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Bhanu, Krishna in CID Custody for 5 Days

Crime Investigation Department officials received the custody of gangsters Bhanu Kiran and D. Krishna for five days on Saturday in connection with the extortion case.   The two were shifted from the Chanchalguda prison and are being interrogated regarding extortions from sub-contractors of the Handri-Neeva irrigation project in Anantapur. The CID will also be seeking details from them regarding a separate case about a land settlement in Mahbubnagar district. On a complaint lodged by general offences wing inspector A. Rajaiah, the CID had registered a case against Bhanu Kiran, D. Krishna, Kadapa politician Poreddy Prabhakar Reddy, advocate E. Srikanth Goud and others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery. TD MLA Revanth Reddy, however, was not named as an accused in the FIR though the CID had alleged that he had mediated in the settlement of the land belonging to an NRI woman, Ms T. Sunita, who owned 25.26 acres in Tararajuguda in Mahbubnagar.  

Senior Mahboobnagar TDP Leader to Join YSRCP

According to reliable sources, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) senior leader and its Kollapur assembly constituency in-charge C Jagadeeswara Rao is going to join the YSR Congress Party very shortly. Sources say that he has already made up his mind to leave the party and is going to resign from the primary membership of the party in a couple of days. The sources say that Jagadeeswara Rao is planning to join YSRCP along with huge number of his supporters and the party cadre. He is likely to meet YSRCP honorary president YS Vijayamma in Hyderabad next week and take a formal membership of YSRCP. It is learnt that Jagadeeswara Rao was not happy with the progress of TDP in Telangana region and was fed up with his party chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s ambiguous stand on the issue of separate Telangana State. He already informed the TDP district president, Pokala Manohar, about his resignation and asked his supporters to mobilize large number of people on the joining day. Jagadeeswara Rao was elected from the constituency as an MLA in 1994 general election. Later, he was continuously defeated in 1999, 2004 and 2009 general elections in the hands of former Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao. TDP is being survived in Kollapur constituency only because of Jagadeeswara Rao and the party cadre is intact. However, with Jagadeeswara Rao deciding to join YSRCP, the TDP is likely to face more trouble and his resignation will be a big setback to the party. Some days back, TDP Gadwal constituency in-charge Krishna Mohan Reddy quit the party and joined the YSRCP.

Lokesh to Emerge as Life buoy For TDP

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu's son Lokesh Naidu is all set to emerge as a 'life buoy' for the party. Following the debacle in the recent by-elections, the party leadership has seriously started maneuvering in this direction. Slowly, but steadily, the party is preparing ground to bring in Lokesh Naidu into active politics, according to party sources, and it is said that a team of senior party leaders are working on a road map with two to three options for the entry of Lokesh into politics. The party is contemplating to start 'Mee Kosam Yatra', a cycle yatra or going round the State a-la NTR style on chaitanya ratham, said sources. The party had in the past taken up cycle yatras led by Naidu. The entry should be more impressive and in a novel manner, they feel. It is also being speculated in the party circles that Lokesh will be asked to lead the youth wing and develop second rung leadership by the time the party goes in for general elections in 2014. Lokesh, they say might enter politics after the Mahanadu. According to the party spokesperson Varla Ramaiah, Lokesh has perfect understanding of the present day politics and the problems faced by the people and with his management background and being a tech savy young man, his entry into politics would help the party to win over the youth and other sections of the society. “I personally feel that he should jump into the political arena now,” Ramaiah added. It is also being said that Naidu had agreed to it in principle. If Lokesh enters into politics, it would help the party to check the growing popularity of YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Along with this, the party is also contemplating to change at least one third of the present MLAs and fill that vaccum with youngsters during the next elections. This issue was also said to have been discussed at the party meeting recently. Naidu has also gone on record that he would give more tickets to youth during 2014 elections. With a clean slate, this young brigade would help the party to come back to power, they feel. Since there is still about 18 months to go for general elections, the party will have enough time to groom him and see that he proves his leadership qualities, a senior leader said. Lokesh has been acting as a back room boy for Naidu. He was the brain behind the ‘cash transfer scheme’ announced by Naidu during 2009 elections.  

