Chamundi Hills' land scam will be probed if voted to power, says Siddaramaiah

MYSORE: This poll season, the Chamundi Hills land scam has made it to political circles. The Opposition leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the party will order a comprehensive probe if Congress is voted to power. Asked if the party will order a probe in case it is voted to power, Siddaramaiah said: "We've raised the issue at the house too and will certainly order a probe. Action will be initiated against those found guilty even if they are from the political class." It should be investigated thoroughly, which the BJP government is avoiding, he stated.

Meanwhile, the prime land at the foothills of Chamundi Hills will be declared as green zone and conserved, the Congress said and promised to get additional funds from the Congress-led UPA for the development of the city. It announced to promote Mysore as heritage city to get additional funds both for tourism promotion and preservation of vintage monuments dotting the city. While the party has devised pan-Karnataka strategy to address urban and semi-urban voters in the polls to the urban local bodies, it released Mysore-centric manifesto calling it 'Mysore citizen manifesto' in a move to win votes to its 65 candidates contesting the elections in the Mysore City Corporation.

Much of the document has tracked the development works it initiated while ruling the MCC for five years in coalition with the JD(S). Multi-crore projects taken up under the Centre's ambitious JNNURM aimed at urban renewal figure prominently in the document that was released by opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who said it is their commitment and not just vision document. With the city set to get additional funds from the Centre in the second phase of JNNURM, the Congress promised to get funds for some of the projects planned like augmenting water supply to the city and upgrading the underground drainage system in parts of the city.

The party said it will reserve land at the foothills of Chamundi Hills as buffer zone and develop it as a garden on the lines of Botanical Gardens at Ooty. It also said Mysore's achievements in promoting yoga will be encouraged internationally and added that Devaraja, Mandi and Vani Vilas Markets will be reconstructed, something which is hanging fire for long.

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J&K assembly adjourned after furore over Afzal issue

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was rocked by repeated disruptions on Friday, which ultimately led to the House being adjourned for the day, as various parties demanded that Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's mortal remains be handed over to his family.

Cutting across party lines, members of the House from the ruling National Conference as well as opposition PDP and CPM had moved adjournment motions seeking discussion on the situation in the aftermath of Guru's execution and handing over of his mortal remains to his family.

Led by the leader of the opposition Mehbooba Mufti, PDP legislators flashed placards and demanded suspension of the business of the House to discuss the issue, with CPM member MY Tarigami, too joining in urging the speaker Mubarak Gul to accept their demand.

But when the speaker tried to pacify them saying that a discussion would be held in due course, PDP members raised slogans like 'Guru ki body ko wapas karoo, wapas karoo' (Return Guru's body).

"If there is a serious issue, (then) you have to suspend the normal business and discuss (it). But I fail to understand the attitude of this government (since yesterday)," Mehbooba Mufti later told reporters here.

The protests continued for over 15 minutes, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for 45 minutes.

As the House reassembled after the adjournment, the speaker said that he had received adjournment motions of five members of NC besides those from PDP and CPIM and that he would take a view on them.

However, PDP members continued their protest even as the speaker started discussion on the governor's address.

With noisy scenes continuing in the House, the speaker adjourned the House for a second time around noon and later for the day.

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Trinamool Congress minister wins assembly bypoll

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress minister Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury won the Assembly by-election from English Bazar constituency in Malda district on Thursday with a margin of 20,452 votes.

Choudhary defeated his nearest CPM rival Kaushik Mishra. In the other two constituencies of Rejinagar and Nalhati, the Congress and Forward Bloc are leading respectively, State Election Commissioner Sunil Gupta said.

All three seats were won by Congress candidates in the 2011 Assembly elections at a time when Congress had an alliance with the TMC.

The Nalhati Assembly seat fell vacant after its MLA Abhijit Mukherjee, son of President Pranab Mukherjee, quit his seat to fight the Lok Sabha by-election from Jangipur.

Elections to English Bazar and Rejinagar seats were necessitated following resignation of Congress MLAs Krishnendu Choudhury and Humayun Kabir after their switch-over to the TMC.

