CBI plea to trace land-scam accused
New Delhi (PTI): The CBI has sought public help in tracing hotelier Vinod Khatri against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued by a Delhi court in the Delhi Development Authority land-scam case. The agency has also issued a “lookout notice” against the hotelier.
An agency spokesman said Khatri was “evading investigations” by the CBI and was “untraceable”.
Releasing a photograph of 42-year-old Khatri, the spokesman said the public could inform the whereabouts of the accused on following numbers: (011) 24362755, 24361273 and 243634.
The spokesman said Khatri, who is a dismissed constable of Delhi police, was absconding ever since the CBI carried out searches at two of his residential and official premises.
A designated court had on May 3 issued non-bailable warrant against Khatri, directing the CBI to execute it by May 12. All airports, railway stations and road links have been alerted to abort any attempt by Khatri to sneak out of the city after the agency issued the “lookout notice” against him.
The immigration authority has been asked to keep a watch at the airport as he could try to leave the country to avoid questioning by the CBI in connection.
The CBI registered a fourth case in the scam on April 29 against Khatri, sacked DDA vice-chairman Subhash Sharma, suspended DDA official Ashok Kapoor, main conduit Dharambir Khattar and former Delhi High Court judge Shamit Mukherjee, already arrested.
Custody respite for Dawood kin
Mumbai (PTI): Bombay High Court has stayed till June 10 an order of a special court that allowed three days’ police custody remand of Iqbal Hassan Ibrahim Shaikh, younger brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and two others in a case of alleged extortion and land grabbing.
On May 2, the court had granted the remand of Iqbal and his alleged associates from May 6 to 8. However, they moved the high court and sought a stay on the remand.
The others arrested were Abdul Rehman Abdul Gafoor Shaikh and Abdul Sattar Haji Hiva Radhanpur.
The trio is facing the charge of forcibly evicting a woman from her hut that obstructed the entrance of a shopping centre allegedly owned by Dawood and his former ally, Chhota Shakeel.
Earlier, the special court rejected the defence plea that the custody could not be given after 30 days of the arrest as per the apex court judgment in the Anupam Kulkarni case.
PWG blasts forest office
Hyderabad (PTI): The People’s War Group has blasted a forest range office and a railway station in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh.
Police said a group of PWG men blasted the office of forest range officer in Sanipai under Veerpalli mandal using detonators. The PWG also blew up Pullampet station after asking the assistant station master to vacate it. They snatched Rs 1,500 and a calculator from him.
Traffic check
Jodhpur (PTI): Rajasthan traffic police have introduced a traffic interceptor to detect intoxicated drivers and speeding vehicles. They hope this will check road accidents.
Beckham in US list
New York (PTI): Gurinder Chadha’s hit comedy Bend It Like Beckham reached a milestone as it was listed among the top 10 films in the US with box office ticket sales estimated at $1.46 million over the weekend. It occupied the ninth spot between Michael Douglas’ movie It Runs In The Family and Chow Yun-Fat action film Bulletproof Monk. Indian-themed films rarely appear in the top 20. Gandhi had occupied number two spot in 1983, A Passage to India reached third place in 1985. In 1992, both City of Joy and Mississippi Masala were among top 10. Bollywood hit Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham debuted in tenth place in 2001. Bend It Like Beckham is running well ahead of last spring’s Monsoon Wedding. The distributor added 63 theatres to the run over the weekend and will expand to more than 500 sites on May 9.
Russian honour
Moscow (PTI): President Vladimir Putin has honoured an Indian scholar with the Order of Friendship, the highest honour for foreigners in Russia. Devendra Kaushik of the Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies has been decorated with the order “for his personal contribution in developing Indo-Russian friendship and cultural cooperation”, a Kremlin release said.
Fishing harbours
Chennai (PTI): The Tamil Nadu government plans to set up fishing harbours in Thengaipattinam, Poompuhar and Muttom at Rs 100 crore. The harbours in Chennai and Tuticorin will be upgraded to international standards at Rs 6 crore.
Films by directors Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Aparna Sen, Mani Ratnam and Adoor Gopalakrishnan will be part of the Indian Focus section at the 50th Sydney Film Festival starting on June 6. It will showcase the new wave of Indian cinema.
