At least 73 people were killed today when two buses and an oil tanker burst into flames in a head-on collision in eastern Afghanistan, health officials said, in one of the worst road accidents in the war-battered country.
Many of the dead, including women and children, were burned beyond recognition and dozens of others were left wounded in the accident in Ghazni province, near the Afghan capital, one of the areas worst affected by the Taliban insurgency.
“The death toll has soared to 73, most of them severely burned,” ministry spokesman Ismail Kawoosi told AFP, warning that the toll was expected to rise still further.
“Many of the wounded have been rushed to hospitals in (southern) Kandahar city and Ghazni.”
Kawoosi gave a sharply higher toll than other officials.
Ghazni’s governor Mohammad Aman Hamimi earlier reported seven fatalities but his own spokesman gave a death toll of 50.
Afghanistan has some of the world’s most dangerous roads and deadly accidents are common.
At least 18 people were killed in May last year when a minivan overturned in the western province of Badghis.
And in April 2013 a bus hit a wrecked fuel tanker in the southern province of Kandahar, killing 45 people.
The World Bank in November signed off a USD 250 million grant to upgrade roads crossing Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountains, crucial trade links that are often closed in winter by snow.PTI..
In a bid to buttress the allegations of Congress’ involvement in AgustaWestland scam, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said all those who were linked to the tainted VVIP chopper deal were given “good positions” following their retirement.
“Many people who had some links with Agusta, I am not saying illegitimate links, but some links with Agusta procurement and supply, were given good positions,” Parrikar told PTI in an interview.
Asserting that they were good to the powers at that time, he said, “They were close to the powers at that time. They were favourites. So obviously, they were placed there to ensure this deal goes through. It is an indirect evidence.”
However, he said it was for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to decide whether to question the people concerned or not.
He was asked to elaborate on his remarks that people linked to Agusta deal were given governorship, ambassadorship among others.
He had made the remarks during an interaction with TV channels.
“If you see, many people from there (Agusta days) are sitting in good positions. Someone became governor, someone became an ambassador, I am not questioning them but one has become constitutional authority…..(These) people are at good positions….
“Who do you make an Ambassador? Who do you make a constitutional authority? Only those whom you trust. It proves that they believed in them otherwise they would not be in positions,” he had told a TV channel.
Several top officials including the then NSA M K Narayanan (former Governor of West Bengal), the then SPG Chief BV Wanchoo (former Governor of Goa), current Comptroller and Auditor General and former Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, who was involved in the matter as then Joint Secretary (air), were all involved in decision making process that eventually led to the selection of the AgustaWestland choppers.
Former Air Force Chief N A K Browne, currently India’s Ambassador to Norway, has strongly refuted as “baseless and malicious” reports that he was a “common link” in three major defence deals involving AgustaWestland, Rafale and Pilatus aircraft.
Browne said that he had nothing to do with these deals and none of them have been signed during his tenure as IAF chief.
Markets regulator Sebi has ordered two Swar group companies and their directors to refund investors’ money, which was raised through illegal investment schemes, in three months.
Besides, the firms — Swar Agrotech India and Swar Agroteak and Housing (India) — and their directors are also barred from the capital market for four years.
It was alleged that the companies had launched and operated collective investment schemes (CIS) without obtaining registration from Sebi.
A Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) probe found that the firms had mobilised funds from their customers through various investment plans under a scheme of purchase of plots promising an estimated value at the end of the contract.
As per the details, Swar Agrotech and Swar Agroteak and Housing had mobilised Rs 94.79 lakh and Rs 56.80 lakh, respectively.
In two separate orders, the regulator has restrained the firms and their directors from collecting any money from investors or launching any CIS.
The entities will have to provide a detailed inventory of all their assets and details of all their bank and demat accounts, among others.
In addition, they have been barred from selling any assets of the company except for the purpose of making refunds to their investors.
In case they fail to comply with the order, Sebi said the entities will continue to be barred from the securities market even after the completion of four years of restrictions imposed on them “till all the CIS are wound up and all the money mobilised through such schemes are refunded to its investors with returns which are due to them”.
Besides, it would make a reference to the state government / local police and register a civil/criminal case against the company. It would also make a reference to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to initiate appropriate action as deemed fit.
The orders take effect immediately.PTI
Bollywood star Akshay Kumar says lyrics in Hindi movie tracks are in sync with the audience’s taste.
The “Baby” actor, who has featured in songs like “Samose Mein Aaloo” to “Hookah Bar”, launched a new track “Taang Uthake” from his upcoming film “Housefull 3” last night here.
When asked about the amount of improvement in lyrics from retro songs like “Paon chhoo lene do phoolon ko inayat hogi” to “Taang uthake”, Akshay said, “As much improvement is there in audience’s taste, it is in lyrics. Whatever people like, we make it.”
Singer Mika Singh, who has lent his voice to the track said, “This has been happening since before, (like) ‘Choli ke peechey kya hai’. So this is not new.”
