Police seize key evidence in examination fraud case involving IPS officer

S. Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 04:30 IST

In trouble:Police officials arreishna  

Intelligence Bureau takes stock of situation, more arrests likely soon; team from Chennai leaves for Hyderabad, Kochi for further investigation

Police have seized storage devices, mobile phones and other incriminating documents from the possession of suspects in the high-tech exam fraud case which may lead to more arrests soon.

While the Intelligence Bureau which gave the tip-off leading to the expose took stock of the situation on Wednesday, special teams of the Chennai Police seized electronic gadgets and other incriminating materials from an IAS coaching centre in Hyderabad from where Joicy, wife of IPS officer Safeer Karim, and her associate Rambabu were taken into custody, police sources said.

Mr. Karim, who was arrested from an UPSC examination centre here after he was found to be in possession of a mobile phone, a bluetooth device and micro wireless headphones, was produced before a Judicial Magistrate and lodged in Puzhal Central prison on Monday night. Though the Assistant Superintendent of Police had completed his Phase-II training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in September this year, he took leave and did not join duty in the State. It is not clear whether the Tamil Nadu government has placed him under suspension following his arrest.

Not ruling out the possibility of more exam frauds involving the accused, a senior police officer told The Hindu that special teams were sent to other places for arresting some suspects. Parrying questions on whether the accused helped candidates who appeared in civil services exams or other competitive examinations held in the past to pass through fraudulent means by deploying the use of electronic gadgets, the official said investigation was at a preliminary stage and it was too early to comment on those issues.

“We will be taking the accused into custody for interrogation. Storage devices, mobile phones and other electronic devices seized from their possession will be sent for cyber analysis. The IB was tracking this case for quite some time and gave us the alert a couple of days before the civil services main examination commenced,” he said.

Asked why Mr. Karim sat for the UPSC examination again, despite scoring marks good enough to get into the Indian Administrative Service but choosing to join the Indian Police Service, a senior investigator said the officer wanted to get into the home cadre and work in his native Kerala.

Ms. Joicy and Mr. Rambabu were expected to be brought to Chennai on Tuesday night. Another team of police personnel left for Hyderabad and Kochi for further investigation, police sources added.

Stay safe in the rain: doctors

Zubeda Hamid

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:40 IST

Be prepared:Residents must prevent stagnation of water, avoid walking barefoot and unhygienic food.B. Jothi Ramalingam  

Coastal districts on high alert; drinking water to be chlorinated

With the temperature having dipped compared to last week and parts of the city water-logged, doctors are advising residents, especially senior citizens, to take precautions to ensure their health and well-being.

“Cases of diarrhoea, jaundice, typhoid and malaria are being reported, along with dengue,” said Dr. Janani Sankar, senior consultant paediatrician, Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital. She said residents must prevent stagnation of water, not walk barefoot, avoid unhealthy and unhygienic food, and must wash their feet if they have been out in the rain. “Leptospirosis can also affect people this season,” she said.

Senior geriatrician V.S. Natarajan said the elderly were prone to develop all sorts of infections, and could also experience muscle and joint stiffness, along with urinary tract infections and constipation. He advocated avoiding exposure to the elements, drinking plenty of liquids, a high-fibre diet, and stressed the importance of some form of exercise daily. “I also advise taking the flu vaccine, especially for those with chest infections,” he said, adding that all prescribed medications must be taken regularly.

“Although not common, lightning-related burns can occur,” said Nirmala Ponnamabalam, head of the burns unit at the Government Kilpauk Hospital. She said residents must not stand under trees and should rather try to take shelter inside a building. Also, she advised residents to avoid standing near iron rods or lamps.

Ambulances kept ready

The State-run 108 emergency response system too is geared up for the monsoon, a senior official said. Ambulances are equipped with wireless communication and a power back-up is available for the call centre, he said, adding that all coastal districts had been put on high alert.

The health helpline, 104, too is prepared to provide advice on all seasonal ailments, including skin rashes and reptile bites.

State Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar and Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan visited the centre on Tuesday. The Minister said drinking water distribution points would be checked for adequate chlorination.

Fake certificate racket busted

STAFF REPORTER

VELLORE, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 04:11 IST

Police arrest three women, search on to nab kingpin behind crime

With the arrest of three women on Monday, revenue officials have unearthed a fake certificate racket in Vellore. While several fake certificates were seized from them, the police are on the lookout for Saravanan, the kingpin behind the racket.