YSRCP Odarpu to Konda Surekha

YSR Congress honorary president YS Vijayamma's visit to the house of Konda Surekha, who is upset over her defeat in Parakala by-poll, once again proved that 'Relations' comes first for the family of YS Rajasekhar Reddy.     After the sudden demise of YSR, Konda Surekha showed her loyalty to former CM by sacrificing her Cabinet Ministry and MLA seat to back Jagan in his mission. Despite all odds, she gave a tough fight to Telangana party TRS in the recent by-poll. That's why, even the TRS leaders were accepting that it's the moral victory for Surekha and YSRC. When the 15 MLAs who won in the recent by-polls came to meet her at Lotus Pond, YS Vijayamma took all of them to Surekha's house to assure that YSR's family and YSR Congress party is behind her. Vijayamma said to Surekha that Jagan promised to offer her MLC post and they are treating her like a family member. Has any of the top brass leaders of other political parties had gone to the house of their losing candidates to assure them that they are with them? This is what that sets YSR Congress apart from others.

Bhanu Effect Leaves Tollywood Film Producers Worried

Ever since Suri murder accused and self styled don, Bhanu Kiran, exposed shady links between Tollywood film fraternity and the mafia, many a film producer seem to be worried about police initiating cases against them. Several prominent film producers like Allu Arvind met the CID officials on Friday. Besides Allu Aravind, producers K Ashok Kumar and ML Kumar Chowdary met director general of police V Dinesh Reddy and CID additional director general of police S V Ramana Murthy on behalf of the film chambers and requested the authorities to check verocity of complaints before registering cases against them. According to reliable sources, the producers were concerned that some members of the industry, including producer Natti Kumar, were trying to threaten members of the film industry with initiating fresh cases against them. Based on the complaint lodged by Natti Kumar, CID officials have already registered cases against few prominent producers and financiers. So far police have registered cases against producers C Kalyan, S Ramesh and Anjaneya Gupta based on the complaint lodged by Natti Kumar. Industry members are apprehensive that Kumar is getting ready to name others. The film chamber members reportedly told police that disputes between film distributors, producers and financiers is common. But they suggested the police to book case only if prima facie evidence is found. However, the producers who met the police officials were tight-lipped and played down their visit.  

Chandra Bala Complaints to HRC Against Sakshi

Chandrabala against whom YSR Congress newly elected MLAs made some allegations has complained to the State Human Rights Commission. She has urged the Commission to stop news reports being telecast in the Sakshi TV that were damaging her image.     The HRC has directed the city police commissioner to ensure that her rights were not violated. The Commission has directed the city police chief to investigate into the matter and give a report before July 2. It may be mentioned here that the YSR Congress leaders have informed the media that Chandra Bala has been talking to the CBI Joint Director Lakshmi Narayana too frequently and expressed doubts that she was involved in a conspiracy to harm their party leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

Juhu Rave Party: 44 test Positive for Drugs

Juhu Rave Party: As many as 44 out of the 92 people rounded up during a high-profile rave party at a plush hotel in suburban Juhu last month have tested positive for drugs, making their arrest inevitable, police said today. "We have received samples for 46 of the 92 people who attended the sundown party at a hotel in Juhu last month. 44 of the 46 males tested positive for the drugs," said Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik, but refused to divulge their names.     The results of the other 46 people, including two IPL cricketers, Wayne Parnell and Rahul Sharma (both played for Pune Warriors India), and 38 women, have not been received yet, he added. According to police, these 46 men were taken to the civic-run Cooper hospital after they were rounded up along with 46 others partying at Oakwood Premier Hotel on May 20. The rest were taken to J J Hospital and Bhabha Hospital. The hospitals took urine and blood samples for alcohol presence testing and the same samples were also sent to Kalina Forensic Laboratory for drug tests. The results of 46 men were received today, police said. All those who tested positive would face arrest, another police official said, adding that the procedure to arrest would start in a day or two. "There could be some foreigners and high-profile personalities among those who tested positive," he said. Among the 44 who tested positive so far, 27 had consumed cannabis, one had MDMA (better known as ecstasy, a drug usually taken in pill form) while 16 had consumed MDMA as well as cannabis.  

