2 G scam : Three musketeers : Raja, Momohan, Chidambaram : Whose hand ??

2G scam: 
Raja names PM, Chidamabaram in Court
Source: Agencies   |   Last Updated 18:20(25/07/11) || Daily Bhaskar.

New Delhi: Former telecom minister A. Raja on Monday sought to drag Prime Minister Manmohan Singh into the 2G spectrum case, prompting the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to seek his and Home Minister P Chidambaram's resignation and the Congress joining the war of words.

Appearing before the special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) presided over by Judge OP Saini, Raja's lawyer said 2G spectrum transactions were approved by then finance minister P Chidambaram in the presence of the prime minister.

"Telenor buying a stake in Unitech Wireless and Etisalat buying a stake in DB Realty -- the finance minister approved it in the presence of the prime minister," Raja's counsel Sushil Kumar told the court. 

"Let the PM deny it," the counsel told the judge, referring to the particular time in 2007-08 when Chidambaram was finance minister. "If policies pursued by me were wrong, then all former telecom ministers since 1993 should also be in jail with me," he added.

"As telecom minster Arun Shourie distributed 26 licences, Dayanidhi Maran distributed 25 and I distributed 122. Numbers make no difference. It is to be noted that that none of them auctioned the spectrum. If they had done no wrong, why am I being questioned?"

Courtesy : Daily Bhaskar.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

Why Prime Minister is excluded from Lokpal ambit ?

Govt draft on Lokpal excludes Prime Minister

NEW DELHI, July 25, 2011 || PTI

A Student Union in Ranchi demonstrating for the inclusion of
PM in the ambit of Lokpal. However the Govt draft
excluded it. Photo-PTI. 

The government draft on Lokpal Bill, which is expected to be considered by the Cabinet this week, does not include the Prime Minister in the purview of the Ombudsman but the final call on the ticklish issue will be taken by Parliament and its Standing Committee.

Disclosing this, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the Bill will be introduced in Parliament in the Monsoon session starting on August 1.

The government’s draft has been prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which is the nodal ministry, and the issue is likely come up before Cabinet this week or early next week.

“Once the Cabinet approves the draft with or without changes — it is the government’s draft that will be introduced in Parliament. So we will introduce the Lokpal Bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament,” he told PTI here.

On the controversial question of bringing the Prime Minister’s post in the ambit of Lokpal, Mr. Chidambaram said, “According to present thinking, and subject to change by the Cabinet, the government’s draft keeps out the Prime Minister.

“...Our considered view at the moment, subject to change by the Cabinet, is that the PM should be kept out of Lokpal,” he added.

The Home Minister noted that there are several arguments for and against keeping the Prime Minister out of the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog.

Read details in:  The Hindu
Courtesy : The Hindu & PTI.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

Punjab DSP with Rs 1 Crore accumulated bribe, is now arrested.

CBI counting crores after nabbing Punjab DSP with Rs 1 lakh bribe

Tribune News Service || Chandigarh, July 24

A money-counting machine being taken to
the house of Punjab Police DSP Raka Gira (inset)
in Chandigarh on Sunday. Rs 1 crore cash and
jewellery were seized from there.
Tribune photos: Vinay Malik

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested Punjab Police DSP Raka Gira while she was accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh at her Sector 15 residence here. The CBI also recovered Rs 1 crore cash, jewellery and some property-related documents from her residence.

This is the second case within a fortnight when the CBI has arrested a senior Punjab Police officer in a corruption case. On July 12, the CBI had arrested Punjab AIG PS Sandhu while taking a bribe of Rs 50,000.

The CBI officials said they acted on a complaint by a Mohali-based builder Krishan Malhotra. He has cases registered against him by the Punjab Police and Raka Gira was probing two of the cases. The CBI sources said the deal was initially struck for Rs 2 lakh for conducting inquiries in Malhotra’s favour. She was arrested while accepting the first instalment of Rs 1 lakh.