A team led by S. Balaji, tahsildar of Vellore taluk, along with police personnel carried out checks following a complaint about a fake birth certificate that was issued to a 15-year-old girl. The certificate did not bear any reference number or serial number.

Based on this complaint, the officials conducted raids from 11.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the houses of three women – Mary, a resident of Rangasamy Street, Sumathi, of Saidapet and Shanthi, of Sankaranpalayam. Sumathi and Shanthi were petition writers near the Vellore Taluk office.

The officials nabbed Shanthi from her house, and she led them to Sumathi. Based on information from Sumathi, they nabbed Mary.

However, Mary’s paramour, Saravanan, was the kingpin behind the fake certificate racket, and is absconding.

No seals found

“Shanthi and Sumathi – both petition writers – persuaded people coming to the taluk office, and collected money from them promising to get them certificates. They gave the money to Mary and Saravanan for preparing the fake certificates,” Mr. Balaji said. The officials seized several fake certificates including community and income certificates from their houses. However, they did not find any seals during the check.

Vellore South police have registered a case and are on the lookout for Saravanan. Mr. Balaji said they were preparing flex banners to be installed in and around the taluk office to caution public not to fall prey to such malpractices.

Travellers unhappy with revised schedule for Rockfort Express

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUCHI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 04:28 IST

“It hardly offers any benefit to passengers”

Southern Railway’s decision to revise the schedule of the hugely popular Rockfort Express, especially the Chennai-Tiruchi Rockfort Express (Train 12653), has drawn flak from city residents.

As per the new schedule, which would come into effect from November 1, the train’s departure time from Chennai Egmore has been pushed to 11.30 p.m. It will reach Tiruchi at 5.15 a.m. Currently, the train leaves Chennai at 10.30 p.m. and arrives here at 4.30 a.m.

Under the revised scheduled, the travel time of the train has been brought down to five hours and forty-five minutes instead of six hours.

“This is not a felt need and no one asked for speeding up as this is an overnight train. Although technically the train meets the super fast norm of 55 km per hour, it hardly offers any benefit to the passengers. Earlier, it was doing 53 km per hour,” says S. Pushpavanam, Secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu.

Besides, with the super fast surcharge of Rs. 45 on AC classes and Rs. 30 on sleeper class, the passenger has to spend more and has to shell out taxi or auto fare to reach the railway station in unearthly hours, he contends.

Echoing similar sentiments, M. Sekaran, president, Air, Rail and Road Travellers Federation, said: “The move will adversely affect the interest of the passengers. In Chennai, public transport system is very limited after 10 p.m. and travellers will find it difficult to reach the railway station to board the train. Beside, a large numbers of passengers board the train at Mambalam and Tambaram. Under the new schedule, passengers would have to board the train at Mambalam at 11.45 p.m. and at midnight at Tambaram. This being a night train operated for the convenience of passengers, the change will only come as a nightmare.”

No consultation

The Railways has not bothered to consult passengers or service associations before deciding to change the time, he regretted and appealed to the Chairman, Railway Board to consider the genuine grievance of the passengers.

The revised schedule will badly affect the passengers as they will be able to sleep less than five hours on what is supposed to be an overnight train, said H. Ghouse Baig, a consumer activist.

Mr. Pushpavanam too felt that trains should be run for the convenience of passengers.

“Passengers who have to pay much more for disturbed sleep are not likely to bless the Railways. I am afraid the Railways are working overtime to get a bad name for the present government as this move will affect patronage, which it can hardly afford,” observes Mr. Pushpavanam.

He demanded that the railway retain the trains as express service, forego the super fast surcharge and earn the goodwill of passengers.

Heavy downpour in Sirkazhi, Kollidam

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NAGAPATTINAM, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:45 IST

A directly sown paddy field submerged at Puliyanthurai village in Nagapattinam district  

Sirkazhi records 309 mm of rainfall

Heavy rain pounded Nagapattinam district inundating large swathes of agricultural fields. Residential localities in Sirkazhi and Kollidam were also inundated. Two cows were killed in a wall collapse at Narayanapuram near Sirkazhi.

The sky opened up in Sirkazhi, which recording a whopping 309 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday. Most other parts of the district too received very heavy rainfall during the period with Kollidam recording 239 mm, Manalmedu 158 mm, Tirupoondi 121.4 mm, Talaignayar 108 mm, Mayiladuthurai 102.6, Nagapattinam 95.20, Vedaranyam 80.6 mm and Tranquebar 76 mm.

Water was found stagnating above the level of storm water drains in almost all wards of Sirkazhi Municipality, and the fear of water ingress into households in the event of continuity of downpour loomed large.

Likewise, rainwater inundated several villages in Kollidam area and agricultural fields with directly sown paddy in Aachalpuram, Arapallam, Pulianthurai, Muthalmedi, Mahendrapalli, Alakutti, and Kudakkaramullai.

The tiled roof of an old structure housing the buildings of the Fire and Rescue Service Department in Nagapattinam town, which was vacated due to fear of collapse, gave away . The fire station was shifted to an unused building on the premises of the office of Nagapattinam Panchayat Union. Revenue Divisional Officer of Nagapattinam M. Kannan inspected the weak structure of the erstwhile fire station and ordered demolition of the building.

District Collector S. Suresh Kumar said inter-departmental teams had been formed in each of the eight blocks in the district and immediate assistance would be provided as and when sought through the helpline 1077. Twenty-two canals had been identified as flood prone, and Zonal Officers had been entrusted with the responsibility of evacuating people residing in encroachments along the waterbodies and housing them in safe buildings.

Twenty-seven vulnerable locations, 47 potentially vulnerable locations, 119 moderately vulnerable locations, and 201 minimally vulnerable locations had been identified, and 1,375 first-level responders had been deployed for arranging assistance, the Collector said.

In 270 fair price shops in low-lying areas, stocks that would last for two months had been stored. The stocks included 2,432 metric tonnes of rice and 60,000 kilolitres of kerosene. Wireless mikes had been kept ready to make important announcements.

The district administration, the Collector said, had seen through desilting of 2779 tanks under government control. Twenty-nine flood relief centres had been established. For accommodating people displaced by floods, buildings in 293 schools, 23 colleges, 15 community centres, and 144 other buildings had been kept ready, he said.

GRH Dean asked to file report

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:57 IST

A single bench of Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday, hearing a petition seeking compensation for medical negligence, directed the Dean, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, to conduct a medical examination of the petitioner, examine her previous medical records and file a report.

The petitioner, P. Akila, was present before the court with her medical records. The petitioner said that she suffered excessive and continuous urination following hysterectomy in a government hospital. When she approached a private hospital for treatment of the condition, investigation revealed that her uterine and urinary tubes were merged.

She claimed that she had to undergo a lot of pain and suffering due to a negligent surgery and the condition had resulted in dehydration, abdominal pain, urinary disturbance and severe fever. She sought a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the medical negligence. A petition was submitted to the Tiruchi Collector seeking assistance and appropriate action. However, no action was taken.

The petitioner contended that she had to pledge or sell her mother’s jewels and obtain loans from relatives to meet the medical expenses as she was in a bad financial state. She sought compensation from the respondent government hospital for the medical negligence. She had also made a plea for treatment at a multi-speciality hospital at government expense.

The case has been posted for further hearing to November 7.

It is now MGR bus stand at Mattuthavani

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:58 IST

Changed, at last:As announced by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Mattuthavani integrated bus stand in Madurai has been renamed MGR bus stand.Photo: R. AshokR_ASHOK  

New name board shines on the premises

With Madurai Corporation installing a new name board, Mattuthavani integrated bus stand formally became M.G.R. bus stand on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had announced during the birth centenary celebration of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran in Madurai that the bus stand would be named after the late leader.

However, the change did not come into effect even after a few months of the announcement.

Madurai North MLA V.V. Rajan Chellappa had made an appeal through the media to implement the name change at the earliest. A government order for changing the name was passed recently, following which the Municipal Corporation installed the new name board.

HC allows filing of returns without quoting Aadhaar

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:40 IST

Petitioner rests case on SC decision

The Madras High Court on Tuesday permitted an income tax assessee to file her returns for assessment year 2017-18 either manually or through e-filing system without insisting upon the Aadhaar number.

Justice T.S. Sivagnanam granted the interim order on a writ petition filed by advocate Preeti Mohan since Tuesday was the last day for filing the returns. The judge pointed out that the balance of convenience was in favour of the petitioner as she may have to end up paying penalty for belated payment of tax .

The petitioner’s case rested upon an interim decision taken by the Supreme Court in Binoy Viswam’s case on June 9 this year. In that case, the apex court was dealing with the validity of Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act of 1961 which makes it mandatory to quote Aadhaar number in the return of income as well as application for PAN card.