“And (what about) that song, ‘Aadmi hu aadmi se pyaar karta hu’..,” Akshay said.
Producer Sajid Nadiadwala said, “‘Paon chhoo lene do’ was from a Nadiadwala film. So it was from our house only.”
He was referring to the song from the 1963 film “Taj Mahal”.
Directed by Sajid-Farhad, “Housefull 3” also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri among others.
The director duo said they don’t have any “nervousness” but rather “excitement” to see how the film is received by the audience.
The movie is scheduled to release on June 3.
The Supreme Court today directed release of jailed Sahara chief Subrata Roy on parole for four weeks to attend rituals following the death of his mother early this morning.
A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur, Justices A R Dave and A K Sikri allowed the plea of Roy seeking permission to attend cremation rites of his mother.
“An application has been filed by Subrata Roy seeking provisional release as his mother passed away early this morning at Lucknow… We direct that Roy shall be released on parole for four weeks,” the bench said.
Besides Roy, the apex court also granted parole to one of the jailed Sahara director Ashok Roy Choudhary.
The court, however, said that Roy would be under the protective custody of the police with an assurance from his counsel Kapil Sibal that his client would not try to escape or run away.
Roy has been in Tihar jail since March 4, 2014 on the orders of the apex court in relation with a long running dispute with market regulator SEBI.
Roy’s mother Chhabi Roy, 95, passed away in Lucknow today after a prolonged illness.PTI.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today accused his political opponents of obstructing the progress of Pakistan and compared them to “terrorists”, amid mounting pressure on him from opposition parties to quit following the Panama Papers leak.
“Terrorists and agitators are pursuing the agenda to hinder progress and prosperity of Pakistan. There is no difference between them,” Sharif said while inaugurating a 393-kilometre-long Sukkur-Multan motorway in Sukkur.
“People should think twice about which side they want to be on…What do terrorists do? They wish to halt progress in Pakistan,” he said in harshly-worded remarks.
Referring to the sit-ins staged by the opposition, he asked: “What is the agenda of those who agitate?”
“Don’t they try to stop progress in Pakistan? Don’t they try to disrupt peace? What is the difference between them and terrorists?” he questioned.
The premier said that the country would not have lagged behind in progress if there was no sit-in politics.
The motorway is a part of the Peshawar-Karachi motorway and falls under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It will be built with financial assistance from China.
Sharif said the assistance from China would have come earlier if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party led by Imran Khan had not staged a “sit-in” in Islamabad.
A war of words between opposition leaders and the government has escalated over the past few weeks, with opposition parties holding anti-corruption rallies and building pressure on the premier to step down.
Sharif said former military dictator Pervez Musharraf had spent nine years trying to find proof of corruption, kickbacks and commission against him and his family and failed.
Major opposition parties this week asked the prime minister to present himself and his family for accountability after the Panama leaks claimed his sons and daughter held stakes in off-shore companies worth millions of dollars.PTI
Congress today sought to put the onus on the ruling NDA government about the irregularities in Agusta Westland helicopter deal and demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe in the issue.
“Do not level baseless allegations. Answer the questions which we are raising. Supreme Court monitored investigation should happen and its reports should be placed in the House every three months,” senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said in Lok Sabha during debate on a Calling Attention Motion on the issue.
He said it was practice of the BJP members to level wrong and baseless allegations and through that, they want to create an illusion.
“But we too have taken an oath that we will break that ‘mayajaal’ (illusion) and place the facts in front of the country and this House,” Scindia said.
The reality is that this deal was started during the NDA regime in 1999 and the issue they are talking about bringing down the height of the helicopter from 6000 to 4500 metres, it was done by NDA government in 2003 and not the UPA, he said.
In December 2003, a letter was written from the Prime Minister’s Office to change the norms and make it 4500 metres, Scindia said.
The moment the issue came ouot in newspapers, he said the UPA government wrote to the embassy in Rome that investigation should be done as early as possible.
In April 2012, it was in fact the UPA government which ordered CBI to investigate the matter, Scindia said, adding that the contract was cancelled on February 15, 2013 and a notice was served on AugustaWestland and on January 1, 2014, the UPA government cancelled that contract.
In February 2013, the UPA government gave the case to the CBI and within 12 days, a preliminary inquiry was lodged, he informed adding Letter Rogatory too was issued to Tunisia, Mauritius and Italy.
“…24 months have passed of your government, what have you done in 720 days of your government? Have you brought in a single penny? Have you even identified a single person who has indulged in corruption,” he asked.
“In March 2013, we in the House had proposed to form a JPC (joint parliamentary committee). Why did the NDA oppose that proposal? People of this country should ask why you opposed that proposal in 2013,” the Congress leader said.
He said the banning and blacklisting of companies too was started by the UPA government. The then Defence Minister had stated that no deal would happen with AgustaWestland, Scindia said, adding it was UPA government which had brought Rs 2,063 crore.PTI
He is part of the film industry for over 45 years, but megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he still gets to learn so much from young and talented actors like Vidya Balan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Bachchan, who has worked with the “Kahaani” actress in “Paa”, will be seen with her yet again in the drama-thriller “Te3n”, which also stars Nawazuddin.
