Sukh Ram granted bail by Supreme Court

Sukh Ram granted bail by Supreme Court

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail till January 16 to former Union minister Sukh Ram in the 1993 telecom scam case.
The court has also granted interim bail to former bureaucrat Runu Ghosh and Hyderabad-based businessman P Rama Rao who are co-accused in the case.
Sukh Ram was shifted from Tihar Jail to a city hospital, his associate said on Sunday.
Sukh Ram had surrendered before a Delhi court on Saturday and was sent to jail to serve a three-year jail term in a graft case. His counsel said that after being taken to jail, Sukh Ram had lost consciousness, so jail authorities admitted him on Saturday afternoon to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital.
"He has multiple ailments and the prison's hospital is not equipped to treat his present condition. We had to shift him to the hospital on the advice of our own doctors," said Tihar Jail authorities.
Sukh Ram was convicted in a case involving the award of a contract to a Hyderabad firm for supplying telecom equipment to the government at exorbitant rates.
In 2002, he was awarded a three-year jail term under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the case.
The Delhi high court on Dec 21 upheld the lower's court order and asked Sukh Ram to surrender on Jan 5.
(Inputs from PTI and IANS)

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Sunny Leone behaved in an acceptable manner, says PCI

Press Council of India (PCI) Chairman Justice Markandey Katju on Monday ruled out any action against Sunny Leone, the porn star who recently participated in the Indian reality television show, Bigg Boss 5 .

Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), an independent body instituted by the Indian Broadcasters Foundation ( IBF) received several complaints that Sunny Leone was promoting her personal pornography website with the help of her Indian reality TV performance.

Her homepage, the complaints said, prominently advertised: 'As seen on Bigg Boss Season 5, now watch her strip down and be naughty and see why the world is obsessed with Sunny Leone.'

However, on Monday, PCI chairman, Justice Katju while responding to a complaint by a viewer on the lack of action by the BCCC, ruled out any action against her. He said that Sunny Leone had behaved in an acceptable manner in the country.

''If she (Leone) conducts herself in India in a manner which is socially acceptable in India and does not breach the social moral code in India, we should not treat her as a social outcast,'' Katju said.

He added that in his opinion the Big Boss participant Sunny Leone was earning her livelihood in USA in a manner acceptable in that country, though it is not acceptable in India.

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Train services affected in SER after overhead wire snaps

KOLKATA: Train services on the Howrah- Kharagpur section of the South Eastern Railway was affected after the overhead traction wire snapped between Haur and Radhamohanpur Halt stations this morning.

SER sources said the wires snapped when the Up Howrah-Puri Dhauli Express was passing between the two stations at 7.30 am. The train was later towed to Kharagpur with a diesel engine.

The Howrah-Borbil Janshatabdi Express, which was running behind the Dhauli Express, was also stopped and towed to Kharagpur with a diesel engine, they said.

The reason for the snapping of the wire was not immediately clear, the sources said.

As a result, eight long-distance trains, including the Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express, Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express, the Howrah-Secundrabad Falaknama Express, Shalimar- Santaldih Aranyak Express and the Shalimar-Bankura Rajya Rani Express, were stopped at various stations.

While seven EMU locals have been cancelled, five were short-terminated, the sources said.

While traffic was being maintained in the Down line, the Up line was expected to be restored by this afternoon.

Rail traffic in the SER's Kharagpur-Bhubaneswar line remained affected for several hours yesterday after a truck hit a level crossing pole and snapped the overhead traction at Lakshmannathpur station.

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Team Anna meets sans Anna Hazare to decide on future course.

GHAZIABAD: Amid "confusion" on how to take the movement forward, Team Anna's Core Committee met here on Monday sans ailing Anna Hazare to decide on their future strategy.
This is the first meeting of the team after Anna Hazare called off his agitation programmes for a strong Lokpal last month.
Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and other members attended the deliberations during which they discussed the future course of action, including the mode of campaign during the elections to the five states.
Hazare did not attend the meeting as he was not keeping well. Doctors had advised him not to undertake any tour for at least a month due to his health conditions.
The poor public response to Hazare's agitation in Mumbai and Delhi in the last week of December and taunts from Congress on its anti-Congress plank appear to be weighing heavily on the minds of Team Anna.
Team Anna members said the meeting was meant to discuss the mode of campaigning in other five states as well suggestions received from public on how to take forward the movement.
The meeting also comes against the backdrop of an article written by Kejriwal which suggested that Team Anna appeared to be confused on how to take forward the fight for a strong Lokpal, saying the movement is at "crossroads" and a wrong decision at this stage can prove disastrous for it.
He had then sought suggestions from the public to take forward the campaign.
Team Anna members said they will also deliberate on its anti-Congress line vociferously taken during its campaigns earlier as it was been accused of being pro-BJP.
However, the induction of former BSP leader Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is accused of corruption, in the BJP, has put Team Anna on the wrong foot as Congress stepped up its attack against it.

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Chennai traders wary of travelling to China

CHENNAI: Days after the two Indian businessmen held captive in a Chinese city were released, traders here are divided in their opinion on the perils of visiting China on business.

Those dealing in high-end electronic equipment and food items remained non-committal, but others say they will think twice before taking a flight to the country.

Basheer Ahmed, a building contractor who imports tiles and bathroom fittings, said he was shocked to read the report on the two Indians held hostage by Chinese traders because a deal with their Yemeni boss went sour. But he says he was not surprised.

"The main problem is the language. A local mediator is necessary or misunderstandings happen. They will show you a product but send something else, and if you question them they get aggressive," he said.

Hundreds of traders like Ahmed travel to China to import electronic items, textiles, toys, construction material, furniture, fresh fruits and more. Traders say dealings with the Chinese have always had an element of risk and without a permanent local Chinese agent things can be difficult.

"Unless you watch out, you will get cheated. They are generally rude, especially to people from Asian countries," said Imran Khan, a builder who used to import furniture and lighting from China.

The trading communities were appalled by the Chinese government's announcement of taking action against foreign businessmen instead of against their own traders who tortured the Indians.

"The whole episode should have been condemned by their government, but at least they have been booked. We have always been cautious, we will just be extra careful now," said Ahmed. "I will not make another trip unless required. I have not faced any serious problem, but it is difficult to work there," said Khan.

Others, though, remain unfazed by these developments, saying that as long as one is prompt in payments and honest in dealings, there will be no problems.

"I have not faced problems while importing fresh fruits, and I don't think I will have any. There are cases of people paying advances and not taking delivery even in India. These are just bad apples, I will be traveling to China this year also," said Ameerul Hussain, who imports fresh fruits and vegetables.

China is also the world's biggest hub for low-end electronic spare parts and goods. "We go in groups once in three months. We are careful in our dealings, and haven't faced problems. It is an electronics heaven," said Krishna Raj, who works for an electronic store chain in the city.

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