Gira was recently transferred from the post of DSP (city-I), Mohali, and at present she was attached with a recruitment rally in Ropar district. She had joined the Punjab Police in 1999 as an Inspector after the death of her husband Ranbir Singh, who was also serving the Punjab Police, on compassionate grounds. She will be produced in a CBI court of Ritu Tagore tomorrow.
Courtesy : Tribune News Service.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

We will continue to press 'hard' on Pak terror: Clinton

We can't tolerate safe havens for terror in India prompted by Pakistan : Hillary Clinton

NEW DELHI || Tue Jul 19 2011, 16:43 hrs  || iFACT AGENCIES: The US used an Indian forum to deliver a stern message to Pakistan, reminding it of its obligation to punish the 26/11 masterminds, but also acknowledged that there were limits to what it could do to goad Islamabad to take action against the perpetrators of the ghastly 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. 

"We cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists anywhere," US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said at a joint press conference with foreign minister S M Krishna. 

Ms Clinton, who is visiting India barely a week after the triple blasts in Mumbai, opened the over-two-and-a-half-hour-long talks with external affairs minister Mr SM Krishna by expressing “sympathy and outrage over” the 13 July attack that killed 20 people and injured over 130. “We are allies in the fight against violent extremist networks,” she said. Ms Clinton held the second strategic dialogue with Mr Krishna and the two sides discussed a number of bilateral and global issues. Most importantly, the situation in Afghanistan and the terror infrastructure in Pakistan were discussed. 

While stating that the USA saw Pakistan as a key ally in the fight against terror, Ms Clinton said Pakistan has “a special obligation” to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to justice and stressed that the USA can’t tolerate “safe haven for terrorists anywhere”. “Perpetrators need to be brought to justice. We have urged Pakistan to do so. We continue to press Pakistan as far as possible. There is a limit to what the USA and India can do,” Ms Clinton said, while welcoming the revived peace process between India and Pakistan. Clearly stating the US position that talks between India and Pakistan are a step in the right direction, she said: “We think this is the most promising approach to encourage both sides to build more confidence between them and work to implement the kinds of steps that will demonstrate the improved atmosphere that is so necessary for us to deal with the underlying problem of terrorism.” 

India and the USA agreed to intensify their counter-terror cooperation and to resolve the ‘remaining issues’ to enable full civilian cooperation between them.  She did come out in support of India’s membership of elite nuclear clubs like the NSG, the Australia Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Missile Technology Control Regime that control the global flow of atomic equipment and fuel.
On another key issue of Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, Clinton said the US was "fully" committed to the pact with India but asked it to ratify the UN convention on nuclear damages and bring its domestic liability regime in line with international norms.

She also made it very clear that there were "issues" which required to be resolved by the two sides in the civil nuclear field. But she did not go into the specifics.

She also allayed fears that the recent Nuclear Suppliers Group decision to strengthen guidelines on transfer of Enrichment and Reprocessing Technology (ENR) will impact on the Indo-US deal, saying the 46-nation grouping's move should not be construed as detracting from the "unique impact and importance" of the pact between India and the US.

Govt. is not serious enough for Lokpal Bill. Don't try to make Lokpal as Jokepal : Anna Hazare.

Draft Lokpal Bill a joke, Anna tells Manmohan

U Anand Kumar || Express News Service || Last Updated : 19 Jul 2011 08:12:43 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Terming the government’s draft Lokpal Bill as a joke played on the nation, social activist Anna Hazare on Monday informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about his decision to go on an indefinite fast from August 16 unless the government introduces an effective Lokpal Bill in Parliament by Independence Day.

In a three-page letter to the Prime Minister, Hazare said the government has to take steps against corruption. Pointing out the deficiencies in the government’s Lokpal Bill, he said the government should not present a Bill in Parliament without addressing those issues. Hazare demanded that the Jan Lokpal Bill be brought in Parliament for discussion. He said, “We want our version to be introduced in Parliament. If you send a weak bill, what will you discuss?” 

