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CM Okays Prosecution of Srilakshmi in Mining Case

Senior IAS officer Y Srilakshmi, who has been languishing in Chanchalguda jail for the last five months in connection with the illegal mining case of Obulapuram Mining Corporation owned by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, is now all set to face the prosecution in the court.     Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday approved the file pertaining to prosecution of Srilakshmi both under Criminal Procedure Code and Prevention of Corruption Act by the Central Bureau of Investigation which is probing the case. “In view of the serious charges against her, the government has approved the prosecution of Srilakshmi,” a CMO official said. The CM has been sitting over the file for the last two months much to the embarrassment of the CBI. Unless the state government gives the clearance, the CBI cannot proceed with the prosecution. Last week, the chief minister approved prosecution of another senior officer B P Acharya, but declined permission for prosecution of L V Subrahmanyam, presently Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

French Open Final: Sharapova vs Errani

French Open Final 2012: Maria Sharapova and Sara Errani will contest the French Open final on Saturday in what will be a first ever meeting between the two 25-year-olds.     Second-seeded Russian Sharapova won through with a 6-3, 6-3 win over fourth seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, while 21st seed Errani of Italy ousted Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. The stakes could hardly be higher for Sharapova, who is already assured of regaining the world number one spot she last held in 2008 before a shoulder injury nearly wrecked her career. The 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open champion, will become just the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam if she takes Saturday's final, her first at Roland Garros. Errani, who was not rated among the favourites for the title coming into Paris despite winning three clay court build-up tournaments, will be playing in her first Grand Slam final. A win would make the 21st seed just the second Italian woman to win the French Open title after Francesca Schiavone two years ago.

Satyam Scam: CBI Gets nod to Attach Satyam Raju Property

Satyam Scandal: Andhra Pradesh government today gave its consent to CBI for attachment of 44 properties belonging to Satyam Computers founder B Ramalinga Raju and his family members.   The properties, worth Rs 2.48 crore, are located in Ranga Reddy, East Godavari and West Godavari districts and were registered in the name of seven front companies promoted by Raju and his family members. The names of these properties, however, have not been revealed. In the past, too, the government had attached properties worth Rs 3.87 crore belonging to Raju and his family members. The attachment of the properties was being done under the provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance of 1944,  sources said.

Hyderabad Fish Prasadam: Kattedan Venue Confirmed

Finally, a four acre plot allotted in Kattedan area has been confirmed as the venue for distribution of famous 'Hyderabad Fish Prasadam' on 8 June 2012. The fish medicine, as it was called previously, is being distributed annually by Bathini Goud family on the occasion of 'Mrigasira Karthi', which falls on 8 June this year. The distribution of prasadam will start at 7 Am on Friday at the 4 acre mini-stadium in Survey No. 48 of Kattedan village in Ranga Reddy district. Earlier, the government had refused permission to hold the event in an adjoining  5 acre plot in Survey No. 49, which the Bathini family has in its possession. There is some dispute going on in between the government and the Bathini family regarding that land. It seems the government is contemplating to take back that land, which was previously allotted to Bathinis for holding the event annually. The state government took a U-turn on Wednesday and issued directions to the Ranga Reddy district collectorate and Cyberabad police to make arrangements at Kattedan for the event. The Bathini family is distributing fish prasadam for free annually since so many years. Initially it was called 'fish medicine', but in recent years its name changed to 'fish prasadam' because it was disputed by the health authorities that it can not be recognized as a medicine. The prasadam made by Bathinis is stuffed in the mouth of the murrel fingerling, and the live fingerling is pushed down the throat of the devout or patient, whatever it might be.  