Chiranjeevi Predicts Doom for Congress in 2014

The ex-PRP leader, Congress MP and Megastar, Chiranjeevi has made some sensational comments about the unity in Congress. This is the first time, he is coming verbally in public about his own party.   'We lost in Tirupathi only due to the lack of co-ordination between erstwhile PRP and Congress cadres. I thought that Congress people will change their ways towards PRP cadres. But I'm completely disappointed now as my cadres lost hopes in Congress party', stated Chiru. In a way this is giving a feel that Tirupathi Congress cadre has cheated the PRP sleuths, else Chiranjeevi proposed contestant Venkataramana might have scored a win. 'No power for Congress in 2014. This is the feeling of national leaders when it comes to the future of state Congress', stated Chiru in Ramachandrapuram today. These comments are rather sensational and the Congress MP is heard blasting few more off the record. Looks like, Chiru is not elated for wins in Narsapuram and Ramachandrapuram, but disappointed about Tirupathi loss. Analysts are saying that Chiru wants to give punch to high-command at right time as they are neglecting his Union Minister posting.

CID May Grill Revanth Reddy in Land Case

It is very likely that the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) may summon and grill Telugu Desam MLA Revanth Reddy in connection with a land case involving Suri murder accused Bhanu Kiran and D Krishna. The CID has registered a case on 7 June based on the confessional statement made by Bhanu on 3 May. According to Bhanu Kiran's confession, he got registered 25.26 acres of land located at Challampally village in Thalakondapalli Mandal of Mahabubnagar district in the name of Bhanu and E Srikanth Goud by impersonating the actual owner T Sunitha, who lives in USA. CID inspector A Rajaiah, who lodged the complaint with higher officials, said in his complaint that according to his enquiry, Bhanu, Krishna, Poreddy Prabhakar Reddy and Srikanth Goud have conspired together to grab the land by impersonation and forgery. Later, the land was registered in the name of G Shiva Sekhar Reddy, brother-in-law of Krishna, and the dispute was settled amicably with the intervention of Revanth Reddy. Original owner Sunitha was paid Rs 50 lakh and she registered the land in favour of Sekhar Reddy, the inspector said in his complaint. The inspector also said that he contacted Sunitha and her husband Sandeep Reddy over phone and advised them to lodge a complaint so that action could be taken. "Sandeep Reddy told me over phone that he and his wife are not interested to lodge complaint against Bhanu, Krishna, Prabhakar Reddy and Srikanth Goud since it is expensive for them to come to India from USA," the inspector said in his complaint. The inspector, however, made a request in his complaint to take action against the conspirators as per law following which the CID registered a case and launched investigations.

Jagan Prefers KNR Over Kodali Nani For Gudivada Seat!

Lately there had been news that the sitting TDP MLA from Gudivada seat Kodali Nani is likely to join YSR Congress Party. But the speculation over his joining YSRCP has come to an end with Krishna District Zilla Parishad former chairman Dr. K Nageswara Rao meeting Jagan on Wednesday in Chanchalguda jail. Though KNR did not meet the media or make any public statement, his presence at the Chanchalguda jail along with other leaders, confirmed his decision to switch over to the new party. According to sources, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is believed to have offered him the Gudivada Assembly seat, for which he too agreed. Dr. K Nageswara Rao, a strong Congress man from the eastren region of the district, was the ZP chairman, for five years. He had tried to get assurances on the Congress ticket for the Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency for the 2014 elections. However, there was no leader to assure him of the party ticket, he switched over to the YSR Congress. According to the party sources, Nageswara Rao had staked his claim for the Machilipatnam Lok Sabha seat from the YSR Congress. Instead, Jagan Mohan Reddy gave his clearance for Gudivada assembly seat. It is said that for this reason, the sitting Gudivada MLA Kodali Nani, deferred his decision to switch over to the YSR Congress, as planned earlier. His supporters had even setup flexi banners in Gudivada area greeting the YSR Congress on its victory in the by-elections. It was almost decided that Nani, along with the TD Vijayawada urban unit president, Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, would meet Jaganmohan Reddy and announce their joining the new party. The two leaders made a U-turn and Nani met the party chief Chandrababu Naidu, two days ago, dismissing the talk over his leaving the TD.  

CM Kiran Submits Report on By Polls to Sonia

The Andhra Pradesh chief minsiter Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is in Delhi along with PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, has submitted a report to AICC president Sonia Gandhi on Congress defeat in the recently concluded bypolls. It is known that high command was apparently unhappy over the results and asked PCC chief to submit a report. Botsa earlier went to Delhi and submitted his report and today he accompanied the CM to Delhi wherein CM gave his report on bypolls.   The sources said that Sonia Gandhi read the letter written by Congress leader Shankar Rao who, in his letter said, the defeat in bypolls was not Congress party defeat but the defeat of Kiran sarkar. He has held CM and Botsa Satyanarayana responsible for the results.