Listing the scams which came to light recently such as the Adarsh scam, Commonwealth Games scam, Taj corridor scam and cash-for-vote scam, Hazare said none of these will come under the ambit of the Lokpal.

He said the scope of the draft is so confined that it does not address corruption faced by the common man. Hazare dared the government to crush his agitation as it did in the case of Baba Ramdev and said his team is ready to make bigger sacrifices.

“It is our constitutional right to protest, so when the government says it will crush our andolan like Ramdev’s, it is not right. We are ready to get arrested and be beaten up but we have had enough of corruption,” Hazare said.
Courtesy : Express News Service.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

Fast Caveat : Anna to move SC to check the Govt. hostility in Anti corruption Movements.

Hazare to move Supreme Court against any Ramlila ground-like crackdown from August 16th Fast.
PTI / Sunday, July 17, 2011 18:16 IST || DNA.


Citing the police crackdown on Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Ground in Delhi, activist Anna Hazare today said he will approach the Supreme Court seeking its intervention to ensure that the government does "not suppress" his fast on Lokpal issue beginning August 16.

"Government said we will suppress the agitation of Anna Hazare as had been done in the case of Ramdev. Is this democracy or autocracy? You cannot suppress.... That is why we will go to the Supreme Court tomorrow," Hazare said.Holding that the Constitution has given right to every citizen to protest democratically, the anti-corruption activist said he will launch his indefinite fast here from August 16 as announced."The Constitution has given right to every citizen to lodge a protest. We will launch the agitation from August 16," he said.The exercise to work out an agreed draft of the Lokpal Bill between the government and Hazare-led civil society had ended in failure last month after which Hazare had announced that he will go ahead with his August fast.

Hazare has been demanding that the prime minister be brought under the ambit of Lokpal which has been opposed by the government.After nine meetings spread over two months, the joint drafting committee of the two sides concluded its deliberations on a note of disagreement with the government asserting that it could not allow creation of a parallel structure which would be "answerable to nobody".An all-party meet on Lokpal earlier this month had agreed that a "strong and effective" bill should be brought in the Monsoon session of Parliament with consensus that supremacy of Parliament and established procedures be maintained.Police had carried out a crackdown on Ramdev and his supporters, who were agitating against corruption and blackmoney, at Ramlila ground on June 4 night, lobbing tear gas shells. Ramdev was bundled out of Delhi.
Courtesy : PTI & DNA.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

ISLAMIC TERRORISTS STRIKE MUMBAI AGAIN, AT LEAST 21 KILLED, OVER 141 INJURED.

[Times of India  updates at TNN | Jul 14, 2011, 02.35am IST] No other city in the world has been the tragic target of as many serial terror attacks and bombings as Mumbai, which went through the agony in1993, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008 and now July 13, 2011. On Wednesday evening, three serial bomb blasts in the span of ten minutes ripped through three of the busiest hubs in the city—Zaveri Bazar, Opera House and Dadar—at rush hour, killing 21 people and injuring 141.

The first explosion was at 6.54pm at Zaveri Bazaar, followed by another at Opera House a minute later. The third explosion was at 7.06pm outside Kabutarkhana, a few metres from the western side of Dadar railway station. This is the third terror attack at Zaveri Bazaar.

Thanks to NDTV.

MUMBAI Jul 13, 2011 at 19-50 hrs IST :   Islamists attacked Mumbai again to challenge Hindu majority in India. Most Hindus are victims uncared as usual. Three near-simultaneous explosions rocked Mumbai at rush-hour on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people in what the government said appeared to be another terrorist strike in the city hit by a major attack nearly three years ago as 26/11. Three blasts occurred in Zaveri Bazar, Dadar and Charni Roadareas this evening, killing at least 17 and injuring more than 100 people.

Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said the latest attack killed 17 people, and home minister P Chidambaram said the toll was likely to rise. Television footage showed dozens of police officials, several of them armed, at the sites of the explosion and at least one car with its windows shattered. A photograph showed victims of a blast at the Zaveri Bazaar crowding into the back of a cargo truck to be taken to a hospital. Because of the close timing of the string of explosions, “we infer that this was a coordinated attack by terrorists,” home minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said.

The terror strike coincided with the birthday of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman in 26/11, who turned 24 today. Kasab has been sentenced to death by a trial court.

Home Minister P Chidambaram had indicated that at least 10 people have been killed, but Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan raised that to 13, which itself was raised subsequently to 17.

After initially refusing to take a stand, Home Ministry has now described the blasts in Mumbai as serial bomb blasts.

Improvised explosive devices (IED) were used by the terrorists, says the Home Ministry.

Indian Mujahedin has emerged as the group most likely behind the terror strikes.

Read details and exclusive in Hindu Digest.
Watch exclusive video footage in World Hindu Unity.
Courtesy : All related sources.This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

Chidambaram to blame for midnight swoop. SC pulls up Delhi Police for Ramdev crackdown

Apex court questions Delhi Police on Ramdev crackdown

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) ::  The Supreme Court Monday asked Delhi Police to explain their behaviour and the need to use teargas and baton-charge in a closed enclosure when people were sleeping during yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s protest gathering at the Ramlila Ground here last month.

The apex court bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice Swatanter Kumar said there were documents and DVDs to show that yoga exercises were undertaken at the camp, and if that was so, what was the justification for police to resort to baton-charge.

Delhi Police chief B.K. Gupta, in an affidavit to the apex court, had said that the permission to use the Ramlila Ground was given for a yoga camp and not for any other purpose.

The court said that it would consider Ramdev’s plea to issue notice to union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on the grounds that the decision to use force against him and his followers at the anti-graft protest was not taken by Delhi Police June 4 but it was taken much earlier at the political level.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Ramdev, referred to a press release issued by the home ministry and an interview by Chidambaram to Doordarshan in support of his contention that the decision to use force was taken much earlier.

The case would next be heard July 25.

Jethmalani referred to the ministry’s press release June 8 in which Chidambaram said that ‘a decision was taken’ that Baba Ramdev would not be allowed to organise any protest fast or undertake any fast-unto-death at Ramlila Ground and that if he persisted in his efforts to do so he would be ‘directed to remove himself from Delhi’.

The senior counsel said that the minister nearly repeated the same words in his interview with Doordarshan on that day.

Jethmalani said the minister’s comment was nothing but a strong arm tactic of the government and an attempt to gag any protest against corruption.

He wondered how could there be a decision to extern the yoga guru from Delhi.

Jethmalani described the government’s decision and action as ‘murder of democracy in the country’.

He said that Baba Ramdev had the lawful permission to hold dharna and satyagraha.

Delhi Police’s senior counsel Harish Salve said that he was given the permission to hold dharna and satyagraha only at Jantar Mantar.

When Jethmalani pressed for the issuance of a notice to Chidambaram, the court said ‘let them file a rejoinder to your affidavit and at that stage we will consider your prayer to issue notice’.

The court was informed that Delhi’s chief secretary did not file an affidavit on the matter because he was abroad when police evicted the yoga guru.

The judges said that there must have been someone looking after his responsibilities in his absence and ordered that an affidavit should be filed stating what was the need for using force to disperse the gathering.

• Related reading ::  Chidambaram to blame for midnight swoop, Ramdev tells Supreme Court - India - DNA
• Court glare on force on ‘sleeping men’
• SC pulls up Delhi Police for Ramdev crackdown | Supreme Court | Ramdev | The New Indian Express
• SC pulls up Delhi Police for Ramdev crackdown 

Courtesy : All related sources. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility for awareness generation programme. 