“It’s always a joy to work with Vidya, and I was equally delighted to work with Nawaz whom I’ve always admired.
He is a phenomenal talent,” Bachchan told reporters here.
“Truly, we get to learn so much from artists like Vidya and Nawaz because they are this generation, and I am in great admiration and awe of all the artists in the younger generation,” he said.
Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, “Te3n” is set in Kolkata and is about a crime that affects its three main characters.
Bachchan, 73, stars in the film as John Biswas, a grandfather in pursuit of justice for eight years, while Siddiqui plays Father Martin Das, whose life was changed with the same crime that claimed the life of John’s granddaughter.
Vidya, 38, will be seen in a special appearance as the cop who swings into action when an identical crime is repeated eight years later.
The “Piku” star said he observes the young actors very closely because they bring certain freshness, which he hasn’t seen in his career.
“They bring to the table something that we are not used to, that we haven’t seen through the 40 years I’ve been in cinema. I watch them very carefully, and when I work with them I admire the way they approach the project, the scene, and I have just great admiration for my two co-artists in the film,” he said.
Filmmmaker Sujoy Ghosh is associated with “Te3n” as a creative producer, and Bachchan said the “Kahaani” helmer had come up with another idea to him.
“He had actually come with another idea before. We were almost set to do. It was a film about Kerala and we had decided on the story and decided to go ahead, schedule our dates. One day they said they had another idea. It took me just a couple of seconds to say let’s do this, and not the other one at the moment,” he said.
) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a visit to Iran this month with an aim to bolster overall bilateral ties with the Persian Gulf nation in a range of areas including energy, trade and investment and connectivity.
Modi’s proposed visit is being seen as an effort by India to step up engagement with strategically important West Asia, a region endowed with vast oil and gas reserves.
Modi had last month travelled to Saudi Arabia, considered Iran’s arch rival. In August last year, he had visited United Arab Emirates, another key player in the region.
When asked about Modi’s visit to Tehran, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup only said both sides are in the process of finalising the dates for the trip.
“We share a very close, historical and civilisational friendship with Iran, a relationship which is in existance for a long period of time. Prime Minister had been extended an invitation by President (Hassan) Rouhani when the two had met in Ufa (Russia).
“Prime Minister had accepted the invitation in principle.
We are currently in the process of working with our Iranian counterparts to work out the suitable dates,” he said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Tehran last month during which the two sides had agreed to step up engagement in oil and gas sector. During her visit, President Rouhani had said his country can be a “reliable partner” for India’s energy needs.
Iran had opened several lucrative sectors after sanctions against it were lifted under a historic nuclear deal.
There has been a rush for investment in the resource-rich nation by global economic powers including Japan, China, the US and several European countries following lifting of the sanctions.
India too has been eying deeper energy ties with that country and has already lined up USD 20 billion investment in oil and gas, petrochemical and fertiliser projects there.
New Delhi is looking to increase engagement with the sanction-free Iran by raising oil imports and possible shipment of natural gas. It also wants rights to develop Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf discovered by ONGC Videsh Limited.
Iran is an important country for India for its energy security as well as to get access to oil and gas-rich Central Asian nations.PTI
A local court today said it will pronounce on May 9 its order on the quantum of sentence for beleaguered industrialist Vijay Mallya, who was convicted in two cheque bounce cases filed against him by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.
On April 20, the III Special Magistrate Court here had convicted Mallya and others, in connection with bouncing of two cheques of Rs 50 lakhs each under relevant sections of Negotiable Instruments Act and had adjourned for today the matter to pronounce the quantum of punishment, as Mallya, who left the country, was not present in the court.
The matter relates to cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines Ltd to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, towards charges for using the facilities at the airport for its Kingfisher Airlines flights.
During hearing on quantum of sentence, GMR lawyer G Ashok Reddy today insisted that the court pass the sentence against Mallya citing certain provisions of CrPC saying the court has power to impose sentence even in absence of accused.
“It is a known fact that he (Mallya) has fled the country and his passport has been revoked and he has also resigned from the post of Rajya Sabha MP. He has never marked his presence before the court which shows the conduct of the accused,” Reddy submitted.
In view of this, there is no point in waiting for the accused (to be heard), he said and argued that this court need not wait for accused presence (for sentence) and sought for awarding maximum sentence of two years and also to impose fine under relevant sections of Negotiable Instruments Act.
After hearing the arguments, the III Special Magistrate Court Judge M Krishna Rao said, “Now, the counsel for complainant submitted that in view of provisions under section 353 CrPC, the court need not wait for hearing the accused before passing sentence and hence, the court has to pass sentence against the accused as per provisions of sub-clause 6 of section 353 CrPC. Hence, for orders on this aspect posted to May 9.”PTI.
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