Tata Motors wins Singur land Case in Kolkata High Court

A division bench of the Calcutta high court on Friday struck down the Singur Act promulgated last year to return land to farmers ousted by Tata Motors Ltd’s small car factory. Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Mrinal Kanti Chowdhury said the Act was unconstitutional because of its lack clarity on the compensation to be paid to Tata Motors.   The carmaker was last year forcible ousted from its Singur factory under provisions of the said Act. The Trinamool Congress-led government’s aim was to return land to those farmers who did not receive payment on protest for the land seized from them in 2007 for the now aborted factory. The state government has been given two months two challenge Friday’s verdict in the Supreme Court and till then it has been barred from distributing land at Singur. A trial court had in September last year held the Act as valid while pointing out defects in it and suggesting measures to correct them in a bid to resolve the dispute in an amicable manner. Tata Motors challenged the verdict in November.  

ED to Attach Janardhana Reddy's Properties Soon

The Enforcement Directorate is reportedly preparing to attach the properties of the once powerful mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardana Reddy in the next two weeks.   According to sources, ED authorities have taken into account the CBI figures of a mind boggling Rs. 840 crore, allegedly earned by Gali Janardana Reddy, who is presently lodged in the Bangaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara on the city outskirts, through illegal mining. The ED suspects that this money was ploughed into 15 companies including the Obulapuram Mining Company by Janardana Reddy, illegally. Reddy, his brother Srinivasa Reddy and his wife Gali Lakshmi Reddy are directors in these companies. The Enforcement Directorate has already interrogated Srinivasa Reddy and a few MLAs close to the former mining baron in the case. Sleuths of the agency are likely to question Janardana Reddy also in the next few days. Reports suggest that the process of attachment of Janardana Reddy’s properties would start within the next 15 days.  

Presidential Election: Sangma Confident Over His Win

NDA backed presidential candidate, former speaker P A Sangma is very confident to win in the presidential election, even though UPA's candidate finance minister Pranab Mukherjee emerging as a possible winner. Speaking to the media, Sangma said that he is very much confident to emerge as the winner and added "I've never lost any election. In fact my winning margin has increased with every election." When questioned whether he was just fighting a token election with a clear winner, Sangma said the fight wasn't a token fight, it was serious. "The Presidential election is not at all a token fight, it's a serious fight. The split within the NDA and other parties indicates that it's a serious election," Sangma said. Speaking about the NDA split, Sangma said, "Even Pranab hasn't got the entire UPA's support." A beaming Sangma said he was confident of winning the election as the voting takes place through secret ballot. "The voting takes place through secret ballot, so the question of numbers doesn't arise at the moment. I am confident of conscious votes." After almost a week long deliberations, the BJP on Thursday decided to support the candidature of PA Sangma. Its ally Shiromani Akali Dal also decided on the same lines. But two of the most crucial allies of the BJP – the Shiv Sena and the Janata Dal United (JD-U) – took a call to go against it and back Pranab Mukherjee. On the other hand, the Left in its meeting failed to reach a consensus on the issue. While the CPM chose to back Pranab, the CPI decided against going with either of the candidates and to abstain from voting. Sangma, a senior NCP leader who was earlier in Congress, chose to defy his party's appeal to withdraw from the race and resigned from the party instead. Incidentally, his daughter Agatha Sangma, who is also a member of parliament, is still continuing in NCP.

Mumbai Mantralaya Fire: 3 Dead, Fire Fighting Continues

The death toll of Mumbai Mantralaya fire that broke out on Thursday afternoon has reached to 3. Efforts are still continuing on Friday morning to douse the fire. While two dead bodies were recovered late Thursday evening, another was found Friday morning from the building, the sources said. A major fire broke out Thursday afternoon in room 411 on the fourth floor and quickly spread, engulfing the three top floors of the six storied iconic Mantralaya building in the heart of South Mumbai. The rescue teams, comprising of the fire brigade, the police, an Indian Navy team and Force One commandoes and 41 fire tenders from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and other agencies, managed to evacuate and save the 65-odd people trapped on the upper floors. The fire that has so far claimed 3 lives and injured over a dozen or more still continued on Friday morning, with officials saying the blaze was under control but yet to be fully doused. Fire brigade and city disaster control cell officials said that efforts were on to douse the fire. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has ordered an inquiry by the Crime Branch into the incident to ascertain whether it was an accident, negligence or sabotage. The fire, which badly gutted the three top floors, has virtually paralysed the functioning of several top political heads and bureaucrats of key departments including the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Revenue, Tribal Welfare, Forests, Urban Development and Housing, Education, besides the offices of the state chief secretary, the State Disaster Management Cell. A main control tower atop the Mantralaya which is linked to all the district headquarters in the state has also been damaged and rendered non-functional, besides damage to furniture and fittings, computers, original files and documents of various departments pertaining to important official decisions. Though not yet confirmed, it is suspected that the important files related to the Adarsh Housing Scheme were also gutted in the fire.