Let come Bullets, I will not step down from Fast for 'Strong Lokpal': Anna

Hazare flays UPA, says ‘willing to face bullets’ for agitation

PTI || MUMBAI || JULY 9, 2011

Lashing out at the government for criticising civil society activists, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday vowed to continue with the proposed August 16 agitation despite “threats” to “crush” it, saying he was willing “to face bullets and not just lathis.”

Pointing that laws like Right to Information were enacted because of the pressure of civil society, Hazare said, “If this (pressure on Government over Lokpal) amounts to blackmail, I am willing to resort to blackmail through out my life.”

Dismissing criticism by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on the role of civil society activists on the Lokpal Bill issue, he reminded the Congress-led government at the Centre that it was late Rajiv Gandhi who sought their opinion while enacting the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments for ushering in Panchayati Raj system in the country.

“Rajiv Gandhi wrote letters to over five lakh village heads all over the country, saying his government plans to bring in constitutional amendments regarding Panchayati Raj.

He sought views of the civil society in bringing the landmark legislation,” he told reporters after inaugurating the office of `India Against Corruption’ in South Mumbai here.

Mr. Hazare said his agitation from August 16 in support of a strong Lokpal will herald the “second independence movement”. “I appeal to people to switch off their lights from 8 PM to 9 PM on that day and take to the streets shouting slogans demanding an end to corruption.” Read details in=> The Hindu

Courtesy : The Hindu. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility. 

INDIA - US dialogue on Counter-Terror Cooperation.

Counter-terror cooperation with India high priority: U.S.

PTI || WASHINGTON, || JULY 9, 2011 

President Barack Obama with 

Indian External Affairs MInister S.M. Krishna 

and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

during a India-U.S. strategic dialogue in Washington
Photo : AP

Ahead of the crucial Indo-U.S. strategic dialogue, the Obama administration has said that counter-terrorism cooperation with India is a “very high priority” for it as it would help prevent Mumbai-type attacks in future.

“I do not see any limits on our counter-terrorism cooperation with India,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told reporters during a web-chat hosted by the U.S. State Department on Friday.

“This is a very high priority for the United States to look with our Indian friends to ensure they have the best system possible to prevent future terrorist attacks such as the terrible attack that occurred in Mumbai in November 2008,” he said.

His remarks came ahead of the key visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India on July 19 and 20 for the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries.

He said one of the hallmarks of India-U.S. cooperation over the last several years has been the increase in their counter-terrorism cooperation. “We are looking to build on that,” he underlined.

The two countries, he said, just had a very successful Homeland Security Dialogue that was chaired and led by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano who went to New Delhi in May to meet Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

“They had very successful meetings on a wide range of new collaborative arrangement to expand on homeland security cooperation and counter-terrorism cooperation,” Blake said.

“We do not in any way try to hyphenate that with Pakistan or with any other country. We do it on its own merit. We attach a very high priority,” he said. Read full report in=> THE HINDU.


Courtesy : The Hindu. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

Kapil Sibal defends that P Chidambaram had no role in 2G.

2G scam: Kapil Sibal defends P Chidambaram, says he had no role.

PTI / Friday, July 8, 2011 18:48 IST /eDNA.

Coming to the defence of home minister P Chidambaram, the government today insisted that the former telecom minister had "no role anywhere" in the second-generation (2G) mobile telephony spectrum allocation controversy and demands for his resignation were a "conspiracy" against him.

