Chidambaram moves Delhi High Court for bail
He has been under detention for 21 days in INX Media case

12/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

P. Chidambaram

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who has been under detention for 21 days in connection with the INX Media case, approached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday seeking regular bail.

Mr. Chidambaram, in his petitions that also challenged a trial court order remanding him in judicial custody till September 19, has said that he is being prosecuted for his being a political opponent of the party in power.

The 74-year-old said he is a senior spokesperson of the Congress and has been vocal, both in his speeches and writings, in his opposition to the BJP-led coalition government.

“...the instant criminal proceeding is mala fide and is born out of political vendetta, and that the investigating agency is acting at the behest of the Central government, which wants to malign the untainted and unimpeachable reputation of the petitioner,” the plea said. It is scheduled to come up for hearing before Justice Suresh Kumar Kait on Thursday.

Mr. Chidambaram was first arrested on August 21 from his residence in Delhi by the CBI.

The case relates to a first information report (FIR) registered by the CBI on May 15, 2017 against alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance provided to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of ₹305 crore in 2007, when Mr. Chidambaram was Finance Minister. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also investigating the alleged offence of money laundering arising out of the FIR.

“As far as FIPB cases were concerned, the petitioner (Chidambaram) approved only those cases that were recommended by the FIPB and put up to the petitioner by the Secretary, Economic Affairs,” the petition said.

Mr. Chidambaram said that during the period when he was in CBI custody, he was confronted with five officers of the Finance Ministry, who were involved in the processing of the FIPB file pertaining to INX Media.

“All of the aforesaid persons have affirmed the correctness of the approval granted to INX Media. Neither of them has alleged any illegality in the approval,” his petition said.

He said the CBI and ED had not found “even an iota of evidence of any payment by INX Media or INX News to the Petitioner or to his son Karti P. Chidambaram, co-accused in the subject FIR.”

Mr. Chidambaram said there was no likelihood of him absconding and not being available for trial.

SC asks man to prove bona fide after conversion

He had changed religion for marriage

12/09/2019, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked a man, who converted from Islam to Hinduism to marry a Hindu girl, to prove his bona fide.

Noting that he must be “a loyal husband and not only a great lover”, a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M.R. Shah explained that the court has asked him to prove his good intentions by filing an affidavit only in order to secure the girl’s future and safety.

“We want to know whether he has converted for marriage or otherwise... We are not averse to this kind of living together. We are all for inter-faith and inter-caste marriages,” the Bench remarked orally.

The case was heard on an appeal filed by the girl’s parents for their daughter. They moved the court after the Chhattisgarh High Court recorded the 24-year-old girl’s willingness to live with her ‘husband.’

The girl’s father, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, submitted that the marriage was a sham. The man had changed his name merely for the purpose of marriage. He had returned to the fold of Islam.

Mr. Rohatgi said “around 70 policemen came and took her (the girl) away.”

“Have you changed your name? Have you taken all legal steps to change the name?” the Bench asked the boy’s counsel and senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi.

Mr. Dwivedi said the court cannot intervene in the choice of a woman to decide whom to live her life with. The lawyer quoted the Hadiya case decision of the Supreme Court, which said the right to choice of partner is part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21.

“I will file affidavit on bona fide within three days,” Mr. Dwivedi responded.

‘Mazumder no longer with Dental Council’

Health Ministry says DCI president has crossed age limit

12/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Dibyendu Mazumder

Noting that the Dental Council of India (DCI) membership of Dibyendu Mazumder came to an end on the day he attained 65 years of age, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has written to the DCI to take necessary action to ensure that he did not access official files or discharge any of the functions of the DCI. Action taken may be intimated to the Ministry immediately, the letter said.

Shaji K. Joseph, president of the Kerala Dental Council and a member of the DCI, had written to the MoHFW on July 15 this year, seeking Dr. Mazumder’s removal as DCI president and member. This was after he completed 65 years of age on July 10, and as per regulations, the maximum age limit for a faculty member is 65 years.

In the complaint, Dr. Joseph said Dr. Mazumder was flouting rules and regulations, and continuing as the DCI’s president. “Based on my complaint, the Ministry asked the DCI for clarifications,” he said. He also wanted a Commission of Inquiry to look into irregularities in the DCI.

Referring to a complaint against Dr. Mazumder, the Union Ministry, in a letter dated September 11 to the DCI secretary, noted that as per the Dentists Act, 1948, one member from the dental faculty of each university is elected as a member of the DCI. Under the provisions of the MDS Courses Regulations, 2017, the maximum age limit up to which a person can be appointed or granted extension or re-employment in service for the posts of dental teachers or Dean or Principal is 65 years.

On the day an elected member ceases to be member of such faculty, his/her DCI membership will also come to an end. Noting the DCI had intimated that Dr. Mazumder had attained the age of 65 years, he could not be treated as dental teacher/faculty though the University had designated him an honorary professor/professor emeritus, the Ministry said.

Traffic fines may be cut in Karnataka

12/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

In the wake of Gujarat reducing hefty traffic fines, Karnataka is set to do the same.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday directed Transport Department officials to examine the Gujarat government’s order on a drastic cut in fines for traffic violations under the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act and take immediate action to reduce the penalties in Karnataka.

Addressing reporters, he said: “I have directed officials to get the order [of the Gujarat government] and take immediate action after examining the order.”

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who holds the Transport portfolio, said a decision would be taken in three or four days on reducing the penalty.

Govt. yet to respond to GRH proposal for rebuilding paediatrics department

If you look at the building even today, the entire place is broken: senior doctor

12/09/2019, SANJANA GANESH,MADURAI

The Institute of Child Health and Research Centre at Government Rajaji Hospital that is awaiting a new lease of lifeR. Ashok

The paediatrics department at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), which has been in a dilapidated condition for years now, is yet to be rebuilt.

Although a proposal to improve hospital infrastructure was submitted to the State government a year ago, no steps have been taken so far, doctors allege.

Everyday, the GRH sees a footfall of at least 10,000 patients and as many attenders.

According to a senior doctor at the paediatrics department, the State government allocated funds to tear down and rebuild any building at GRH that needed stability. “If you look at the building even today, the entire place is broken. The wards too are in a really bad condition,” he said.

In order to ensure that the department and its sub specialities will function in better hygienic conditions, the hospital administration decided to tear down the block and build a seven-storey building, which will also house the oncology department.

Architects appointed by the government inspected the site and discussed plans with the administration. Eight months have passed since then. The Directorate of Medical Education and the government are yet to take the project forward, the doctors point out.

Staff nurses, who do not wish to be named, say the sanitation in the department is particularly bad.

A former employee of GRH says toilets at the department constantly leak near the surgical ward, which must be immunised at all times.

S. Sitalakshmi, who brought her newborn for consultation, says the wards too are not properly maintained. “I have come here since the days of my delivery. Nothing much has changed,” she rues.

Water too is not supplied properly here. Administrative delays should not make wards prone to diseases inside the hospital, says a former employee.

According to GRH Dean K. Vanitha, the proposal has been submitted to the government and its response is being awaited.

Health Secretary Beela Rajesh says she will check the details and look into the matter.

NRI from Kerala stabs wife to death in UAE
Incident followed a heated argument

12/09/2019, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ,DUBAI

An Indian national in the United Arab Emirates allegedly stabbed his wife to death, a media report said. The 43-year-old man, identified as U.C, killed his wife C. Vidhya Chandran, 39, after a heated argument in a car park at Al Quoz here on Monday, Khaleej Times reported. The couple’s daughters, aged 16 and 5, live in Kerala with the victim’s parents.

The woman’s brother Vinayachandran said his sister was supposed to come home for Onam. He said the family came to know about the incident through the victim’s colleague, who told them that “he [the husband] stabbed her in a car park and he is now in police custody. We don’t know what happened exactly.” Mr. Vinayachandran alleged that his sister was in an abusive relationship. “The man has been abusing my sister for long. Last year, she even filed a police complaint against him for domestic abuse. They appeared for counselling and things got a little better,” he said.

“Vidhya’s husband had taken a huge loan, and they were under financial pressure. That is why Vidhya quit her job in Thiruvananthapuram and joined her husband in Dubai,” he said.

Vidhya was working in a private company at Al Quoz.

“We knew she was going through a difficult time. We decided to keep the children with us because of his abuse. But we did not expect that he would kill her,” he said.

Non-functional street lights put Pammal residents to hardship
Officials failed to act despite numerous complaints: activist

12/09/2019, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

An official of the municipality said they lacked funds to repair the LED lights installed by a private builder.File Photo

The residents of Shankar Nagar Second Street in Pammal have to navigate their way in darkness as the street lights have stopped working.

The street is an important access road for several residential areas in Pammal including a multi-storey apartment building with over 650 flats. Pedestrians and motorists have been facing difficulties due to poor illumination.

R. Sridhar, a resident, said officials of the Pammal municipality had not taken any steps to repair the lights.

‘Feel unsafe’

Mariappan, a social activist from Pammal, said the residents felt unsafe walking down the streets in the dark and added they have made multiple representations to the officials which have had no effect.

A senior municipal official said LED lights were installed in a few streets by the builder who had constructed the multi-storey apartment and that the civic body does not have the financial means to replace the defunct ones.

“We have requested the builder to repair them and the firm has assured that they would replace the street lights within next week,” the municipality official said.