Mr. Justice Sivagnanam pointed out that the Supreme Court had held that the PAN cards held by the income tax assessees could not be treated as invalid until the validity of Section 139AA was tested against the touchstone of Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution as well as the right to privacy and human dignity.

College faculty faces HC heat for ‘frivolous’ case

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

CHENNAI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 03:40 IST

The Madras High Court has imposed costs of Rs. 25,000 on a teaching staff employed with the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology for having filed a public interest litigation petition seeking issuance of a writ of quo warranto against the officiating principal of the institution.

The first Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar, ordered that the cost imposed on the PIL petitioner, V. Prasath, should be deducted from his salary deposited with the Registrar General of the High Court.

The judges pointed out that the petitioner had questioned the appointment of A. Kumar as an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science Engineering in PKIET and alleged that the latter did not possess the requisite eligibility as per the recruitment rules to be appointed to the post.

“It appears to us that this writ petition filed by a faculty member, is, ex facie, frivolous and is prompted by ulterior intent.

“There can be no public interest. An appointment cannot be challenged once the appointment assumes finality,” the Division Bench said and dismissed the case with costs.

Govt. plans to sell Air India, AI Express together

Somesh Jha

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 01, 2017 00:00 IST

UPDATED: NOVEMBER 01, 2017 04:32 IST

Separate bidders likely for regional airline Alliance Air; process to be concluded by June 2018

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is working to conclude the sale of national carrier Air India by June 2018 and is keen on selling its core airline operations, together with its low-cost international airline, Air India Express.

As per a decision taken by the Air India-specific Alternative Mechanism — a group of Ministers led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to decide on the modalities of stake sale in the national carrier — the Centre will look to sell AI’s regional airline Alliance Air to a separate universe of bidders while Air India and Air India Express will likely go together.

At a meeting of the ministerial group on September 21, the view was that a separate universe of bidders or prospective buyers be invited for Air India’s ground handling subsidiary — Air India Air Transport Service Limited (AIATSL) — and its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit — Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) — top government sources said.

Talks with buyers

“The rationale is that we can find prospective buyers from international airlines if we call bids for Air India and Air India Express together. Since Alliance Air operates flights mainly on regional domestic routes, it makes more sense to sell it off separately,” a source added.

The decision was taken after the government held several rounds of backchannel talks with prospective buyers of Air India and its subsidiaries.

Sources said the government met companies involved in MRO, ground handling and airline operations to examine whether all the subsidiaries should be sold off together or calling for separate set of bidders would increase Air India’s valuation.

நாட்டுக்கு நல்லது!

பதிவு செய்த நாள்

30அக்
2015 
00:00

கலைவாணர் என்.எஸ்.கிருஷ்ணன் அவர்கள், ரஷ்யா மற்றும் இதர நாடுகளில், தனது குழுவின ருடன் கலைப்பயணம் செய்துவிட்டு தமிழகம் திரும்பினார்.
விமான நிலையத் தில் நிருபர்கள் அவரை பேட்டி கண்டனர். அதில் ஒருவர், ''கலைப் பயணம் செய்ததில் உங்களுக்கு வருமானம். இதனால் தமிழகத்திற்கு பயன் ஏதும் உண்டா?'' எனக் கேட்டார்.
கேள்வி கேட்ட நிருபரும், இதர நபர்களும் கலைவாணர் என்ன சொல்லப் போகிறார் என ஆவலோடு எதிர்பார்த்தனர். ஏனெனில், இதற்கான கட்டணமும் ஏதுமில்லை; வரியும் இல்லை.
''ஆம் தமிழ்நாட்டிற்கு லாபம் தான். எங்கள் குழுவில் மொத்தம் முப்பதுபேர். நாங்கள் ஒரு மாதமாக ஊரில் இல்லை. எனவே, எங்களின் குடும்ப அட்டைக்கான அரிசி, எண்ணெய் உட்பட பல பொருட்கள் வழங்கப் படவில்லை. அந்தப் பொருட்களினால், அரசுக்கு மிச்சம்தானே. அதுவும் நாட்டிற்கு ஒரு பயன்தானே!'' என்றார் கலைவாணர்.

WhatsApp officially rolls out 'Delete for Everyone' feature

By IANS | Published: 31st October 2017 09:10 PM |



You can now delete WhatsApp messages for everyone or just for yourself.

SAN FRANCISCO: WhatsApp on Tuesday announced it has officially rolled out its most anticipated feature 'Delete for Everyone' that allows its over one billion users revoke their messages in case they sent those to a wrong person or a group.