The government also justified the fact that minutes of a meeting between Chidambaram and the then telecom minister A Raja had not been recorded, saying it was not required."The demand for Chidambaram's resignation is a conspiracy. Chidambaram had no role anywhere. Whatever and whenever decisions he took, he did so after consultations," telecom minister Kapil Sibal told reporters in Delhi.He was responding when asked BJP's contention that Chidambaram had a role in the 2G spectrum allocation and should resign.Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was also present, claimed that Chidambaram had never recommended to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that start-up spectrum should be treated as a 'closed chapter" and there was some confusion regarding it."His comments were about additional spectrum charges," he maintained.On the minutes of meeting between Chidambaram and Raja not being recorded, Bansal argued, "The meeting was not such where the situation warranted preparation of any minutes... The meeting was not required to record minutes."He said it was not a structured meeting like a cabinet meeting or GoM where the minutes are prepared immediately after. "There are several occasions where two ministers meet even to discuss a specific issue but minutes are not made."

Courtesy : PTI. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

Corruption :: Black Money :: Indian Money in Swiss Bank :: Supreme Court of India.

Black_ Money_SC_4th_July-2011

Full text of judgement of 4 July 2011 by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India on Black Money and setting up a Secial Investigation Team lead by two SC judges.

[Reportable | Source : Bharatkalyan97]


 Read full text : Black Money_SC judgement_4th July 2011
Portion :

Related Reading : SC appoints special investigation team to 'follow the money'. UPA, quit governance. 

Black money: Supreme Court's no confidence in government 

Recovering India’s Blackmoney held abroad: Prosecution Team led by Justice Jeevan Reddy 

Courtesy : Related Sources.

This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

Terrorism in India breeds in Pakistan with the help of Pak military.

Pak sponsored Terrorism in India. Pak military supporting militant groups like LeT: Commander

New York, Jul 4, (PTI): || Source : Deccan Herald.

Notwithstanding its repeated refutal of links with terror groups, the Pakistan military continues to support a broad range of militants as part of its three-decade strategy of using proxies against its neighbours and US forces in Afghanistan, a former top militant commander has claimed.

Terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen and Hizbul Mujahedeen are run by religious leaders, with the Pakistani military providing training, strategic planning and protection, the militant leader said. A former top militant commander, said he was supported by the Pakistani military for 15 years as a fighter, leader and trainer of insurgents until he quit a few years ago. The commander is well known in militant circles, but accustomed to a covert existence, 'New York Times' reported publishing an interview, the paper claimed he gave on the condition that his name, location and personal details would not be revealed. Times said, that the former commander's account belies years of assurance by Pakistan to American officials since September 11 2001 attacks that it has ceased supporting militant groups on its territory. The militant commander said that Pakistan's military and intelligence establishments had not abandoned its policy of supporting militant groups as tools in Pakistan's dispute with India over Kashmir and in Afghanistan to drive out American and NATO forces. "There are two bodies running these affairs: mullahs and retired generals," he said and named a number of former military officials involved in the programme, including former chiefs of the intelligence service and other former generals. "These people have a very big role still," he said. Maj Gen Zaheer ul-Islam Abbasi, a former intelligence officer who was convicted of attempting a coup against the government of Benazir Bhutto in 1995 and who is now dead, was one of the most active supporters of the militant groups in the years after Sept 11, the former commander said. He said he saw General Abbasi several times: once at a meeting of Taliban and Pakistani militant leaders in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province as they planned how to confront the American military in Afghanistan; and twice in Mir Ali, which became the centre for foreign militants in Pakistan's tribal areas, including members of Al Qaeda. Read full report in=>  Deccan Herald Courtesy : Deccan Herald. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

Black Money Corruption : Bring back people's Money from Swiss Banks.

Black money issue : SC appoints SIT headed by Justice Reddy

Source: PTI  || Date: 7/4/2011 1:50:51 PM || eNews Bharati.

New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) : The Supreme Court today appointed a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former apex court judge B P Jeevan Reddy to monitor the investigation and the steps being taken to bring back black money stashed away in foreign banks.

Besides Justice Reddy, who will be the chairman of the SIT, the apex court also appointed its former judge, Justice M B Shah as the vice-chairman of the panel. A bench comprising justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar directed that the High-Level Committee (HLC) constituted by the government to look into the issue of black money would "forthwith" be a part of the SIT. The bench also directed the government to disclose the names of all the persons who have been issued show cause notices by the authorities in connection with the probe into the black money issue.

