Justice for Neeraj Grover: Procession, candle-light vigil against court verdict

Mumbai: Outrage against the judgment in the 2008 Neeraj Grover murder case grew as a large number of film and television personalities, NGOs and common people joined a candle-light vigil here on Sunday evening to express their angst.

The vigil, at the Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri, was led by actor Raza Murad, film-maker Ashok Pandit and others.

Nearly 600 people took part in the candle-light protest and demanded justice for Grover's family members, said Pandit.

Talking to media persons, Murad said that the candle-light vigil was to express sympathy with the victim and his family members who have been denied justice.

Similar candle-light processions shall be organised in Lucknow and Kanpur of Uttar Pradesh, the cities from where Grover and his family hailed.

The vigil followed a protest march from Malad (north-west Mumbai), the erstwhile residence of Kannada actress Mariah Monica Susairaj, where Grover was murdered by her fiance, ex-naval officer Jerome Mathew.

The procession then moved towards the Lokhandwala Complex via Juhu.

People in the procession carried placards and banners which proclaimed 'Justice For Neeraj Grover', 'Mariah Is A Killer' and demanded that justice be done to the Grover family.

Many of the protesters also carried large photographs of Grover, a television executive who was killed in May 2008.

Susairaj, who was convicted for three years on charges of destroying evidence pertaining to the Grover killing, walked out of Byculla Jail Saturday noon as she had already completed the sentence as an under-trial.

Mathew was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and sentenced to 10 years in jail; of which he will serve seven in prison as he has already spent 3 years behind bars an under-trial.

The duo was also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 and Rs 100,000, respectively, which will be given as compensation to the Grover family.

Scores of activists had also protested at a packed media-conference addressed by Susairaj and her lawyer Sharif Sheikh at the Mumbai Press Club on Saturday.

The protesters had raised anti-Susairaj slogans and alleged that she was Grover's "murderer".

In one of the most gruesome crimes of passion, Mathew stabbed to death Grover after he found him naked in Susairaj's bedroom early morning of May 7, 2008, at her apartment in Dheeraj Solitaire in Malad.

Puri: 3 devotees die during annual Jagannath Rath Yatra

Bhubaneswar: At least three people, including two minor boys, were killed and two minors were injured on Sunday in separate incidents during the annual Rath Yatra or chariot festival of lord Jagannath in Orissa, police said.

While Sudhakar Swain, 61, died of a heart attack while watching the procession amongst a crowd in the temple town of Puri, a 14-year-old boy died after he came under the wheel of a chariot at Sunthipal village in Cuttack district.

The boy was identified as Trinath Rout, an official of the police headquarters at Cuttack said.

Another boy identified as Debabrata Mohanty, 14, died after coming under the wheel of a chariot at Talakurunia village in Balasore district. A 16-year-old boy has also sustained injuries during the festival at the same place, the official said.

In a separate incident, a 10-year-old boy sustained injuries after a wheel of a chariot rolled over his hand at Purunapani village in Sundergarh district, he said. The boy has been admitted to the local hospital for treatment.

Sea of devout throng Yatra
Thousands of devotees poured in here with religious fervour and enthusiasm to take part in the grand spectacle of the annual Rath Yatra keeping in with centuries old tradition of pulling majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother and sister.

People from across the country and abroad descended on the pilgrim town to have a glimpse of the presiding deities of the Sri Jagannath temple.

Since early morning thousands of devotees kept pouring in to watch the ceremony and pull the three colourful chariots on the 'bada danda', the Grand Avenue, where security personnel were deployed in strength to prevent any untoward incident.

As the presiding deities, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra - set out from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for their annual nine-day sojourn to Gundicha temple, about two km away, a number of special rituals like Mangla Arati and Mailam were performed.

Descending from the Ratna Sinhasana, the bejewelled throne, the three deities were taken out of the temple down the 22 steps known as "Baisi Pahacha" through the Lion's Gate in an elaborate royal ritual called "Pahandi" as devotees and sevayats jostled to have a glimpse and touch them.