Mopidevi Remand Extended

The CBI court on Thursday has extended judicial remand of former minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana for another 14 days. He was arrested by the CBI in Kadapa MP and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's disproportionate assets case and has been lodged in the Chanchalguda jail. Mopidevi is facing charges of committing irregularities in land allotments to the Vanpic project as the then investments and infrastructures minister. It is alleged that the minister has changed the nature of the project from BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) to BOO (Build, Own and Operate), facilitating the promoters of the project under quid-pro-quo deal with Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Pranahita-Chevella Project: Komatireddy Brothers Swindled Crores

Senior Congress leaders from Telangana region, Palvai Govardhan Reddy MP, housing minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, former minister P. Narsa Reddy and Nirmal Congress MLA Aleti Maheswara Reddy Alleged that large-scale irregularities have taken place in the 27th package works of Pranahita-Chevella project. They said, ‘Sushe Hitec’ Constructions, a family concern of of Bhongir Congress MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, is involved in large scale irregularities to the tune of 380 crores in the project works in Adilabad district. The leaders said that the company has deliberately flouted all norms and changed designs, estimates and even 'ayacut' to serve its selfish ends and in the process, swindled people's money in a big way. "The total estimated expenditure for this package amounts to Rs 756 crore, when all the works can be done in less than Rs 300 crore. What's going on is a total fraud, even irrigation secretary Adityanath Das is supporting the contractor and is unable to cancel the works, despite the nod for an enquiry," Mr Govardhan Reddy alleged. Mr Maheswar Reddy said, "If I cannot prove the irregularities committed by the Bhongir MP’s family concern, I will resign from my Assembly membership>" The leaders also told that the chief minister has ordered for an enquiry in to the matter. In yet another story of the alleged dark side of the Jalayagnam project implementation, Sushe Hitec Constructions was awarded the 27th package of the Pranahita-Chevella major lift irrigation scheme in Nirmal division of Adilabad district. "The same company siphoned off Rs 100 crore of public money in Mid-Manair dam works a few years ago," alleged Mr Govardhan Reddy. "They did nothing except fill some gaps with sand and mud and took Rs 100 crore," he said. As for the 27th package works in Nirmal division, according to the complaint, an 'ayacut' of 50,000 acres was shown, but more than 26,000 acres of 'ayacut' were overlapping and already receiving irrigation from Tanks and Lift irrigation schemes for the past many years.

VS Sampath Takes Over as New CEC

Election Commissioner V S Sampath was yesterday appointed the new Chief Election Commissioner who will preside over the next Lok Sabha General Elections in 2014. 62-year-old Sampath will take over as CEC after incumbent S Y Quraishi demits office on June 10.   Brushing aside BJP Leader L K Advani's suggestion for a collegium to decide on appointment of CEC and CAG, the government went ahead and named the 1973-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre. President Pratibha Patil cleared his appointment this evening, official sources said. A low-profile bureaucrat who has had stints in varied positions in Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath was Power Secretary at the Centre before he was appointed Election Commissioner in April, 2009. Born on January 16, 1950, Sampath will be at the helm of Election Commission until January, 2015 when he attains 65 years. Under the Constitution, an EC or the CEC can remain in office either for a six year term or till 65 years, whichever is earlier. Consequent to Sampath's appointment, Government will soon be naming his replacement as Election Commissioner. After Sampath, the other Commissioner H S Brahma becomes the next in seniority in the three-member Commission. 

French Open 2012: Rafael Nadal vs David Ferrer

Defending champion Rafael Nadal’s pursuit of a record seventh French Open title remained on course as the Spaniard defeated compatriot and No. 12 seed Nicolas Almagro, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3, Wednesday to advance to the semifinals at Roland Garros     The victory was Nadal’s 50th on Parisian clay, joining six other players to win 50-plus matches at Roland Garros. The others are Guillermo Vilas (56), Roger Federer (54), Ivan Lendl (53), Andre Agassi (51) and Nicola Pietrangeli (50). The No. 2 seed will next play fellow Spaniard and sixth seed David Ferrer, who defeated fourth seed Andy Murray, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2. Nadal has a 15-4 edge against Ferrer in their head-to-head showdown, with the No. 2 seed winning their last four clashes, including two events on clay in Barcelona and Rome this year.

Jagan in Jail: Bharati to Take Care of Business

With the arrest of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the illegal assets case against him, his wife Bharati is set to play a new, bigger role in the family businesses. Bharati, a post graduate in business administration, said she would now play a bigger role in the businesses though she has been involved in running the corporate affairs albeit in a different way.   Her mother-in-law Y.S. Vijaya Lakshmi and sister-in-law Sharmila have taken over the mantle of the party's campaigning for the June 12 bye-elections to 18 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency. "Actually, I have always been part of businesses. For the past one-and-a-half years, since he (Jagan) had no time, so I have been taking a bigger role in business," she said. Dismissing allegations of corruption surrounding Jagan, she said all the businesses of the family are run like an 'open book'. "Who was Jagan Mohan Reddy, till he became an MP? He was nobody. He was not a minister, not an MLA. He was no one in the government. We shifted to Bangalore in 2002. We moved here (Hyderabad) only in 2010. A year after my father-in-law passed away, we moved here. Not before that," she said.

Rs 32 Cr Cash Seized Ahead of AP By Polls 2012

The Election Commission officials in AP have seized a record Rs 32 crore in cash just days ahead of the Andhra Pradesh bypolls. In a state notorious for distribution of money, valuables and liquor during elections, the officials also recovered gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 9 crore. Thus the value of total seizure is Rs 41 crore.   In addition, the officials have so far seized 1.74 lakh litres of liquor meant for distribution among voters. The amount is even higher than the cash seized during the election campaigns in the 2009 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.Andhra Pradesh is set to go for bypolls on June 12.

Purandeswari Counters Vijayamma Comments

Responding to YS Vijayamma's criticism that Jagan's arrest was a conspiracy planned by the Congress and TDP, Daggubati Purandeswari gave a fitting reply to the YSRC honorary secretary by asking her to analyze the present situation and who is responsible for it.     The Visakha MP asserted that Jagan is in prison only because of his greed for money and power. She even appealed Vijayamma to stop being selfish and instead asked her to think about the investors in Jagan's companies and people of the state. Launching an attack on YSR Congress, Purandeswari said that the life time of YSR's family members will not be sufficient to console the families of Jagan's victims. Asserting that Jagan has resorted to several financial irregularities during YSR's regime, Purandeswari opined that Jagan will face life term in prison if the charges levelled against him were proven.

No Relief to Umesh Kumar IPS in Supreme Court

Senior IPS officer from state, Umesh Kumar didn't get any relief from the Supreme Court in the alleged forgery case against him. The court on Tuesday refused to stay an AP high court order quashing the charge of forgery. Umesh Kumar had been charged with forging documents to prove that state police chief Dinesh Reddy and his wife owned assets exceeding their legal income. A bench of justices KS Radhakrishnan and JS Khehar refused to accede to the AP government's plea and told its senior counsel R Venkatramani and standing counsel Mahesh Babu that it would take it up only after the summer vacation. The senior counsel claimed that an earlier bench of justices Deepak Verma and SJ Mukhopadhya had, on May 21, passed an order staying the high court's direction. However, when the order was put on the website it did not reflect the direction for stay, the counsel said. He submitted that the apex court had stayed the high court's order so that the trial might proceed unhindered. The bench, however, was not impressed with the argument and told the counsel that the plea for stay could be examined only after the vacation.

ACB Raids on Liquor Syndicates in AP Again

In a surprise move, the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) has started again raiding liquor syndicate establishments and houses of its members in several districts of AP in the early hours of Wednesday. The ABC also took some of the liquor syndicates' members into its custody. The ACB officials conducted simultaneous raids in Ananthapur, East Godawari, Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Prakasam, Visakhapatnam, Nellore and few other districts. In Gajwel Medak district, the ACB arrested liquor syndicate member Karunakar Reddy, from Karimnagar, Ranga Rao and syndicate's accountant Nageswara Rao from Kodad in Nalgonda. As per the reports reached last, raids on the houses of syndicate members are still continuing at Kakinada in East Godawari district. The ACB also took seven in Nellore and four persons in ananthapur districts into their custody. It is to be recalled that the ACB conducted similar raids on syndicates in the state a couple of months ago and created sensation by exposing politician, excise and police officials nexus with liquor syndicates in the state.    

Rare Transit of Venus: Venus Travels Across Sun

Transit of Venus June 2012: Sky gazers were in for a rare celestial event Wednesday with Venus - the second planet from the Sun and the Earth's neighbour - crossing the Sun's face in what will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Venus will take about six hours to complete its transit, appearing as a small black dot on the sun's surface, in an event that will not happen again until 2117.     "This celestial phenomenon known as the 'Transit of Venus' is one of the most eagerly-awaited events in sky watching. In a transit, Venus passes between Earth and the Sun, appearing through the telescope as a tiny black spot," an official of the ministry of earth sciences was quoted saying to a news agency. For astronomers, the transit wasn't just a rare planetary spectacle. It was also one of those events they hoped would spark curiosity about the universe and our place in it. Scientists and amateur astronomers alike celebrated the arrival of the Transit of Venus, peering up to the skies to watch a dark black spot slide over the surface of the Sun. The awesome spectacle was visible all over the country, including the national capital. However, a cloudy sky restricted its visibility from Delhi and some other parts of northern India.

French Open 2012: Federer Vs Djokovic

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will go head to head for the 26th time in the French Open semifinals on Friday and both agreed the outcome lay in the lap of the gods.   At one stage in Tuesday's quarterfinals at Roland Garros it looked like both were on their way out. Federer was two sets to love down against Juan Martin del Potro and at the same time, Djokovic was being run ragged by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. But, in keeping with their superstar status, both men found a way back, winning in five sets in each case. Djokovic was on the brink of defeat but dug deep to complete a 6-1 5-7 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 win in more than four hours. The 16-time Grand Slam champion, seeded third, overcame Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 3-6 6-7 6-2 6-0 6-3.

CBI Cites Naidu Example in Jagan 3 Chargesheet

According to the third chargesheet in the Jagan Mohan Reddy’s illegal investment case, the project structure of the Pharma City was changed from Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) to just Build, Operate and Own (BOO). Significantly, the CBI has built its case in the Vanpic issue on a similar change from BOOT to BOO and stated that it was the base for the quid pro quo investments by promoter Nimmagadda Prasad.   Investigations revealed that a Cabinet sub-committee appointed by the then CM N. Chandrababu Naidu had made the changes in the project structure in the Ramky affair, that too halfway through the tendering process. The tender was notified on December, 17, 2002, and 11 companies, including Ramky, had submitted Expressions of Interest. Later, seven companies, including Ramky, had purchased Request for Proposal documents but only three, Zoom Developers, Maridi and Vartsila, submitted detailed proposals. The bids of Maridi and Vartsila were found incomplete and subsequently Zoom also became ineligible as it failed to furnish replies sought by the APIIC. It was at this stage that Mr Naidu constituted the sub-committee which approved the changes on June 28, 2003. Interestingly, Ramky submitted its proposal on July 31, 2003, and Mr Naidu approved the note, giving in-principle go ahead to the developer. The very day he recommended dissolution of the Assembly on Nov. 14, 2003. CBI investigations also revealed that Ramky Pharma City India Ltd was set up on March 11, 2004, just one day before the APIIC entered into a concession agreement with it.