"Starting today you can now delete messages you sent by mistake a" whether to one person or an entire group," WhatsApp said in a statement.

Here's how it works.

Tap and hold on the message, choose "Delete," and then "Delete for everyone."

You have seven minutes to delete the message after it's sent.

This feature is rolling out for users around the world on the latest versions of iPhone, Android, Windows Phone as well as desktop.

"Both you and the message recipient must be using the latest version of WhatsApp for the message to be successfully deleted," WhatsApp said.

WhatsApp was working on this feature for almost a year.

You can now delete messages for everyone or just for yourself.

"Deleting messages for everyone allows you to delete specific messages you have sent to either a group or an individual chat. This is particularly useful if you sent a message to the wrong chat or if the message you sent contains a mistake," WhatsApp said in its FAQ.

Messages you successfully delete for everyone will be replaced with "This message was deleted" in your recipients' chats.

Similarly, if you see "This message was deleted" in a chat, it means that the sender deleted their message for everyone.

WhatsApp has over 200 million monthly active users in India and 1.2 billion users worldwide.

ரயில்வே கால அட்டவணை வெளியீடு: சென்னைக்கு புதிய மின்சார ரயில் சேவை

By DIN  |   Published on : 01st November 2017 02:16 AM   

எதிர்வரும் ஆண்டுக்கு செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை வெளியிடப்பட்ட ரயில்வே கால அட்டவணையில் சென்னை புறநகருக்கு புதிய மின்சார ரயில் சேவைகள் புதன்கிழமை (நவ.1) முதல் அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்படவுள்ளதாக தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
புதிய மின்சார ரயில் சேவைகள்
செங்கல்பட்டு - திருமால்புரம்: ரயில் எண் 40901/40902: செங்கல்பட்டில் இருந்து காலை 5.15 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு திருமால்புரத்துக்கு காலை 6.45 மணிக்குச் சென்றடையும். மறுமார்க்கத்தில், திருமால்புரத்தில் இருந்து இரவு 9 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு செங்கல்பட்டுக்கு இரவு 10 மணிக்கு வந்தடையும்.
சென்னை சென்ட்ரல் - ஆவடி: ரயில் எண் 66061/66052: சென்னை சென்ட்ரலில் இருந்து பிற்பகல் 2.05 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு ஆவடிக்குப் பிற்பகல் 2.45 மணிக்குச் சென்றடையும். மறு மார்க்கத்தில், ஆவடியில் இருந்து பிற்பகல் 2.50 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு சென்னை சென்ட்ரலுக்கு பிற்பகல் 3.35 மணிக்கு வந்தடையும்.
சென்னை கடற்கரை - திருவள்ளூர்: ரயில் எண் 66053/66012: சென்னை கடற்கரையில் இருந்து மாலை 4.40 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு திருவள்ளூருக்கு மாலை 6.10 மணிக்குச் சென்றடையும். மறு மார்க்கத்தில், திருவள்ளூரில் இருந்து மாலை 6.30 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு சென்னை சென்ட்ரலுக்கு 7.50 மணிக்கு வந்தடையும்.
சென்னை சென்ட்ரல் - ஆவடி புறநகர் ரயில் திருவள்ளூர் வரை நீட்டிப்பு: ரயில் எண் 66001: சென்னை சென்ட்ரலில் இருந்து இரவு 8.40 மணிக்குப் புறப்பட்டு திருவள்ளூருக்கு இரவு 10 மணிக்குச் சென்றடையும்.
சென்னை மூர்மார்க்கெட் - கும்மிடிப்பூண்டி , மூர்மார்க்கெட் - திருவள்ளூர், சென்னை கடற்கரை - செங்கல்பட்டு இடையிலான சில மின்சார ரயில்களின் நேரமும் மாற்றி அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெற்கு ரயில்வே தெரிவித்துள்ளது.
சென்னை சென்ட்ரலில் இருந்து புறப்படும், வந்தடையும் விரைவு ரயில்களின் நேர மாற்றம் 

 தெற்கு ரயில்வேயின் 2017 - 2018 ஆம் ஆண்டுக்கான புதிய ரயில்வே கால அட்டவணையின்படி சென்னை சென்ட்ரலில் இருந்து புறப்படும், வந்தடையும் விரைவு ரயில்களின் நேரம் புதன்கிழமை முதல் மாற்றப்படுவதாக தெற்கு ரயில்வே அறிவித்துள்ளது.