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Babbar Khalsa terrorist arrested in Punjab

AMRITSAR: (IANS) A Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist with a reward of Rs.10 lakh on his head has been arrested in Punjab, police said Wednesday.

Narain Singh Chaura was arrested Tuesday evening in Jalalabad village of the border district of Tarn Taran, some 300 km from Chandigarh.

Chaura was booked under the provisions of the Explosives Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar in May 2010 and since then he had been untraced and on the run, a Punjab Police spokesperson said.

Following revelations by Chaura, police have recovered an AK-56 assault rifle with 20 rounds, a .30 pistol with 50 rounds, five hand grenades and other ammunition from Kurali village in Mohali district near Chandigarh, the spokesperson added.

Two of his accomplices -- Sukhwant Singh and Sukhdev Singh -- were also arrested following leads provided by him during interrogation.

Chaura was being tracked by police as he was trying to revive militancy in Punjab, a senior police officer said in Chandigarh.

He was also involved in Chandigarh's Burail Jail break by Babbar Khalsa terrorists Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara and Paramjit Singh Bheura. The trio escaped from the high-security jail through a 108-foot-long tunnel on the intervening night of Jan 21-22, 2004.

The police spokesperson said that Chura, who used different names, had been actively associated with militant activities in Punjab since early 1980s.

"In 1984, he crossed over to Pakistan and was instrumental in smuggling in a huge consignment of weapons and explosives during the initial stages of militancy in Punjab. While in Pakistan, he authored a book on guerrilla warfare and other seditious literature," the spokesperson said.

"He returned to India in 1986, went underground and later again crossed over to Pakistan. In 1989, he came back to operate in India under the assumed names of Chamkaur Singh and Kapoor Singh Jamraudh. He founded the Akal Federation and later the Khalistan Liberation Army outfits," the spokesperson added.

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Islamic scholars condemn killing of Shia Muslims in Pakistan

MUMBAI: A group of Islamic scholars today called upon international bodies like United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International and governments across the world to devise ways to put an end to killing of Shia Muslims in Pakistan.

"It is extremely shameful," Islamic scholar Maulana Sayed Ahmedalo Abidi, Imam-e-Juma Khoja Jama Masjid Dongri and Principal of Houza Ilmiya Najifi House, told reporters here.

"Shias are being attacked, shot and bombed. This is extremely serious," he said, urging the Indian government to take up the issue in international forums.

He also appealed to the government of Pakistan to ensure that Shias were protected from violence unleashed by militants.

The Islamic scholars said the Army must be made directly responsible and accountable for the law and order situation and safety of all people, including Shias in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.

"The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan must look into the issue," said Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, General Secretary All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board.

Pakistan has been besieged by militant attacks in recent years, many of them carried out by Pakistani Taliban, who have been waging a bloody insurgency against the government.

Radical Sunni militant groups have also increasingly targeted the country's Shias because they do not view them as real Muslims, Rizvi said in a statement.

Many of these sectarian attacks have occurred in southwest Balochistan province, which has the largest concentration of Shias in Pakistan, he said.

The Islamic scholars also condemned the twin blasts at Hyderabad recently.

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Ishrat case: Police officers' custody extended till Feb 28

AHMEDABAD: A local court today extended the custody of two police officers, Tarun Barot and Bharat Patel, arrested on Saturday by CBI in connection with alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan, for three more days.

Additional chief judicial magistrate H S Khutwad said "The accused police officers have been remanded to police custody till February 28 for further interrogation."

The agency had earlier argued that the duo, during their one-day police custody granted by the court yesterday, were adopting evasive tactics and not cooperating during interrogation.

"The encounter case is an old one and the accused police officers are adopting various tactics to hide crucial evidence during interrogation," CBI lawyer Abhishek Arora said.

The CBI argued that "the accused police officers, knowing fully well that the police custody granted to them was only for 24 hours, did not at all cooperate during interrogation and gave evasive replies."

Opposing the remand application, counsel Brijrajsinh Jhala, who argued for Patel, said that despite being given 24 hours for interrogation, they were probed only for one and a half hours.

He also said that "false evidence is being created in the name of interrogation", adding that CBI has mentioned that some Call Detail Record (CDR) of police officials involved in nakabandi and encounter was available while earlier the agency had said that CDR was permanently lost.

CBI counsel, however, pointed out that in the initial FIR filed by the Crime Branch, it was mentioned that CDR was permanently lost but the FIR filed by CBI stated that for commercial purposes (billing), telecom companies could make CDR available for seven years.

The CBI had arrested Special Operation Group (SOG), Gandhinagar police inspector Bharat Patel and suspended Mehsana Dy SP Tarun Barot late on Saturday evening.

Patel was police sub-inspector with Crime Branch, Ahmedabad in 2004.

The Gujarat police had alleged that 19-year-old Mumbai girl Ishrat Jahan, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were a part of the conspiracy to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. They were killed in an encounter on June 15, 2004 on a stretch of road between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

Earlier, CBI had arrested Girish Singhal, Superintendent of Police with State Crime Records Bureau, and J G Parmar, retired DSP and the court, after rejecting their remand, had sent them in judicial custody.

After Ishrat's mother complained about the alleged fake encounter, Gujarat High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which concluded that the encounter was fake. The high court handed over the case to CBI on December 1, 2011, and monitoring the investigations.

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Somalian, Hyderabadi trying to sneak into Nepal questioned for Hyderabad blasts

MOTIHARI (BIHAR): A Somalian and a Hyderabad youth arrested here while trying to sneak into Nepal were questioned on Sunday by security forces and central agencies, even as a senior district police officer said no link of the duo with the twin blasts in Hyderabad has come to light so far.

30-year-old Somalian national Abdullah Umran Makran and his associate Mohammad Adam of Hyderabad were nabbed by immigration officials with the help of Bihar Police in Haraiya village on Saturday while trying to sneak into Nepal without valid documents. They have been remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.

Preliminary information said that the two had landed in Raxual by train from New Delhi on Saturday after travelling from Hyderabad to the national capital.

An FIR has been lodged under Foreigners Act with the Raxual police station against the two on the statement of immigration officials, superintendent of police Ganesh Kumar told PTI.

The Somalian and the Hyderabad youth were produced in the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Raxual, Mahesh Prasad who sent them to judicial custody for a fortnight.

A laptop, a mobile, a camera and driving licence made in Hyderabad have been seized from the two, the sources said adding there was a photograph of Secunderabad Railway station in the camera.

Central intelligence agencies and Military Intelligence officials along with the state police have questioned the two, police sources said.

SP Ganesh Kumar said during questioning no link with the blasts has come to light.

"It has come to light that the Somalian had an affair with a Hyderabad girl," he said.

Kumar said the Somalian and his associate staying in Kathmandu had recently illegally entered into East Champaran district in a bid to collect papers for passport preparation and were returning to Nepal the same way.

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PM to visit Hyderabad tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Hyderabad tomorrow to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of twin bomb blasts there.

Singh will visit the hospital where the injured are being treated besides taking a briefing from chief minister Kiran Reddy, sources said.

Two bombs exploded within a span of minutes in Hyderabad on Thursday evening, killing 16 people and injuring 117.

The central government yesterday came under sharp attack in Parliament, with the Opposition saying terror was being dealt with in a casual manner.

Strongly condemning the blasts, the Prime Minister had said soon after the incident that those responsible for the "dastardly" act would not go unpunished.

He appealed to the public to remain calm and maintain peace.

Singh has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of those killed in the blasts and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured from the PM's Relief Fund.

Investigators today claimed to have got "vital clues" in the probe, with the needle of suspicion zeroing in on banned militant outfit Indian Mujahideen.

Police announced Rs 10 lakh award for information leading to the perpetrators of the serial blasts.

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Afzal's family hasn't approached us: Tihar DG

NEW DELHI: The family of Afzal Guru, who was hanged two weeks ago at Tihar jail, has not yet approached the prison authorities to pray at his grave though the government has made the offer for his close relatives.

"We have not received any letter from Guru's family in this regard," Director General of Tihar Prisons Vimla Mehra told reporters.

The government has already said it will allow Guru's close relatives to visit his grave, an offer rejected by the family which has been insisting on return of his body to them.

Asked whether jail authorities will allow family members to visit Guru's grave if they make a request, Mehra refrained from giving a direct reply, saying "the government is considering it."

On the criticism that the letter sent to Guru's family informing about his hanging reached two days after his execution, Mehra said, "It was a job (Afzal's hanging) assigned to us and we followed the official procedure to execute it."

Guru was hanged at Tihar jail on February 9 in a top secret operation after his final appeal for mercy was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee. His body was buried inside the jail premises.

Addressing an annual press conference, the DG also listed various activities undertaken at the jail in the past one year.

She said a blanket making unit was established at jail number nine this year where 80 convicts are working currently. The unit supplies blankets to Delhi Police and Delhi Health Department.

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Trade unions warn of bigger agitation

NEW DELHI: Major trade unions on Thursday warned the central government of bigger agitation in the country, describing the two-day national strike as "the beginning of the chapter".

"The two-day countrywide agitation has been successful but we will launch a bigger agitation and this is only a beginning of the chapter," All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters here.

"More and more factories and people joined the strike on the last day (Thursday). Those factories which were opened yesterday (Wednesday) joined the agitation today (Thursday)," he told reporters here.

He was accompanied by other leaders of several trade unions which included likes of Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Dasgupta also said that international trade unions of Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Japan and other countries expressed their solidarity with the strike.

"It is not us but the government which is responsible for the strike, which has reportedly caused a loss of Rs.26,000 crore. Had they paid heed to our demands, it would not have happened," Dasgupta said when asked about the strike's ramifications on the economy of the country.

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Chopper scam: CBI engages two law firms in Italy

NEW DELHI: CBI has engaged two law firms in Italy for liaisoning with the authorities to get legal assistance in probing the role of Indians in connection with the alleged kickbacks in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal.

Official sources said on Wednesday that Chiomenti law firm and Grippo law firm have been asked to help in coordinating with the Italian authorities for getting documents and other relevant material pertaining to the AgustaWestland deal for supplying 12 helicopters to India.

The two firms will represent India's case with the Italian government and the local courts for getting evidence regarding alleged kickbacks in the deal. Kickbacks to the tune of Rs 362 crore were allegedly paid to swing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland.

The sources said the joint team of the CBI and defence ministry in Italy was told that the probe in that country was also in its initial stage and that arrests made in that country so far were more of a preventive nature so that the evidence was not tampered with.

Italian authorities have arrested Giuseppe Orsi, the chairman of Italian Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, chief executive officer of AgustaWestland.

The team, which comprises a legal officer from the CBI as well, is likely to soon meet the judge hearing the matter in connection with the alleged kickbacks.

The joint team comprising a CBI DIG, a law officer of the agency, a joint secretary level officer of the ministry and an official of the external affairs ministry has been camping in Milan to gather as much inputs as possible.

The two law firms have been appointed keeping in mind their work in international cases. Chiomenti law firm was established in 1948 and has 270 attorneys in six countries including in London. Grippo law firm with 360 attorneys has a presence in five countries including the UK.

The CBI's decision to send a team to Italy came after it virtually drew a blank from the defence ministry in getting some official inputs regarding alleged kickbacks.

The CBI was handed over a letter from the defence ministry seeking a probe by it in the case which has triggered a storm in the country. Attached with the letter were some Indian and Italian press clippings, which, the CBI said, could not form the basis for registering a case.

This was followed by CBI seeking help of Interpol which also expressed inability to provide any help in the absence of any regular case not having been registered by the agency, they said.

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Centre not releasing funds on time, alleges Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the Union government of not releasing funds of the centrally-aided projects and schemes in time, thus slackening the development process in the state.

Interacting with reporters after presenting the Budget for the financial year 2013-2014, Akhilesh Yadav said the Union government was delaying funds not only for Uttar Pradesh but for several other states too.

He cited the case of the irrigation sector in which the Union government had committed itself to give Rs 1,700 crore but had only released Rs 45 crores. Similarly, he claimed that funds had not been completely released for the rural job guarantee scheme.

