CBI hands in sex racket report

Srinagar (PTI): The CBI on Monday submitted a status report on its probe into the Jammu and Kashmir sex racket to the state’s high court, which is monitoring the case.

Assistant solicitor-general of India and CBI counsel S.A. Naik declined to comment on the report. “We have submitted the status report to the court as per the directions by the division bench on Friday.”

Twelve people have been arrested in the case so far, out of which nine have been chargesheeted and accused of raping a teenager.

The nine include former state additional advocate-general Anil Sethi, Border Security Force DIG K.C. Padhi, deputy superintendent of police Mohammad Ashraf Mir and alleged kingpin of the racket, Sabeena.

Two former ministers and sitting MLAs, Ghulam Ahmad Mir of the Congress and Independent Raman Mattoo, have also been arrested.

Rapist cop’s plea admitted

Mumbai (PTI): Bombay High Court on Monday admitted an appeal filed by dismissed police constable Sunil More, who was convicted of raping a 17-year-old near Marine Drive.

A sessions court sentenced More to 12 years in jail and asked him to pay a fine of Rs 26,500 to the girl as compensation.

More was charged with raping the college student inside a police post yards from the Marine Drive promenade on April 21 last year.

His appeal contends that the trial court had erred in convicting More as he did not rape the girl. It challenged the prosecution’s case, saying it was highly improbable to commit the offence three times in 15 minutes and contended that More was falsely implicated.

Rajdhani scare

Ghaziabad (PTI): A bomb exploded on the Delhi-Howrah railway line five minutes after the Rajdhani Express passed the spot on Sunday.

The explosion occurred near Khurja junction, 40 km from Ghaziabad. A railway employee was injured in the blast but there was no damage to the track.

Pak sticks to ban

Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan has ruled out lifting its ban on Indian films but said it would permit foreign movies starring Indian and Pakistani actors to be screened there. The Pakistan censor code has been amended to facilitate the screening of such films, minister for culture G.G. Jamal said.

Jawan suicide

Balaghat (PTI): A Special Armed Force jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself at a police checkpost in the Naxalite-hit Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday night.

Former Naxalite Sunita, who surrendered in November 2005, tied the knot with a tribal farmer as police played hosts to over 300 invitees at a temple in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.