Seer case shifts to Pondicherry

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has transferred the trial in the Shankar Raman murder case, involving the Kanchi Mutt acharyas, to Pondicherry, reports our special correspondent.

In a balancing act, the court conceded Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswati’s plea for transfer of the case outside Tamil Nadu, but also yielded to the state’s request that if it should be shifted, the trial should be held in Pondicherry.

The seer had sought transfer of the case to Chitoor or nearby areas in Andhra Pradesh.

The pontiff, the main accused in the case, had said the state machinery had created “enough apprehension” and was interfering in the case and its “free and fair trial”.

Aid row in Sarabjit family

Bhikiwind (PTI): The financial aid that has poured in for Sarabjit Singh has apparently split his family, with his wife Sukhpreet Kaur alleging that her sister-in-law Dalbir Kaur has pocketed all the money, a charge denied by the latter.

“My sister-in-law has collected a lot of money from different avenues under the Save Sarabjit campaign and to help his family. But things have gone in a different direction as Dalbir has started living a luxurious life and is not sharing a single paisa with us,” Sukhpreet told reporters. Sarabjit is on death row in Pakistan for his alleged involvement in blasts there.

“Dalbir has received aid more than Rs 20 lakh but she has not given any money to me and my daughter,” Sukhpreet said, adding that Sarabjit’s sister had physically harmed her and warned that she should not speak of this to the media.

Dalbir said there was no truth in the allegations.

MiG crash

Bangalore (PTI): A MiG-21 aircraft crashed at Bangalore airport on Wednesday after a suspected technical snag, killing test pilot Squadron Leader K.R. Murthy.

Squadron Leader K.D. Bhat, a test engineer, was also on board, but he survived and is in hospital.

Faulty advocates

Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan High Court has sought an explanation from the chief secretary and asked him to appear in the court on October 28, following allegations of low performance by public prosecutors. He has been asked to file an affidavit stating steps taken to improve the functioning of lawyers.

Nirmal Verma

New Delhi (PTI): Hindi litterateur Nirmal Verma died after a prolonged illness at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Tuesday night. Verma was 76. He is survived by his wife and daughter. For the first time, Indian sweets like kaju katli and boondi laddoo will be sold in China during Diwali for the fast-growing Indian community there. Five types of sweets will be available.

For the first time, Indian sweets like kaju katli and boondi laddoo will be sold in China during Diwali for the fast-growing Indian community there. Five types of sweets will be available.