Canada mulls Kanishka probe
Vancouver (PTI): Canada?s deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan announced that the government would appoint an independent adviser to decide if a public inquiry was warranted into the bombing of the Kanishka flight which crashed off the Irish coast in 1985 killing all 329 people on board.
?A full inquiry is absolutely necessary ...the adviser would consider whether there are questions that remain unanswered, and whether we can reasonably expect answers 20 years after the event,? McLellan, who is also public safety minister, said on Wednesday.
The minister said she would meet family members of the deceased in Toronto next week to give them a chance to speak to senior government officials.
?Before I take any action, I want to meet the families at the start of an ongoing dialogue so we know what questions remain unanswered for them,? she said announcing the move in Parliament.
The announcement came as the House of Commons began a debate on an Opposition motion asking for a public probe.
?This review can only begin once we?ve determined if the province of British Columbia will appeal the (Air-India) decision,? McLellan said.
Those who lost their relatives were distraught by last month?s acquittal of two men of all charges related to the bombings and had demanded a public probe.
Telgi in confession cry
Pune (PTI): Abdul Karim Telgi, the prime accused in multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, on Friday said he would like to make a confessional statement before the MCOCA court.
hrough a video conference between Yerawada central prison and the special court here, Telgi said: ?I should be called to the court so as to enable me to make the confessional statement in person. I have already prepared the petition and am ready to present it before the court soon.?
Telgi said he has informed his lawyer about his intention. ?I should be called to the court soon. The jail authorities are killing time. Probably they want to see me dead this way.?
Telgi, who sought making the confession under Section 164 (recording of confessions and statements) of the Criminal Procedure Code, said his plea should be taken seriously as it was a matter of life and death for him. The court is yet to decide on accepting his request.
Court halts child nuptials
Jhunjhunu (PTI): A court in Rajasthan?s Khetari town came to the rescue of a 12-year-old girl from being married off to a man almost thrice her age.
Judicial magistrate Meenaxi Jain stopped the wedding of Pushpa, a Class V student, on Thursday and ordered her parents not to marry her off till she ?attains adulthood?. Pushpa?s maternal uncle had filed a complaint in the court alleging that her parents were marrying her off to a 33-year-old man.
Rapist officer
Chennai (PTI): A customs officer was held on Thursday for raping a minor girl at his house in Choolaimedu area last February. A child helpline service had received a call in February saying that a girl was locked up in the officer?s house. Police rescued the girl, a Class XII student. A medical report confirmed that the girl had been raped.
Water report
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan High Court has sought a report on the quality of drinking water being supplied in certain areas of the city including Raj Bhavan and the chief minister?s residence. The chief secretary of the state and chief engineer of the public health engineering department are to submit a report by April 21 giving details of nitrate content in the drinking water.
ATM guard killed
Vadodara (PTI): A security guard was stabbed to death by miscreants who were trying to loot an ATM in the Makarpura area on Thursday. The miscreants, who were trying to loot the ATM of the UTI Bank, attacked B.N. Gosai when he tried to prevent them, police said. Gosai was working with a private security agency. The joint commissioner of police, K. Kumarswamy, said no money was stolen and further investigations are on.
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Music composer A.R. Rahman will receive this year?s Lata Mangeshkar Award on April 24. Madhya Pradesh?s department of culture had instituted the Rs 1-lakh award in 1984.