In a rhythmic style, the deities were taken out to the accompaniment of beating of ghantas and kahalis and blowing of conch shells.

Money was devotees -- for building Sai samadhi

The Sathya Sai Central Trust Tuesday said it had nothing to do with the cash seized by police, and that it was given by devotees to build a samadhi of the late Sai Baba. Denying allegations of financial irregularities for the first time since the seized Rs.35 lakh, the trust said the money was paid to Bangalore-based Shankarnayana Consultancy Pvt Ltd. This was being taken by the firm's employees to Bangalore when police seized the same.

Addressing a press conference, trust member V. Srinivasan said that since the trust was not a religious institution and cannot take up construction of a samadhi, it permitted devotees to undertake the work.

The police seized the cash from a vehicle near Hindupur June 18 and arrested three people.

"We have given all the information to police," said Srinivasan, who along with another trustee R.J. Ratnakar was questioned by police. He denied the vehicle belonged to the trust.

A legal advisor to the trust, Naganand, said the incident was blown out of proportion by the media.

Srinivasan revealed that the trust has paid Rs.9.75 crore as income tax on the cash and valuables found in Yajur Mandir, the personal chamber of Sai Baba which was opened June 16.

"We have paid the income tax though there was no demand from the income tax department," he said.

The trustee said the trust was ready to submit a report about its activities and finances to the Andhra Pradesh government, which sought the information Monday.

Claiming that the trust was capable of managing the institutions run by it, Srinivasan felt there was no need for the government to have a separate mechanism for monitoring.

Sachan case: Post-mortem report points murder

The postmortem report of Dr YS Sachan, deputy chief medical officer (CMO) of family welfare department, indicated that his body was hanged after he had died. He bled to death, at least eight hours before the body was found, the report said. Sachan, the prime accused in the murder of CMO, family welfare, Dr BP Singh, was found dead inside a toilet in the jail hospital on Wednesday night. Police said he hanged himself. On Thursday, six jail officials, including the jailor and deputy jailor, were suspended. According to the post-mortem report, Dr Sachan was murdered and tortured to death. The report indicated that Sachan's wind pipe and neck bone was not damaged, which indicates that his death did not occur due to hanging. His body bore eight incisions and death was caused by excessive bleeding, said a police officer. The ligature mark on the neck was caused after his death. Report also adds that 7 out of 9 wounds are few centimetres deep. The report goes on to say that it is highly doubtful that anyone would inflict such deep wounds on themselves. Alleging Sachan was murdered, his family demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case. The opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have seconded the demand. The family also wants a second postmortem conducted at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

PRCI METROMIRROR.COM IMAGE AWARDS PRESENTED BY NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF PRCI
-PRCI METROMIRROR.COM IMAGE AWARDS PRESENTED BY NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF PRCI Sh. N.D. Rajpal at the hotel lake view Ashok, Mrs. Vijaylaxmi, Secy-general graced the occasion.
-Dr Steven King, Director of Apco worldwide, International PR consultancy and Shri Ujjawal Choudhary of whistling woods gave their presentations.
-A committee headed by the PRCI Chairman nominated the persons and organization from the various areas who improved the Image of Madhya Pradesh in India.

