Tahil wins UK work rights

London (PTI): Bollywood actor Dalip Tahil, who was forced to quit a BBC soap after immigration authorities ruled that he was working illegally, has won the right to work in the UK, official sources said.

Tahil, 52, visited the UK in 2002 to appear in the Westend musical Bombay Dreams. Later, he joined the BBC as head of the new Asian family in its popular soap, Eastenders, but was forced to leave the country after the immigration ruling 14 months ago.

British Asian actors were reported to be unhappy about an Indian actor being chosen for the part instead of someone more local and the actors? union voiced its objection.

Tahil complained of being subjected to a ?hate campaign?.

Immigration minister Des Browne has apologised for the poor handling of Tahil?s case following an appeal launched earlier this month with the immigration appellate authority.

Tahil?s forced departure, following the immigration crisis, led to abandoned plots and a hurried rewriting of the script. Finally, a decision to axe the family was taken in October 2004.

IIT to set up nano centre

Mumbai (PTI): The Indian Institute of Technology here will set up a world-class nano-research and development centre to promote nanotechnology in the country.

The IIT Nano Centre will have fabrication facility in addition to scientific and structural characterisation facilities, R&D dean Professor Kartik Khilar said on Sunday.

The institute currently has 50 faculty members working on various general areas of nanotechnology. The details are being worked out and is expected to be ready in two years, he added.

?We have been doing a lot of R&D in nano field, but when we want to transfer it to any industry, we need to translate the lab technology to the field scale and such centre will be of great use to the technologists doing research,? he said.

Of late, the industry is showing interest in nanotechnology and ?it is our duty to help them by improving our technology transfer skill in nanotechnology,? Khilar said.

Sonia to scan road work

Jammu (PTI): Sonia Gandhi will visit Uri on March 29 to review the preparation work for the Indo-Pak bus service.

The Congress chief will review the progress work for the 313-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus route at Kaman post on the Line of Control and meet senior officials in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir roads and buildings minister G.A. Mir said.

?Sati? arrest

Jaipur (PTI): A woman, who allegedly tried to immolate herself at a spot in Pali district where sati was practised about a century ago, was arrested on Sunday after a clash between police and devotees. It is not clear if Basanti Devi Vaishnav, 42, only offered prayers at the temple in Sumel or tried to immolate herself, sources said.

Telgi hearing

Mumbai (PTI): A special CBI court has asked to produce Abdul Karim Telgi, the prime accused in the fake stamp paper case, on March 23 for framing charges against him and two others. The court has ordered Yerwada jail, where Telgi is lodged, to allow him to meet his lawyer for two hours on any working day.

Cops held

Madurai (PTI): Three policemen have been arr-ested in Tamil Nadu in co-nnection with the escape of a convict who was being escorted to prison. The convict, who was lodged in Vellore jail, fled on February 17 while being brought back from a court.

Mother kills kids

Bahraich (PTI): A woman administered poison to her three children and then consumed it herself due to financial problems and illness. Nirmala?s husband, a daily-wage labourer, was not at home. Nirmala survived but the children died.

Hideouts busted

Jammu (PTI): The army has destroyed five militant hideouts in Poonch and Rajouri districts and recovered a large cache of ammunition and explosives on Saturday. A raid in the Rajouri sector on Sunday recovered more ammunition. No one was arrested, sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir government will set up a Rs 40-crore international trade centre, designed like New Delhi?s Pragati Maidan, in Pampore near Srinagar to promote handicrafts and handloom products in global market.