Hearing on Tarun Tejpal's anticipatory bail plea resumes

November 30, 2013

Panaji, Nov 30: The hearing on Tarun Tejpal's anticipatory bail petition today resumed in a District and Sessions court here. The hearing on Tarun Tejpal's anticipatory bail petition today resumed in a District and Sessions court here.

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Tejpal's lawyer Geeta Luthra continued her arguments before judge Anuja Prabhudesai, who had yesterday given the Tehelka editor interim protection till this morning against arrest in the case of alleged sexual assault on a woman journalist in the magazine.

The public prosecutor will later submit arguments.

Ahead of hearing on his bail petition, Tejpal visited the Crime Branch office here this morning and said he was cooperating in the investigation.

Police sources said Tejpal was not quizzed and stayed for 10 minutes.

"We have joined the investigation started by the Crime Branch yesterday. We will join today also," Tejpal told reporters after coming out of the office.

Tejpal had yesterday appeared before the Crime Branch after dodging a combined team of Goa and Delhi police that visited his house in Delhi at the crack of dawn to arrest him.

During arguments yesterday, Luthra had contended that Tejpal was a man of high integrity and reputation and that the CCTV footage of the hotel will exonerate him.

The complaint from the victim, who was seen normal even after the alleged incident, came 10 days after the said episode, she had argued.

Arguing in court today, Luthra said Tejpal was ready to stay in Goatill the time it was required by the investigating agency.

She said he will also not visit Mumbai, where the victim is currently residing.

"There should not be any fear that he (Tejpal) will tamper with witnesses or evidence," the defence lawyer said.

Luthra also ruled out the possibility of Tejpal fleeing the country saying he has not fled before the FIR or after that.

"My client cannot tamper with the aggrieved girl as she will stand by her statement," the lawyer said.

Wrapping up her arguments, Luthra said false allegation of rape can bring distress to the accused and cause equal damage to him as to the complainant.

She said as the rape law has become more stringent, so it it all the more required for the accused to defend himself for which "his liberty may be preserved".

Public Prosecutor (PP) Saresh Lotlikar argued that prima facie a case is established against Tejpal and so the police want his custodial interrogation.

"The accused has been changing colours like a chameleon through different statements," he said.

The PP noted that the victim has been consistent in her statements.

Lotlikar said the CCTV footage of the hotel in Goa where the incident occurred early this month gives enough hints confirming the allegation of rape.

The public prosecutor also argued that Tejpal was not avilable for Goa Police and appeared only after getting interim relief from court.

The public prosecutor alleged that Tejpal has in the past tried to influence the family of the complainant and refrred to an FIR filed in Delhi in this regard.

That the accused is interfering in the investigation is well corroborated by his past conduct, he said.

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News Network
August 8,2020

New Delhi, Aug 8: The Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Friday directed the governments of four states -- Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, to analyse the factors driving the high COVID-19 mortality and devise ways and means to reduce the mortality.

Apart from the higher case mortality, these states account for 17 per cent of India's active cases, high daily new cases, low tests per million, and high confirmation percentage.

In a high-level virtual meeting, Bhushan advised state administrations to adhere to measures suggested by central advisories and guidelines to prevent and reduce mortality due to coronavirus infection.

According to the health ministry, 16 districts in these four states are reporting maximum virus fatalities. It includes -- Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat; Belagavi, Bengaluru urban, Kalaburagi and Udupi in Karnataka; Chennai, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Theni, Thiruvallur, Tiruchirappalli, Tuticorin and Virudhnagar in Tamil Nadu; and Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri in Telangana respectively.

"The districts were advised to ensure that the advisories, guidelines and clinical treatment protocols issued by the Health Ministry are adopted and effectively implemented to reduce the mortality among COVID-19 patients and other preventable deaths among all sections of the people, particularly those with co-morbidities, pregnant women, the elderly and children," said the health ministry official.

"States were advised to ensure optimum capacity utilization of testing labs, increase tests per million population and reduce confirmation percentage, in addition to ensuring timely availability of ambulances with target zero refusal," the official further said.

"States were also advised to analyze availability and need for projected beds and oxygen, and plan in a timely manner. States and district administration have also been advised to ensure good infection prevention and control practices to control infection in the healthcare workers," said the official.

Principal Secretary (Health) and MD (NHM) from the four States along with district surveillance officers, district collectors, commissioners of the municipal corporation, Chief Medical Officers, and Medical Superintendent of Medical Colleges participated in the meeting.

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Agencies
July 28,2020

Ghaziabad, Jul 28: Days ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, Nand Kishore Gurjar, a BJP MLA from Loni assembly constituency in Ghaziabad, has stoked controversy as he asked people celebrating the festival to "sacrifice their children instead of animals" on the occasion. He also claimed that "meat spreads coronavirus" so people should not be allowed to sacrifice innocent animals.

"People who want to sacrifice on Eid should sacrifice their children. I will not let people consume meat and alcohol in Loni. We will not let people sacrifice innocent animals because meat spreads coronavirus," the BJP legislator said while speaking to reporters.

"The way people have followed the guidelines of the government by not offering prayers and namaz at temples and mosques to contain COVID-19, in the same way, they must not give the sacrifice of animals on this Eid," he added.

"Earlier, sacrifices of animals used to be done in Sanatan Dharam as well. However, now coconut is offered instead. I request the Muslim brothers not to give 'qurbani' of animals. We will stop those who will perform the ritual animal sacrifice. We will not let this happen in Loni," he said.

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News Network
May 19,2020

Kolkata, May 19: The super cyclonic storm 'Amphan' in west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to weaken into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' by noon on Tuesday, the Met department said here.

The system, which was situated 670 km south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal, is very likely to move north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal, and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts in the afternoon or evening of Wednesday as a 'very severe cyclonic storm', the Met department said.

The weatherman said that 'Amphan' is expected to cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh on May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm, after losing some steam as it approaches landfall, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph.

Gale wind speeds reaching 240 to 250 kmph were prevailing over west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal, the Met office said, adding, it will gradually reduce to 200 to 210 kmph gusting to 230 kmph by Tuesday evening.

The Met department, which has issued an "orange message" for West Bengal, warned of extensive damage in Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, South and North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts.

There is likely to be disruption of rail and road link at several places, uprooting of communication and power poles and extensive damage to all types of 'kutcha' houses, the weatherman said.

There is also likelihood of massive harm to standing crops, plantations and orchards, the Met office said.

Wind speeds along and off the coastal areas of West Bengal will reach 45 to 55 kmph with gusts of 65 kmph from Tuesday afternoon, and will gradually increase becoming gale wind speeds reaching 75 to 85 kmph with gusts up to 95 kmph from May 20 morning along and off districts of North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly, Regional Met Director G K Das said.

"It will gradually increase thereafter becoming 110 to 120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph over West Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and wind speeds of 165 to 175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph over the districts of North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore from the afternoon to night of May 20," Das said.

Under its impact, the coastal districts of Gangetic West Bengal, including North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, East and West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly are likely to experience light to moderate rain at many places with heavy downpour at isolated places on Tuesday, he said.

On Wednesday, rainfall will occur in many places over the districts of Gangetic West Bengal, with extremely heavy rain at one or two places in Kolkata, Howrah, East Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts, he said.

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