Prabhat Jha -BJP chief (Political Party)
K.M.Singh CED NHDC (PSU Admin)
C.E. Fernandes CMD GEI Industrial systems ltd. Bus & Entp. Industrial (Best unit of Govindpura)
Er. Sanjeev Agarwal Chairman Saga Group (Young Educational enterpreneur with vision)
Nikunj Shrivastava IAS Collector Bhopal(Public Admn excellence in Distt. Admn.)
Rakesh Shrivastava IAS (Public Admn Public Relations)
Manoj Shrivastava IAS Public Admn (Excellence in Divisional Admn)
Prakash Ramani Business Enterprises - Consumer production (Top n town most loved ice cream brand)
Subhas vithaldas Pioneer industries (with high potential for export)
Hemant Soni Aakriti Dwellings (Housing Development with vision)
Anand Pandey Editor DB (Innovation in Journalism,Hindi)
Vinod Purohit Editor Patrika (Newspaper with courage)
Ramesh Sharma (Journalist with difference, Hindi)
Rajesh Choubey 9754310012 CEO DB Mall (excellence in Mall Mgt.)
Vijay Bandriya 9826906864 (Excellence in Agriculture Journ.)
Anjani Kumar Jha 9425303668 (Journalism, Hindi)
EWDPL- Treasure Island (Arif Sheikh-ED) (Pioneer in Entertainment infrastructure)
Dr. B.K.Prasad LNCT (Pioneer in Technical Education)
K.L.Thakral Oriental Group (Educational excellence)
Ajai Mohgaonkar Chairman Fortune (Bus Enterpreneurship,Housing Development)
Saurabh Malviya Publication officer Makhanlal (Exclusive Research, sanskratik rashtravad)
Prestige Group (Educational & Industrial enterpreneurship)
HEG (Best Industrial Unit of Bhopal)
BHEL (PSU Management), Sandeep Manudhane PT Education (Pioneer in Training for Management)
Akanksha Rathi Rathi Steel Pithampur (Woman in man's business,young business Achiever)
Sayaji Hotel Indore (Hotel Management)
Paras Sakhlecha Independent MLA Ratlam (Social work & youth empowerment)
Lalit Shastri English Journalist with difference
Yatish Rajawat Editor in chief Business Bhaskar (Excellence in Business Journalist-Hindi)
Kalpesh Yagnik National Editor DB (Journalist who jumped from local to National)
Dr Hitesh Bajpai- BJP Media Chief (Political Media Mgt.)
Amarjeet Khalsa Dean- IPER (Dean with a difference-Management Education)
Hari Ranjan Rao IAS MD MP Tourism (Tourism development New Initiatives)
N.K.Singh Editor HT (Versatile Editor with courage)
B.K. Kuthiala VC Makhanlal University (Innovation in Media education)
Prakash Gaur Additional MD MP Madhyam (Publication & design excellence)
Piyush Trivedi VC RGPV (Technical Education Management)
Ajay Dubey (Social Service through RTI)
Madan Mohan Joshi (Social Service through cancer treatment)
Ruchi Vijayvergia CEO People Samachar & Post (Media Enterpreneurship)
Poornima Chaturvedi (Nimadi Art development,Lokkala)
Suchandna Gupta Timer & India Special correspondence. (excellence in Journalism-English)
Ganesh Sakalle (Jounalist with Potential & vision Hindi)
Santosh Choubey Founder VC Aisect University (Educationist with vision to educate the masses.)
Aishwarya Gopinathan Bharat Natyam (Young classical dancer with potential to go international)
Dr. Sunita Yadav MS Cancer Surgeon (Cancer Surgeon with a difference)
Dr. Pandey (National Hospital)
Anil Gupta Divisional Manager (LIC)
Dr. Yogesh Malhotra

MAKE LAW TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS, HAZARE WRITES TO PM

A week after a senior journalist was gunned down in Mumbai, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voicing concern over "growing attacks" on journalists and urged him to enact "stringent laws" to curb them. "Growing attacks on journalists, who are considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy, is a threat to India's democratic structure," he said in his letter. He also said "stringent laws" need to be enacted to curb such "heinous attacks".
"I would request you to look into this matter and do the needful," Hazare said in his letter.
Later, speaking to a news channel, Hazare said: "Such deadly attacks on journalists are not a good sign for democracy. This is an attack on democracy and a tough law needs to be implemented by the central government to check any such instances involving journalists in the future." "Therefore, I have written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding the same issue," he added. Jyotirmoy Dey, editor (special investigations) at Mid Day, was shot dead June 11 by four unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants. The killers are still at large. Dey was the third journalist in India to be killed in the past six months, according to a media watchdog. There have also been 14 attacks on the Indian media in the same period. In all the cases, investigations are under way but no arrest has been made.