The court, however, made it clear that the authorities would not disclose the names of those who have not been investigated in connection with deposits made in foreign banks including Liechtenstein bank. The court passed the order on a petition filed by eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani and others seeking directions to the government to track black money stashed away abroad and bring it back.The apex court directed the government to issue notification forthwith regarding the appointment of SIT and ordered that government machinery to cooperate with it.

The bench, while passing the order, made some hard-hitting observation against the Centre for its "failure" to take proper action against people who have illegally stashed away money in foreign banks. Observing the phenomenon of black money as "extremely dangerous to the country", the court said the quantum of money in foreign banks is a rough measure of "weakness" and "softness" of the nation.The bench said that it was a serious lapse on the part of the government which will have implications on the country's external and internal security.

"We must express serious reservation on the steps taken by the government...It's clear to us that investigation was completely stalled and expedited only after the court's intervention. "It was only upon this court's insistence that proper investigation was conducted," the bench said while referring to Pune stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan's case. 

The court also asked the SIT to submit a comprehensive action plan to deal with cases relating to the black money issue. Justifying its decision to constitute the SIT, the bench said that in previous cases also the court has been passing such orders to fulfil its constitutional obligation. The court also said that it's not possible for it to be involved in day-to-day investigations in the case as the resources at its disposal were scarce.

The bench said the issue of black money has to be taken with a degree of seriousness and the state is primarily responsible to make all efforts to bring back into the country such wealth and punish people who have stashed away money in foreign banks.

Courtesy : PTI & News Bharati. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

Lok Pal Trail : Lokpal Bill in Monsoon Session : How ??

Govt confident of introducing Lokpal Bill in Monsoon Session 
Source: PTI  || Date: 7/4/2011 4:02:54 PM || eNews Bharati.

New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) : With majority of political parties batting for Parliamentary supremacy on the Lokpal Bill, government today expressed confidence that a consensus will emerge on the issue and the draft legislation would be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Monsoon Session.

"We are very happy with the outcome of the all party meeting yesterday...we are confident we can take the process forward to bring the Bill in the Monsoon Session and pass it as soon as possible," Home Minister P Chidambaram said here.

He pointed out that yesterday's all party meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasised the primacy of the Parliamentary process and the role of political parties to pilot and approve legislations.

Chidambaram's remarks reflected a sense of relief in the government which was so far battling the civil society led by Anna Hazare on the Lokpal issue alone while receiving flak from Opposition parties on the issue of corruption.

"We will therefore bring a Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. That Bill will be examined. Every effort will be made to pass the Bill at the earliest. But that will depend on the members of Parliament and their desire to follow established procedures," Chidambaram said.

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal made it very clear that the government had promised to bring the Lokpal Bill in the Parliament in the Monsoon Session but there was no commitment on the timeline of passing the same.

"We had said we are committed to bringing the Bill in the monsoon session. We never said it will be passed in the monsoon session," Sibal said.

The Minister also said that two parties which took part in the all party meeting suggested that the Bill could be passed in the Winter Session.

Courtesy : PTI & News Bharati. This is published in the National interest and under citizen's responsibility.

No possible consensus on Lokpal. But all the parties pledge to back 'strong' Lokpal in the coming monsoon session.

All-party meet on Lokpal Bill ends without any consensus....
Parties want Bill to be introduced in the coming monsoon session.
Ashok Tuteja & Faraz Ahmad || Tribune News Service || Courtesy : The Tribune, Chandigarh. 


New Delhi, July 3, 2011.

Consensus on the provisions of the Lokpal Bill eluded an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence here today. The government moved one step forward in pushing its draft of the Lokpal Bill for the coming monsoon session. However, all parties attending the Prime Minister’s meet on the Bill unanimously passed a resolution endorsing government plans to bring the Lokpal Bill “following established procedures” in the monsoon session.

With the main Opposition party refusing to lay open its cards on various clauses of the parallel drafts prepared by the government and Anna Hazare’s team, there was no consensus among the political parties on points of difference between the two drafts. While the Prime Minister expressed his government’s firm resolve to enact a Lokpal Act, which provides for an “effective and quick institutional arrangement for tackling corruption in high places.”

At the three-hour-long meeting, Opposition parties were sharply divided over the draft of the legislation prepared by the government.

Emerging from the meeting, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said her party asked the government to ensure that the institution of Lokpal worked transparently and without fear or favour. “We have demanded that the Lokpal Bill be introduced in the monsoon session so that it could then be referred to the Standing Committee (of Parliament)… afterwards, it can be debated by political parties and various sections of the society. Once you have the opinion of every section, the Bill can be passed in the winters session of Parliament,” she added. Swaraj, however, maintained ambiguity about her party’s stand when asked if the BJP favoured bringing the office of the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal. “We have not discussed various provisions of the Bill…they can be debated once the bill is referred to the Standing Committee,” she added.

The Congress has already stated that it would not like the office of the PM to be brought within the ambit of Lokpal.

The Left parties and several small parties have, however, opined that the PM’s office should not be excluded from the purview of the Lokpal. Some parties were of the view that judiciary should not be brought under it. There should be a judicial commission to tackle any cases of corruption in the judiciary.

The meeting was attended by top leaders of almost all the parties in Parliament amid a demand by civil society group led by Anna Hazare that the proposed law bring the PM and the higher judiciary within its ambit. It also seeks to control the MPs and bureaucracy across the nation transgressing the deferral structure of the Indian polity.

Besides the PM, the meeting was attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Union ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, M Veerappa Moily, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Kumar Bansal (Cong) Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel (both NCP), and T R Baalu (DMK) from the UPA’s side. The Opposition was represented by BJP veteran L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley (BJP), JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, S S Dhindsa (SAD), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Gurudas Dasgupta and D Raja (both CPI), Lalu Prasad (RJD) and V Maitreyan and M Thambidurai (both AIADMK), S C Mishra (BSP) and Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), among others. Other contentious issues that came up at the meeting were bringing MPs' conduct inside Parliament, CBI's anti-corruption wing and lower bureaucracy across the country within the ambit of Lokpal, besides mode of financing and the panel for selecting the ombudsman.

The government presented to the parties a comparative draft of the provisions of the Lokpal Bill suggested by the civil society and those put forward by the five Union Ministers in the drafting committee. In his opening remarks, the PM noted that the enactment of a strong Lokpal Bill has attracted a lot of attention during the past few months. He recalled how the government constituted a joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill, its nine meetings, which achieved considerable progress but failed to evolve consensus on many issues.

He acknowledged divergence of views on a few important issues between the Government and Anna’s nominees. “There is no doubt that corruption is a major issue today. It is not that we do not have legal and institutional arrangements in place to tackle corruption,” he said. However, there was a feeling that the institutional arrangements in place were not strong enough to ensure that the guilty, especially those occupying high positions, were brought to book swiftly and given deterrent punishment. He asserted that the government was committed to bringing the bill before Parliament in the coming Monsoon Session. However, it was important that such an institutional arrangement enjoyed the support of as large a section of people as possible and that there was the widest possible consensus regarding the Bill. “I must also add that while a good law and a strong institution are necessary to tackle the problem of corruption, these alone would never suffice. Along with these, we need to focus on simplifying procedures, reducing discretion, eliminating arbitrariness and increasing transparency in the way government functions.

He, however said that whatever arrangement was proposed, has to be for the larger good of society and the country. The institution of the Lokpal has to work in harmony with other institutions and laws and it has to function within the framework of the basic structure of the Constitution.