — were found in Kotilingala during excavations by archaeologists in 1979. Apart from this, Roman coins and other historic artefacts dating from 200 BC to 200 AD were also recovered from the area.

This gave credence to the theory of historians that Kotilingala was the homeland of the Satavahanas, who ruled over this region for nearly 400 years. Excavations in the nearby Pashigoan village had also brought to light many Buddhist structures. These discoveries proved that Buddhism flourished in this part of the country even before the era of Ashoka the Great. Though officials have assured that the village’s famous Shivalayam will remain safe even after Sripadsagar project is completed, villagers are not so sure.

“We do want the project, which is a lifeline to the region,” said D. Veeraiah, a farmer of Kotilingala. “However, we also want to protect our rich heritage.” “An alternative plan shou-ld be evolved to ensure acc-ess to our temple even after the completion of the project,” said M. Sattaiah, the priest of the Shivalayam. According to the preliminary survey conducted by the government, about 146 houses in Kotilingala would be submerged by the project. “Barring the Shivalayam, most other parts of the village will be flooded,” said Velgatur MRO M. Babu. “The affected people will be given compensation.”

However, it is not compensation alone which is worrying local residents. “Unless the prized possessions are treasured there would be no meaning in celebrating festivals such as Satavahana Kalotsavams,” said Ravi, a village youth. Sanganabatla Narsaiah, the noted historian of Dharmapuri, said that various archaeological discoveries had proved beyond doubt that Kotilingala was the first capital of the Andhras. “The government should at least film the historical structures in detail and shift the artefacts to a museum,” he said.

Another suggestion made by villagers is that the government should convert the site into a tourism spot by introducing boat services between Kotilingala and Luxettipet after the project is completed. There is much concern that the execution of irrigation and flood canal projects in the area would flood similar heritage sites in Peddapalli and Sircilla divisions as well.

“The government should initiate appropriate measures to preserve the heritage of these ancient sites before they are flooded,” said Mr Srinivasa Raju, convenor of the History Investigation Society. Strangely enough, the archaeology department claims to be unaware of the threat of flood looming over these sites. “We have not received any such communication so far,” said P. Brahma Chary, assistant director of the archaeology department.