CBI Claims Jagati Funds Routed Through Ramky

The CBI has alleged that funds into Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Jagati Publications had been routed through four sub-contractors of Ramky Infrastructure Company though they did not actually do any contract work. The CBI has alleged that chairman of Ramky Group, Mr A. Ayodhya Rami Reddy, had invested in Jagati through two companies owned by his relatives in return for favours received.     Funds were pumped into Jagati Publications through M/s TWC Infrastructure Private Limited and M/s ERES Projects Private Limited. The money was allegedly provided by Mr Ayodhya Rami Reddy and routed into the companies through various means. The CBI has alleged that Mr Ayodhya Rami Reddy pumped funds into TWC Infrastructure through four persons who were said to be sub-contractors of M/s Ramky Infrastructure Limited but who had never done any work. The CBI said that Mr Ayodhya Rami Reddy gave cheques worth more than `2.22 crore to Mr M.V. Koteswara Rao, Mr N. Shankar Reddy, Mr K.M. Reddy and Mr V. Rosamma, for executing works which were never done. Subsequently, the four invested `2 crore in TWC which then bought 55,555 shares in Jagati Publications. The CBI has stated in the chargesheet that Mr M. Sambasiva Reddy and Mr Alla Venkata Reddy who are directors of TWC, are related to Mr Ayodhya Rami Reddy. Similarly, another `8 crore was diverted into Jagati Publications through ERES. Ramky Estates and Farms Private Limited paid `8 crore to ERES towards land advance and the same was diverted into Jagati Publications on the same day, February 14, 2008. The directors of ERES are Mr Evuri Srinivas Reddy and Mr Evuri Rajasekhara Reddy who are also relatives of Mr A.R. Reddy. The CBI has provided a detailed flow chart of the then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s decision with regard to the Green Belt in Pharma City at Parawada where Ramky was allotted land, wrongful gain in the Green Belt and investments by Ramky Group through TWC and ERES as part of the quid pro quo arrangement. The third chargesheet alleged Mr Ayodhya Ram Reddy had fraudulently got approval for the layout plan of Ramky Pharma City with provision of only 59 acres as green belt as against 973 acres as was required in the Master Plan. This land in the green belt inside Pharma City was developed and plots were built and sold.  

Rare Venus Transit: How, When, Where to Watch in India

Venus Transit: The rare and rarest event in one's lifetime - Here's the chance to catch the cosmetic spectacle - Where Venus slowly crosses the face of the sun. If the sky is clear, the transit of Venus will be from much of Earth - Tuesday from the Western Hemisphere and Wednesday from the Eastern Hemisphere. This sight won't come again until 105 years from now - in 2117. How, When and where we can watch transit of Venus in India: In India the Venus transit can be viewed at the following times (IST) on June 6, Wednesday. Delhi - 7:00 AM, Patna - 7:00 AM, Lucknow - 7:00 AM, Kanpur - 7:00 AM, Agra - 7:00 AM, Asansol - 7:00 AM, Dhanbad - 7:00 AM, Kolkata - 7:00 AM,Varanasi - 7:00 AM, Allahabad - 7:00 AM, Jaipur - 7:01 AM, Jabalpur - 7:01 AM, Indore - 7:01 AM, Ahmedabad - 7:01 AM, Visakhapatnam - 7:01 AM, Surat - 7:01 AM, Warangal - 7:01 AM, Hyderabad - 7:01 AM, Mumbai - 7:01 AM, Pune - 7:01 AM, Chennai - 7:01 AM, Bangalore - 7:01 AM, Coimbatore - 7:01 AM, Madurai - 7:01 AM. As in a solar eclipse, do not look directly at the sun. There are ways to watch the Venus transit without blinding yourself. If you have a pair of eclipse glasses from a previous solar eclipse, now is a good time to reuse it. You can also find the special viewing glasses at your local museum — if they're not already sold out. Another option is to buy welder's glasses from a home improvement store, but make sure it's number 14 or darker.

Monsoon Arrives in Kerala: May Progress Further

South-west monsoon, the key to the agriculture driven trillion-dollar Indian economy, on Tuesday brought showers to Kerala bringing much-needed relief to farmers. "Monsoon has reached Kerala," a top India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said. Kerala usually receives monsoon showers by June 1, but scientists said there was no need to paint a gloomy picture as the progress of the seasonal rainfall phenomenon was well with the forecast limits which have a model error of four days. Monsoon watchers attribute the slight delay in the onset of monsoon to Typhoon Mawar which was active in western Pacific Ocean off the Philippines and sucking away moisture and wind currents to power itself. The IMD declares the onset of monsoon over Kerala when 50 per cent of the 14 observation stations in the state and Lakshadweep islands report rainfall for 48 hours.