Public Relations council of India, Bhopal chapter and reputed newsmagazine METROMIRROR.COM to organise National PR Seminar and Image Awards on "Effective Communication, PR & Branding - Tools for success everywhere".

International PR firm apcoworldwide's India MD Mr. Sukanti Ghosh & Steven King, Mr. N.D. Rajpal National President PRCI and Mr. Ujjwal Choudhary Director whistling woods will give their presentations. PRCI'S secretary general Mrs VijayLaxmi will also grace the occassion. Mr. Sukanti Ghosh and Mr. Steven King are known for their Vibrant Gujarat strategy. PRCI-Metromirror.com Image Awards will be presented to the various personalities and organizations for increasing the image of M.P. prominent are - Ramesh Shrivastava commissioner PR, Manoj Shrivastava Divisional commissioner, Anurag Jain secretary to CM, Hariranjan Rao MD MP Tourism Development Corporation,CE Fernandes CMD GEI Industries Treasure Island, Prestige Group Indore, Akanksha Rathi Rathi steel, Journalists Anand Pandey, Vinod Purohit, Kalpesh yagnik, Yatish Rajawat, Ganesh Sakalle, Lalit Shastri, BJP president Prabhat Jha, BJP Media Chief Hitesh Bajpai, BK Kuthiala, N.K.Singh (Journalist), Prakash Gaur, Subhash Vithaldas, Prakash Ramani, HEG, NHDC, LIC. in Education, J N Chouksey, KL Thakral, Sanjiv Agarwal in housing development Aakriti Group, Fortune Builders.

Ramdev feels better, having fruit juice; may be discharged on Tuesday

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's health is now better and he will be discharged Tuesday, doctors attending on him said on Monday. "Baba is feeling better now and he will be discharged tomorrow (Tuesday). We have asked him to take one day's rest. We are checking his status every hour," a senior official of Himalayan Hospital in Dehradun said. Ramdev gave up his nine-day fast against corruption on Sunday on the insistence of religious and spiritual leaders. He had been on a hunger strike since June 4 seeking he return of black money stashed in foreign tax havens. Meanwhile, Ramdev's spokesperson S.K. Tijarawala said: "A team of doctors will decide tomorrow whether he will be discharged. Baba is fine, he is having fruit juice."

MF Husain passes away in London

MF Husain, India's best known contemporary painter, has died in London. India should grieve for two reasons. At 95, he was active and had lots of painting left in him. And he died in exile, unhappy with the way his home country had treated him. Husain had been in exile since 2006, when he was attacked by rightist groups angry with his portrayal of Hindu deities. Last year, he was offered Qatari citizenship. But his heart remained in India, and in interviews, spoke fondly of what this country meant to him.

CNN-IBN reported from London that he was admitted only two days ago for fluid retention in his lungs, and but had otherwise been"in fairly good health". Arun Vadhera, a friend who visited him at Royal Brompton Hospital yesterday, said he had been cheerful, talking about eating out at a restaurant soon after his discharge. "He really really missed India a lot," he told a TV channel.

Profile

Born: September 17, 1915
Achievement: World famous painter; Recipient of Padma Shree
One can love MF Hussain or one can hate MF Hussain but one cannot ignore him. MF Husain is always in the news because of one controversy or the other. Maqbool Fida Hussain (MF Hussain ) is a world famous painter and an icon among Indian artists. MF Hussain was born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. He lost his mother when he was one and a half years old. Husain's father remarried and moved to Indore. MF Hussain did his schooling from Indore. In 1935, MF Hussain moved to Bombay and joined Sir J. J. School of Art. He started off by painting cinema hoardings. He first came into limelight as painter in the late 1940s. In 1952, MF Hussain's first solo exhibition was held at Zurich and soon he became popular in Europe and USA. He went on to become one of the highest paid painters in India. His paintings have fetched millions of dollars at the auction. In 1966, MF Hussain was honored with Padma Shree by the Government of India. In 1967, MF Hussain made his first film "Through the Eyes of a Painter". The film was shown at the Berlin Film Festival and won a Golden Bear. He has also made two Hindi movies, "Gaja Gamini" and "Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities." MF Hussain also had his share of controversies. Many a times he has been charged with hurting sentiments of people because of his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses. But he continues to enthrall people with his peerless artistry.

BJP has no sympathy for Ramdev: Azad

- Attacking Baba Ramdev, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said he "betrayed" the government by not keeping his promise to end the agitation and accused the BJP of "fishing in troubled waters" on the issue. During an interaction with women journalists at the Indian Women's Press Corps here, he also put the onus of "timing" of the midnight crackdown on Ramdev's supporters at Ramlila ground on law enforcement authorities. "On his (Ramdev's) part there was a betrayal," the Health Minister and senior Congress leader said, when asked if the government has made an error of judgement by releasing the agreement letter given on behalf of Ramdev, which prompted him to level allegations of cheating against senior ministers. Azad said Ramdev had agreed to announce the time of ending his fast against black money and government had informed him of a deadline which was extended several times but he did not keep his promise. He said the BJP, which is holding a protest in Rajghat against the police action, is trying to "fish in troubled waters". Azad also said whatever the RSS and BJP are doing is aimed at diverting attention from issues like Malegaon and Hyderabad which has created an "anti-RSS mood" in the country. "They (BJP) have no sympathy for Ramdev. They are dancing at Rajghat... I don't know whether it is for celebration or mourning or they dancing for Ramdevji's arrest. Their heart is not there...they are just doing politics," he said. To a question on the midnight crackdown, he said negotiation and eviction are separate issues and the latter is related to law enforcing agencies.

150 Candidates of Bhopal selected in the prestigious IIT. Madras zone tops the toppers list.

- Payoj jain topper of Bhopal - gets All India 116th rank.
- 4,68,240 candidate appeared in the IIT-JEE.
- Automan's son also clears the tough IIT-JEE.
- 90 Students of vision Infinity, Bhopal clears IIT-JEE.

2G scam probe: Kanimozhi denied bail, arrested

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday denied bail pleas of DMK MP Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV chief Sharad Kumar, named as co-conspirators in the 2G spectrum scam. The court directed the CBI to take her and Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharath Kumar into judicial custody. The Rajya Sabha MP will be taken to Tihar jail. The CBI had named Kanimozhi, daughter of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, and Sharad Kumar as co-conspirators in its April 25 supplementary charge sheet after it traced an illegal money trail of Rs.214 crore in the scam.

Bengal waits for 'change', Mamata to be sworn in as first woman CM today
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will on Friday be sworn-in as West Bengal's first woman chief minister ending 34 years of uninterrupted Left rule in the state.
More than 3,000 invited guests watched as a beaming Banerjee, clad in her trademark white sari and rubber slippers, was administered the oath of office by Governor MK Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan here.
The Trinamool Congress chief, 56, who becomes the eighth chief minister of the state, took her oath in Bengali.
Amongst those present to witness the historic occasion were union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram, former state chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Left Front chairman Biman Bose and other top leaders of the opposition combine.
Crowds lined both sides of the road as her convoy set out from her Kalighat residence in south Kolkata to the Raj Bhavan seven kilometres away. Frenzied slogans like "Mamata Banerjee zindabad" could be heard.
Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and Congress alliance won 227 seats in the 294-member house.

Prime Minister Manmohan singh reviews the defence preparations
Now only 48 hours are required to reach at the battleground, while it was one month earlier. It has became possible due to the 'vijayBhav' exercise.