Responding to charges leveled by the opposition that 45 per cent of the last Budget outlay was yet to be spent, the chief minister said this time he would physically verify for himself that schemes are on time and that the money allocated for them is properly utilized.

He also said that after the last budget, his government has only got some seven to eight months to work and hence there were some problems. "In this year's Budget, special focus has been given to social sector and poverty alleviation schemes," he added.

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Advani best PM for NDA, Modi could be home minister: Govindacharya

BHOPAL: Former BJP ideologue and RSS thinker KN Govindacharya said on Sunday night that veteran BJP leader LK Advani and the UPA government defence minister AK Antony would be the most suitable candidates to run for Prime Ministerial post. Amidst the clamour for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's prime ministerial candidature within the BJP and allied saffron organisations, Govindacharya thought differently.

Speaking to TOI, he argued: If the NDA has to come to power, then LK Advani should be leading the 2014 Lok Sabha as PM candidate while Narendra Modi should be assisting him.'' Reminded that LK Advani has already been the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2009, Govindacharya explained that in 1984, the party's tallest leader Atal Behari Vajpayee lost his seat from Gwalior. Vajpayee was defeated by Madhavrao Scindia. But Vajpayee became the Prime Minister of the country 13 years later,'' he reasoned.

The national scenario at the moment is such that we need more seasoned leaders to be at the helm of affairs. If the party wants to utilise the popularity of Narendra Modi, then he should be involved in the process of government functioning. Instead of trying yet another experiment, the party should put its trust in tried and proven leaders,'' Govindacharya said. Narendra Modi, he said, could be given the post of Home minister so he can learn the ropes of government functioning at the centre.

Talking about the Congress party, he argued that AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi has a lot more to learn'' and suggested the name of AK Antony. Had Pranab Mukherjee not been the President, he would have been the best option for the Congress. The culture of sycophancy has so gripped the Congress party that it should be abhorred. And someone has to call and spade a spade in that party,'' he said.

He said that if inexperienced leaders like Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi are made Prime Minister then it would be unfair for them, their parties and injustice to the nation.'' Talking on the 2014 General elections, he argued for a change: The stalemate and stagnancy has to be broken and this regime at the Centre should go. And we have to churn for a fresh start in politics.''

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Delay in justice a major challenge, Chief Justice of India Kabir says

AHMEDABAD: Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir said on Sunday a major problem being faced in delivery of criminal justice was delay "where the entire process takes almost 15-16 years".

Delivering Justice P D Desai memorial lecture here on 'Administration of Criminal Justice', Justice Kabir said, "Today a major problem is delay where the entire process, from the time when an offence is registered to the stage of final conviction, takes almost 15 to 16 years."

"I hope everybody involved in the process would perform their duty to expedite the wheels of justice," he added.

"....this (delay) is the main thing which bothers judiciary. And because of inordinate delay, sometimes we see angry reaction from public feeling that something should be done immediately," he said while elaborating the challenges in administration of criminal justice.

"One such incident took place on December 16 last year in Delhi. First reaction was let us set up fast track courts for the offences against women and girls," he said citing the incidence of gang rape in a moving bus which created widespread outrage.

"On January 2, first fast track court was set up in one of the district in New Delhi to take up such cases. Then you might have come across media reports that trial in one case was completed in 9 days and trial completed in another case in 13 days," he added.

"Something like this happens and people start reacting. It is a knee jerk reaction...But one can not blame any one part of the system. Look at the large population we have, which is at present 1.20 billion and it is increasing," he added.

"Where do we stand in regards to the judge population ratio? In USA, there are 125 judges for 1 million citizens and in India we have 6 judges for 1 million," he said while highlighting the ground reality of the country.

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Veerappan's aides move SC against execution of death sentence

NEW DELHI: Four aides of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan on Saturday moved the Supreme Court against the execution of their death penalty in connection with a landmine blast that had killed 22 policemen in Karnataka nearly 20 years ago.

Veerappan's elder brother Gnanaprakash, Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran were awarded death sentence in 2004 in connection with a landmine blast at Palar in Karnataka in 1993 in which 22 police personnel were killed.

Their mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 13 and according to sources, their hanging has been fixed for Sunday.

The four convicts are lodged in a jail in Belgaum in Karnataka.

A TADA court in Mysore had in 2001 sentenced them to life term which was enhanced to death sentence by the apex court.

Gang leader Veerappan was killed in an encounter with the Tamil Nadu police in October 2004.

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You can't always win, Finmeccanica CEO told US delegation with champagne bottle

NEW DELHI: "You cannot always win". This is the message Finmeccanica chief Giuseppe Orsi sent along with a bottle of champagne to his rivals American Sikorsky in a five star hotel in New Delhi, a day ahead of the award of the Rs 3,600 crore contract in February 2010, according to report of the Italian investigators.

Sikorsky and Italian Finmeccanica were the two companies shortlisted for the Indian contract of 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs which ultimately was bagged by Finmeccanica.

"Orsi, found himself at a restaurant in New Delhi where (by accident) a delegation of American Sikorsky was also present ... Orsi sent a bottle of champagne with a note that says "you cannot always win" to the American table," said the report by the investigators probing the alleged scam.

After the incident, the head of the American delegation left the room annoyed by the rude behaviour of the Italian CEO.

The incident was confirmed to PTI by one of the individuals present in the hotel.

Orsi was arrested in earlier this week in connection with payment of alleged kickbacks of Rs 362 crore in the deal.

It is alleged that kickbacks were paid by middlemen hired by Finmeccanica to secure the Indian contract and they were allegedly in touch with former IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi and his three cousins for this purpose.

Tyagi has denied any wrongdoing by him and dismissed the charges as baseless.

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Chopper scam: Govt warns of blacklisting Italy's Finmeccanica

NEW DELHI: With the VVIP choppers deal facing charges of kickbacks, government on Thursday formally asked Italian firm Finmeccanica to state whether any money was illegally paid to any Indian entity or individual amidst its warning of legal action including blacklisting of the firm.

The ministry of defence, which is under attack on the issue, came out with a factsheet detailing the sequence of the Rs 3 crore deal for 12 helicopters clinched in 2010 by a Finmeccanica subsidiary AgustaWestland.

It notes that the mandatory technical requirements of the chopper were changed in the tender during the Vajpayee government in 2003, with the then national security adviser Brajesh Mishra playing a key role.

The CEO of AgustaWestland has been asked to "categorically state the clear position in view of the current developments indicating specifically if any financial transaction has taken place with any Indian individual/entity which would be violative of the integrity pact or any other terms and conditions of the contract", it said.

Noting that the contract with AgustaWestland carried an integrity pact that bars paying of bribes or involvement of middlemen, the ministry warned of "strict action including cancellation of contract, recovery of payment, blacklisting and penal action can be taken against the vendors."

It said the Government is "determined to take all possible legal and administrative action against the guilty parties and accordingly has ordered a thorough probe by CBI."

Giving details, the fact-sheet said that the first request for proposal was issued in March 2002 mandating requirement of 6,000 metre (18,000 feet) flying altitude for selection of the chopper.

This requirement made it clear that AgustaWestland could not participate in the deal.

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Helicopter scam: Congress fears BJP may disrupt budget session

NEW DELHI: Fearing disruptions in parliament, the Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of politicising the allegations of graft in the VVIP chopper deal and 2G spectrum to raise them during the budget session from February 21.

"All these issues are being developed into a political issue to be raised in parliament...The BJP will not gain anything from this...It may raise the issues but we hope they will not cross the limits," Congress spokesperson PC Chacko told reporters here.

The defence ministry has ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the $750 million deal for 12 VVIP AgustaWestland helicopters, following the arrest, in Italy, of its manufacturer Finmeccanica's chief on charges of graft.

"The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has no agenda to oppose the government in the session...hence it is trying to raise a smoke screen of corruption in defence deals," Chacko said.

Ruling out wrong-doing in the VVIP chopper deal, Chacko said this was not possible due to a transparency clause under which any defence equipment supplier had to sign an integrity pact with the government if the deal was worth over Rs 300 crore.

"The defence minister has already ordered a time-bound inquiry...If any wrong-doing is found, strong action will be taken...the firm may be blacklisted and the deal cancelled," said Chacko.

Any decision on this will be taken only after the CBI probe, he said. He defended the government, saying there was no delay in ordering a probe.

"As soon as the issue surfaced, the government had written to the Italian and UK governments asking them to furnish details...but nothing has come," said Chacko.

The CBI Monday removed AK Singh, its chief prosecutor in the 2G spectrum case, after he was allegedly found to have discussed the prosecution strategy with one of the accused. The CBI possesses an audio recording with the suspected voices of Singh and one of the accused.

The issue has led to huge uproar and attack by the opposition parties, including the BJP, against the government.

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Will impound Yasin Malik's passport if requested, MEA says

NEW DELHI: Amid concerns over Kashmiri separatist leader YasinMalik sharing the dais with 26/11 mastermind HafizSaeed in Pakistan and demands for revoking his passport, the external affairs ministry on Tuesday said if it receives a request for impounding Malik's passport it would "act on it".

The external affairs ministry said: "If we receive a request to impound his (Malik) passport, we will act on it."

Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the passport was given to Malik, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), after getting a "no objection" from other Indian ministries and agencies.

"When violation (of provisions of passport) is indicated... when it is brought to our notice, we will act," he said, adding that the government would act with Malik "as fit of a citizen of India".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that Malik's passport be revoked for sharing the dais with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at a rally held to protest the execution of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday.

Akbaruddin said India has raised with Pakistan the issue of bringing to justice Saeed, "the evil mastermind of the Mumbai attacks".

"Hafiz Saeed continues to pour vitriol on India...he is a fit case to bring to justice and we will do so," he added.

Earlier, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said the matter of Malik pertains to the home ministry and "I'm sure they will take appropriate steps. When they do, they will inform us".

BJP president Rajnath Singh said the government should "seriously" take cognizance of Malik sharing the public dais with Saeed.

"The government should seriously take cognizance of this. It's not a small issue. I expect this much from the government," he told reporters here.

BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu also criticised the government, saying Malik's passport should be revoked immediately.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said it was the home ministry's mistake to allow Malik to go to Pakistan and the party would raise the issue on all forums.

Malik has said that Saeed was on the stage for 10 minutes and they did not exchange any words.

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Suryanelli: Convict claims PJ Kurien was involved

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a new turn in the Suryanelli gangrape issue, the lone convict in the case on Monday alleged that Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien was involved in it as claimed by the victim.

Dharmarajan, the convict who is absconding after obtaining bail, told a television channel that the principal investigator in the case had pressured him not to mention about Kurien's alleged involvement in the case.

Kurien, however, rubbished Dharmarajan's claim holding that the statement of an accused after conviction has no legal validity.

"I took Kurien in my Ambassador car to the Kumali Guest house (on the day the girl alleged she was molested).... Why should I lie on that.... I am ready to swear by my deceased father," he told Mathrubhumi News from an undisclosed place in Karnataka where he is said to be hiding.

Dharmarajan, who alone was convicted by the high court in 2005 while acquitting 35 others in the case, alleged that former ADGP Sibi Mathews, who headed the SIT, insisted that he should not name Kurien in the case.

At the same time, Superintendent Joshua, another member of SIT, wanted him to mention Kurien's name.

Dharmarjan, who was charged with taking the girl to several places for 40 days between January and February in 1996 and sentenced to five years by the High Court, recalled that Kurien was spared the identification parade conducted as part of investigations.

Rejecting Dharmarajan's allegation, Sibi Mathews said he was trying to "create confusion" and wondered how he did not tell these things in the court during the trial.

Reacting to the charge, Kurien told reporters at Pathanamthitta, "This is a settled position of the Supreme Court (that the statement of an accused after conviction has no legal validity).

"Secondly, every accused gets a chance to make a statement before the judge. He did not say this at that time. You (mediapersons) find out why he is making this claim now.

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