Major Fire Accident in Mumbai Mantralaya

A major fire accident occured in Mumbai Mantralaya (Secretariat) on Thursday afternoon. The fire broke out at the fourth floor of the Mantralaya building which houses the state secretariat in south Mumbai. The fire seemingly started from NCP minister Babanrao Pachpute's office, the sources said. Six fire engines have been rushed to the spot. Maharashtra Chief Secretary has ordered immediate evacuation of the entire building. According to fire brigade sources, the fire has spread to the Chief Minister's office on the sixth floor. The smoke from the blaze on the fourth floor has engulfed two upper floors of the building. No casualties have been reported so far as the building was evacuated soon after fire was noticed. Thousands of officials at Mantralaya, which houses the state Secretariat, were seen standing outside as fire fighters battled the blaze, which was suspected to have been caused by a short-circuit.  

AITA to Send Two Teams For Olympics

Putting an end to the row surrounding the selection of India's team for the London Olympics, the All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) announced on Thursday that it will send two men's doubles teams to the Games, where Leander Paes will partner Vishnu Vardhan and Mahesh Bhupathi will team up with Rohan Bopanna.     Backing Paes, AITA made it clear that it did not envisage an Indian Olympic team without the name of Paes, who has been paired with Sania Mirza in the mixed doubles' category in London. Interesting, earlier in the day, Sania told that she wished to partner Bhupathi in the mixed doubles. The decision may not go down well with Bhupathi, who most recently won the French Open mixed doubles crown with Sania Mirza. Khanna said Sania, in case she gets a wildcard for the Olympics on June 28, will partner Paes as the duo's combined ranking ensures a direct entry to the mega event. "Leander and Sania are the only direct entry for the mixed doubles. If Sania gets a wild card, they will be only Indian pair at number 19 with their combined rankings," he added. Reacting to AITA's announcement, Paes' father Vece said that his son was yet to decide on this. "This decision may not be acceptable to Leander," the senior Paes said.

Hyderabad Bonalu Festival Starts Today

The month long Bonalu festival in Hyderabad has started on Thursday, 21 June 2012 with major processions taken out from Ujjaini Mahakali temple in Secunderabad, Golconda and Lal Darwaza in the old city of Hyderabad. The Bonalu festival, considered to be a major festival in the Telangana region, is celebrated annually in the month of Aashaadhham. The festival commences with the procession taken out of Mahakali temple in Golconda and comes to an end after month long festivities with the presiding deity offered bonalu at the Lal Darwaza temple. The festival is celebrated with great fervor and reverence all over in Telangana in the month of aashaadhham. The state government makes elaborate arrangements every year for the festival in Hyderabad and other prominent places in Telangana. This year several temple committees in city have been complaining that the government was not doing enough to ensure a snag-free celebration of the festival. The committee members claimed that even after repeated requests, garbage was not being cleared near temples which was causing inconvenience to the devotees.

Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2012 Started

According to official reports, lakhs of devotees thronged temple town of Puri in Odisha on Thursday for the annual Rath Yatra (chariot festival) of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The ceremonial procession of the deities known as Pahandi - carrying the deities out of the temple to the chariots - started at 9.35 a.m. on schedule. More than three lakh devotees have already reached the town, around 56 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar by 9 a.m. By evening, the numbers could swell to more than a million, say the temple authorities. The festival marks the annual journey of the three deities from the 12th century Jagannath temple in three splendidly decorated wooden chariots, pulled by devotees, to the Gundicha temple, around three km away. The festival ends nine days later when the deities make their way back home to the Jagannath temple. The return journey, known as Bahuda Jatra, will be organised June 29, 2012. A glimpse of the deities is considered auspicious and around a million devotees throng to attend this procession annually. The chariots are pulled with ropes by devotees amid chanting of hymns. The state government has made elaborate security arrangements with about 8,000 policemen deployed across the town to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident