writingonblog uncensored: 7,000 advocates of Madras HC don’t have identific...

writingonblog uncensored: 7,000 advocates of Madras HC don’t have identific...: Chennai: More than 7,000 advocates of  Madras High court don’t have  identity cards, according to  a minutes of the meeting  chaired by ...

writingonblog uncensored: 7,000 advocates of Madras HC don’t have identific...

writingonblog uncensored: 7,000 advocates of Madras HC don’t have identific...: Chennai: More than 7,000 advocates of  Madras High court don’t have  identity cards, according to  a minutes of the meeting  chaired by ...

7,000 advocates of Madras HC don’t have identification cards says TN govt

Chennai:

More than 7,000 advocates of Madras High court don’t have identity cards, according to a minutes of the meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary which was submitted to the Madras High court.

It is submitted by the state government that of about 15000 advocates in the Madras High Court , only 8,000 have been issued with identity cards

The state also submitted to the Centre that while vehicle passes have been issued to about 400 ehicles, only 3,000 vehicles were entering the court complex everyday. “the lacunae has to be addressed on priority by concerned agencies,” the state said. 

Interestingly, the state has opposed the deployment of Central forces in the Madras High Court premises. During the meeting it contended that ‘police’ and ‘public order’ are state subjects and deployment of central forces in any state should be done on the request of concerned state government to aid and assist them in maintenance of public order.

The state government has also said that deployment of CISF or any other Central force may not necessarily be a solution to the problem and it would rather demotivate the local police and reduce their effectiveness in their duties elsewhere.

Quoting the order passed in 2009 by the Madras High court, the state government said that it was High Court which regulated the entry and deployment of police personnel in the court campus.

“The state police force have to take orders from the Registry of High Court which affects their prompt intervention,” the state government has submitted before the Union government.

“Local police is responsible for maintenance of law and order and they are best placed to handle this job especially in sensitive situations. Imposition of Central Police force would demotivate them,” said the state government.

“The imposition of Central force would involve compulsory frisking, mandatory checking of all bags or suitcases, entry would be allowed only on basis of identity card preferably biometric identification which might create additional friction points as they would be resented by the advocates,” warned the state government.

writingonblog uncensored: 650 CISF personnel to replace state police in Madr...

writingonblog uncensored: 650 CISF personnel to replace state police in Madr...:   Chennai: Six hundred and fifty  personnel of Central  Industrial Security Force ( CISF) are likely to monitor  the Madras High Court...

650 CISF personnel to replace state police in Madras High Court

 

Chennai:

Six hundred and fifty personnel of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are likely to monitor the Madras High Court campus in three shifts from November 16 once the court reopens after Deepavali vacation.

The first bench comprising of Chief Justice S K Kaul and T S Sivagnanam also ordered the state government to deposit an amount of Rs 16.60 crore within one as asked by the Central government to deploy central Industrial Security force.

“Necessary arrangements has to be made by the Central Government for deployment of CISF within a week thereafter,” said the judges. 

“We make it clear that the new security system should be operational when the court opens after the recess on November 16,” said the Chief Justice.

The order was passed after stiff opposition from the state government to deploy Central forces who stated that this would result in jurisdictional issues. Interestingly, the advocate general  sought two weeks time but the court turned it down. 

“We note with a deep sense of regret that games are being played on a sensitive issue like the security of the court. We had taken note of the stand of the state and passed the detailed order on October 12, 2015,” said the Chief justice.

“The state government fails to realise that the situation we are faced with today is a consequence of the history of the last six years where numerous incidents have occurred when the state police has not been able to control the situation,” the chief justice said.

Expressing anguish that the issue is unnecessarily made into more of an ego issue with political overtures rather than look into the larger canvass of security requirements, the judge said that there had been two episodes of bomb hoax where clocks were placed in certain areas and then only detected.

Kaul also highlighted how the banners by advocates went undetected as police took no measures to stop its entry into the premises. 

Interestingly, the deployment of Central Reserve Police Force or Border Security Force could not happen as CRPF and BSF are presently overstretched in sensitive area of Jammu and Kashmir and also due to deployment in left wing extremism affected states and North-East in meeting requirements of national security. This also comes when the CRPF personnel made sudden appearance in the High Court by mapping out the strategic locations inside the High Court.

The Chief Justice was very harsh on the state government stance that no central force should be deployed in the Madras High Court campus stating that “as far as state is concerned the matter is back to square one.”

The High Court also stated that the deployments is for six months or more and once the situation turns normal then slowly the task could be taken over by the state police

writingonblog uncensored: NGT seeks status report on disposal of weed afte...

writingonblog uncensored: NGT seeks status report on disposal of weed afte...: Chennai: National Green Tribunal has  sought a status report  from  the supreintending engineer  of Public works Department  before ...

writingonblog uncensored: NGT seeks status report on disposal of weed afte...

writingonblog uncensored: NGT seeks status report on disposal of weed afte...: Chennai: National Green Tribunal has  sought a status report  from  the supreintending engineer  of Public works Department  before ...

NGT seeks status report on disposal of weed after desilting Srivaikundam dam

Chennai:

National Green Tribunal has sought a status report from the supreintending engineer of Public works Department before November 5 on where the weed is being disposed while the desilting of Srivaikundam dam is being carried out.

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) comprising of Justice Dr P Jyothimani and Dr R Nagendran passed the order after hearing the arguments of Vaiko, who was representing the petitioner. 

Adjourning the hearing to November 27, the Tribunal also ordered the Tuticorin district collector to file a detailed affidavit on sand being stored in stockyard. “The district collector, who was present before the tribunal has stated that the sand removed from the desilting is kept in a stockyard,” said the tribunal..

“The learned special government pleader has submitted there is no government stockyard nearby even though there are stockyards in Sathur and Gangaikondan which are little away from the place,” the tribunal observed.

“Now that there is no stockyard, we permit the contractors to remove the silt as well as the incidental sand strictly in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract and same should be sold in accordance with the contract ad log book to be maintained by Public works Department,” the Tribunal directed.

It also ordered the PWD superintending engineer to file a status report along with the log book.

It also directed that in the case of the complaints of excess removal of sand or silt more than contractual capacity, the complaint shall be lodged in the police station which shall be investigated by the superintendent of police, Tuticorin.

The Tribunal also directed that work on desilting of Srivaikundam dam under the third phase would begin only after getting its nod. NGT passed the order following allegations that the contractors are keen on mining sand rather than desilting the dam.

The Tribunal also made it clear that no pit shall be dug on the river bed and no weed shall be put in such pit or any other water body and it must be put on fallow land by the contractors for the purpose of effective disposal far away from the water body so that it will not affect the flow of water. 

It also directed that the protests by people or political parties should be held with the permission of police.

The Tribunal also urged the government to undertake desilting work in 53 tanks after the counsel of Association of farmers submitted that they have to be desilted to maintain the flow of water.  

The tribunal also said that there should be no excavation  on Reach III as it is illegal. “No one should be permitted to do any activities except in Reach I and II till further orders from the Tribunal,” the Tribunal observed. 

The dam is being desilted after years of demands by the farmers. The accumulated silt in the dam was rendering the dam useless and the river water was draining into the sea.

The petition was filed by S Joel, a local functionary of the MDMK party. Vaiko, who was representing the petitioner and CPI leader R Nallakannu, who was member of the supervising committee appointed by the tribunal, had earlier submitted that the hundreds of lorries were being engaged in taking away the sand from the river bed, in name of desilting

writingonblog uncensored: Former Sri Lanka minister likely to face trial in ...

writingonblog uncensored: Former Sri Lanka minister likely to face trial in ...: Chennai: Former Sri Lanka Minister  Douglas Devananda is likely  to face trial in a city court  for his involvement in a 28- year-old mu...

Former Sri Lanka minister likely to face trial in a 28-year old murder case

Chennai:

Former Sri Lanka Minister Douglas Devananda is likely to face trial in a city court for his involvement in a 28-year-old murder case.

The case could be re-opened again after a petition was filed by M Prabhavati, additional city public prosecutor, in the Fourth additional Sessions court.

Prabhavati, who had filed a petition before judge M Santhi, said that Douglas Devanda is accused number three in the murder which happened in 1987. She said that Madras High Court in September 2014 allowed Devananda to attend the murder trial through video-conferencing. 

He was required to appear in the office of High Commissioner of India in Colombo for video conferencing as and when it is required.

“Now since all the accused are absconding, we want the case be split up against other accused except Douglas Devananda,” said Prabhavati, who has filed a memo in the court.

A warrant was issued against Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), treating him as an 'absconding accused' in a case pertaining to the killing of a resident on Diwali eve during 1987.

Though all the accused had been arrested and remanded in judicial custody, they absconded after being released on bail. 

writingonblog uncensored: Officials puzzled over transfer of govt land to pr...

writingonblog uncensored: Officials puzzled over transfer of govt land to pr...: C Shivakumar Chennai: In a shocking case of callousness that exposes the lack of coordination between various government depar...

Officials puzzled over transfer of govt land to private developer

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

In a shocking case of callousness that exposes the lack of coordination between various government deparments, a 10-acre piece of government land in Chengalpattu has gone to a private real estate developer, apparently without the knowledge of concerned officials.

This has prompted the State Housing Secretary Dharmendra Pratap Yadav to shoot off a letter to the member secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority asking how the land in Potheri Village in Chengalpattu Taluk of Kancheepuram district that was acquired by the CMDA for Marimalai Nagar Neighbourhood Housing Scheme was acquired by Lancor Holdings.

The official has asked the member secretary to examine how planning permission was accorded to the private developer on the land belonging to CMDA, which has not yet been reconveyed to the original land owners.

The agency has maintained that it has not given any planning permission to construct buildings, pointing out that Potheri village does not come under Chennai Metropolitan Area over which it has jurisdiction. Other areas come under the Directorate of Town and Country Planning. However, when Express contacted, DTCP officials said they will have to check on who gave the planning permission. “We have not given planning permission to construct any structure in the last one year,” an official said.

It is not just the CMDA and the directorate who seem to have erred. Top officials are puzzled as to how the revenue department could could issue patta in the name of a private developer when the land acquired decades ago is yet to be reconveyed to the original owners.

It is said that the private developer had purchased the land in 2012 at a cost of Rs 40 crore.

Shocking as this is, it is not the lone case where the government land has changed hands without the knowledge of the concerned deparment. Insiders allege that there are several such cases, putting the blame on estate managers – a post specifically created to monitor the land acquired for projects. These officers have failed to alert CMDA about the encroachments or about any development taking place in the land. “They sit in CMDA headquarters in the city, unaware of any development on the ground level,” said sources.

The CMDA is currently struggling to get back the land to an extent of 178.87 acres, which was acquired to develop satellite town at Marimalai Nagar in 1972 to regulate population growth of city as suggested by the First Master Plan. This figure is based on a survey carried out by CMDA in 2010. Some of the land acquired has also been returned to its former owners by the High Court, as the land has not been put to use.

Sources charged that the current value of the land encroached could be more than Rs 1,000 crore in the current real estate market.

The whole project has been a big headache for the CMDA, even as it has cost the State exchequer a substantial amount of money that has been spent on litigation to get back the land. It is learnt that allotments could not be made to 36 allottees in government approved plots in 2006 as their land have been encroached by ex-owners and encroachers in Marimalai Nagar.

In 2010, CMDA had begun a drive to clear encroachments in its 37 acres of land acquired more than three decades ago in Keelakaranai village in Marimalainagar. But after the encroachments were cleared under heavy security, the land is again being encroached upon due to lack of proper estate management.

writingonblog uncensored: After 13 years of legal tussle boy gets justice; M...

writingonblog uncensored: After 13 years of legal tussle boy gets justice; M...: Chennai: After 13 years of legal  tussle, Manikandan, who lost  his forearm due to negligence  by a city-based child  hospital, got just...

After 13 years of legal tussle boy gets justice; Medical negligence resulted in fore-arm amputation

Chennai:

After 13 years of legal tussle, Manikandan, who lost his forearm due to negligence by a city-based child hospital, got justice after a District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum penalised the hospital.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum ordered the hospital to pay Rs 7.5 lakh towards compensation for mental agony caused to the mother of Manikandan and for permanent disability while Rs 1.5 lakh for medical expenses incurred and for further treatment.

The consumer court also directed the hospital to pay a sum of rs 50,000 towards loss of income and Rs 50,000 towards fixing of artificial arms.

“The case is filed in the year 2002 and the same is conducted for more than 13 years and therefore it would be appropriate to order a sum of rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses,” said the court.

Manikandan lost his forearm when he was taken to the hospital in Nungambakkam on October, 5, 2000 as he was suffering from fever. The doctors after conducting various tests administered 50ml blood transfusion on October 24, 2000 after finding the hemoglobin level was low.

The mother alleged the blood was transfused using unsterilised syringe in a careless manner resulting in the formation of gangrene and amputation of forearm.

“There was no evidence available that the blood transfusion was administered in the presence of doctor or staff.b As there is no evidence available during the entire blood transfusion to the child, it establishes that the doctors failed to take care of the transfusion of the blood,” said the court.

The court also observed that the doctors failed to follow the medical guidelines for transfusion in newborn baby upto the age of four months.

The entire evidence available proves that the doctors  treated the baby negligently without taking proper care and caution and the records have also been not properly maintained. The hospital as well as hospital committed deficiency in service, the consumer court observed.

The court directed the hospital to pay the amount within six weeks from the judgement failing which the amounts would carry nine per cent interest till the date of payment.

Grand Slam Baseball marks 70th Anniversary of UN in New Delhi

New Delhi:

United Nations Day was observed in New Delhi in a rather unusual way; with an exhibition international youth baseball match; and, in the true spirit of the UN, with student players representing several nations of the world being hosted in the Flanagan baseball field in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.


US Ambassador Richard Verma and director of UN Information Centre Kiran Mehra Kerpelman inaugurated the Grandslam Baseball Little League.


Showcasing unity and diversity, this exhibition match was viewed by over 200 guests - members of the UN family, diplomats, NGOs and school and college staffers.


The New Delhi Little League, a decades-old tradition held annually in the US Embassy, perfectly captured the spirit of diversity and collaboration that captured the spirit of the United Nations. School students from Pathways- Gurgaon, Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram and Modern School, Barakhamba Road, played against students from several international schools in Delhi.

writingonblog uncensored: CBI says woman was tortured in police custody but ...

writingonblog uncensored: CBI says woman was tortured in police custody but ...: Chennai: An investigation by Central  Bureau of Investigation into  the alleged torture and rape  of a woman in police custody  followin...

CBI says woman was tortured in police custody but rules out rape

Chennai:

An investigation by Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged torture and rape of a woman in police custody following the direction of Madras High Court has found that the woman was confined in custody beyond 24 hours and assaulted by police.

A senior CBI official told Express that the allegation by the woman that she was raped while in custody could not be confirmed. 

However, it seems that a medical report has stated that the allegation of rape is false. “There are some marks on her body of having been beaten up,” said a senior CBI official.

The CBI official said that the investigation is being done on behest of Madras High Court. The court has transferred the case to CBI based on a petition by the woman’s daughter that her mother was allegedly tortured and raped in custody.

Police had picked up the woman suspecting her to have murdered her landlord on August 11,2014 but her arrest was recorded three days later. Interestingly, CBI sources confirm that the woman was confined for more than 24 hours.

Interestingly, on Monday night, CBI picked up SI Vijay Kumar and constables Thilak Kumar and Ranganayagam attached to Udumalpet police station in Tirupur district. They have been handed over to the court.

The trio is likely to undergo a test identification parade before the victim. “There are 80 constables in the police station. The identification parade would be conducted before a magistrate. The court would decide on when it should be conducted,” said the official

writingonblog uncensored: Tamil Nadu sends in proposal to include 191 towns ...

writingonblog uncensored: Tamil Nadu sends in proposal to include 191 towns ...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Tamil Nadu government has  urged the Centre to include  191 towns from the state  under the Housing for All  M...

Tamil Nadu sends in proposal to include 191 towns under Housing for All Mission

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre to include 191 towns from the state under the Housing for All Mission as against 134 stipulated by the Centre.

It is learnt that Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has sent in the proposal for 191 towns to be included under the first phase for Housing for All Mission to the Union Housing and Urban Development secretary earlier this month. 

There were 666 statutory towns that were identified under the programme. Under the first phase, the Centre has asked the state to submit the list of 134 statutory towns.

However, following the request from director of Town Panchayats, a total of 157 towns have been identified, said a TNSCB source.

The proposal has been sent after Union Minister of Urban Development Housing and Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) and Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu wrote a letter to the state government to direct various departments in the state to sign memorandum of agreement (MoA) and also to complete other formalities like identification of cities completion of demand survey of houses and approval of the state level monitoring committee, which is to be headed by the chief secretary. 

Sources said that a total of 11 World Class cities and district headquarters and corporations have been included in the first phase. These include Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Salem, Tirunelveli, Thoothkudi, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruppur, Vellore and Cuddalore. 

This list submitted to the Centre also includes 21 district head quarters and municipal towns besides two municipal towns and 157 town panchayats.

Of the districts, Coimbatore has 12 town town panchayats, the highest which figure in the list of 191 towns.

The newly launched Housing for All (Urban) has mandated that the state should sign Memorandum of Agreement with the ministry and are required to propose the list of selected cities so as to avail funds under the mission.

Tamil Nadu requires 12.94 lakh houses in the 666 cities and towns of the state for urban poor. The figures also include non-slum urban poor. Under housing for all Mission, the Union government would support the costruction of houses up to 30 square meter carpet area with basic civic infrastructure.

Box:

Statutory Towns in TN proposed for inclusion under Phase I of Housing for all

Corporations/ District HQs/ World Class Cities  --- 11

District HQs/Municipal Towns ---------- 21

World Class Cities/ Municipal Towns ---- 2

Town Panchayats ------- 157

Total      191

Overall List

Corporations ---- -----  12

Municipal Towns ---- 124

Town Panchayats ---- 528

Cantonment Board ---  2

Total              666

writingonblog uncensored: MMC directed to return certificates to student who...

writingonblog uncensored: MMC directed to return certificates to student who...: Chennai: Madras High Court has directed Madras Medical College to hand over the certificates and waive the penalty of Rs five lakh aft...

MMC directed to return certificates to student who discontinued diploma under state quota

Chennai:

Madras High Court has directed Madras Medical College to hand over the certificates and waive the penalty of Rs five lakh after a student had failed to honour the undertaking and opted out of the diploma course, allotted to her under state quota, to pursue her Masters in Clinical Pathology in Annamalai University.

Directing the dean of MMC to hand over the certificates of petitioner, A S Ponneyin Chelvi, Madras High Court judge M M Sundaresh said there is no question of penalty involved as the petitioner did not discontinue the  earlier course  but opted for a better one.

“The facts are not in dispute.  The petitioner is one of the candidate, who appeared for the third phase of counselling for the seats, which is allotted to the State quota as surrendered from the All India quota,” the judge said.

Ponneyin Chelvi joined the course of post graduate diploma in Clinical Pathology on June 30, 2014 and a  final and last counselling  was conducted on July 7 and 8, 2014. The state health secretary, director of medical education and secretary selection committee for post graduate medical studies have stated in their counter before the court that Chelvi was informed about the consequences. 

Interestingly, it was submitted before the court that Chelvi had given a undertaking to pay a penalty of Rs 5 lakh for surrendering her seat of diploma in clinical pathology.

It was submitted that the petitioner has sought the original certificates submitted to MMC from the Dean, Madras Medical College, Chennai but was refused on the ground of undertaking given by her as stipulated under Clause 45 of the  prospectus  for the year 2014-2015. 

Chelvi’s counsel had argued that that the above undertaking does not bind her as there is no discontinuation of the course involved. But the 

Additional Government Pleader submitted that the petitioner was allotted a seat surrendered under the All India Quota through merit list of the State.  Thus, the prospectus would govern the case. 

The judge said that it is not in dispute that the petitioner got admission from the surrendered seats based upon her standing in the merit list.  She got the seat in post graduate diploma in Clinical Pathology earlier and subsequently, M.D., (Pathology) degree course. 

“Thus, both the seats had been obtained with respect of the surrendered seats of All India quota filled up thereafter under the State quota.  Clause 45 of the Prospectus, though may have an application to the candidates, such as the petitioner, having been selected under the State quota, it thus apply to a case of discontinuation,” the judge observed. 

“There is no express prohibition for a candidate, who has already selected though for a diploma course from being considered for a post graduate degree course.  Admittedly, the petitioner has been selected on merit.  Therefore, Clause 45  of the Prospectus, as such, cannot have any application since no discontinuation is involved,” the judge said.  

“The undertaking given by her also cannot be put against her for the simple reason that there were no other degrees for MD, (Pathology) degree course.  A right coupled with the corresponding duty cannot be evaluated in terms of money,” the judge said

HC seeks clarification from CBFC on its denial for certification to film on LTTE newsreader

Chernnai: 

Madras High Court has asked the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal and the Central Board of film Certification to state the reasons for refusing certificate to a Tamil film based on the life of LTTE journalist Isaipriya, titled ‘Porkalathil Oru Poo’.

Admitting a petition by a Bangalore based film director challenging the order of Film Certification Appellate Tribunal refusing certification, the judge asked the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal and CBFC to state the reasons for refusing certification to the film.   

Director K. Ganeshan submitted that he directed the film based on the telecast made by London based TV Network Channel – 4, on the final war between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE.

Ganesan said that he had completed the production of the film in May 2015, when Tamil Nadu government adopted a resolution for an impartial, international and independent probe into the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

“The resolution was moved by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa and reflected the stand of the State government on the Sri Lankan issue, I wanted to include the video of passing of the resolution by the Chief Minister in my film,” Ganesan submitted.

 He said that his application for a certification for his film was rejecetd on the grounds that the film is against friendly relation with a foreign State besides depicting scenes degrading women and for including scenes involving sexual violence against women.

The petitioner alleged that CBFC decision violates the principles laid down by the Cinematograph Act and the guidelines issued by the Union government under the Act and sought quashing of the order

writingonblog uncensored: HC constitutes Committee to look into running of ...

writingonblog uncensored: HC constitutes Committee to look into running of ...: Chennai: Madras High Court has  appointed a committee headed  by former judge K Chandru to  look into  into the alleged  running of Kang...

HC constitutes Committee to look into running of Kangaroo Courts in Egmore Court

Chennai:

Madras High Court has appointed a committee headed by former judge K Chandru to look into into the alleged running of Kangaroo courts on Egmore Court premises after state law commission had expressed some reservations.

Chief Justice of Madras High Court Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and judge T S Sivagnanam constituted a judicial committee after hearing a writ plea by A Nagoor Gani, his sister Roshan Sulaiku Banu and mother A Alima Beevi of Pudu Nagar, Chennai. The petitioners have demanded to costitute a judicial enquiry into the parallel justice delivery system being run and managed at the Egmore Court campus by unruly advocates.  

The judges said that the committee would consist of chairman of Bar council of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Selvam, additional director general of Police, J K Tripathy, subordinate judiciary P Velumurugan, district judge and registrar (Vigilance), High Court of Madras, and citizens will be represented by journalist Gnani Sankaran.

“The committee will make suggestions. It can choose the place of its sitting, which the advocate general states will be made available along with secretarial assistance,” said the judges while adjourning the case to December 16.

However, the order did not specify the reservations expressed by the state law commission.

The issue pertains to an attack on September 14, 2011 in the Egmore Magistrate Court campus where the three petitioners were assaulted and abused right in front of the X Metropolitan Magistrate.

The then Commissioner of Police Tripathy filed a detailed counter, with a list of 23 cases against 75 lawyers, most of them practising in Egmore court. Tripathy said police on court duty were harassed by advocates.

writingonblog uncensored: TN given 10 days deadline to form squad to launch...

writingonblog uncensored: TN given 10 days deadline to form squad to launch...: Chennai : This Diwali, the Chinese  crackers won’t explode in  Chennai after Madras High  court directed the state to  form a separate s...

TN given 10 days deadline to form squad to launch crackdown on Chinese cracker sales

Chennai:

This Diwali, the Chinese crackers won’t explode in Chennai after Madras High court directed the state to form a separate squad in the next 10 days to seize Chinese crackers and prevent its distribution and sales.

Justice N Kirubakaran passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Shaikh Abdullah, executive secretary, Chennai Metro fire Works Dealers Association.

The judge has also directed the state government to inform the High Court on who are the members of team constituted by the state to launch a crack down on sales of Chinese crackers besides details of how many squads would be formed by October 26.

The Madras High court also impleaded director general of police, Chennai Police commissioner, Joint Controller of Explosives as repondents Suo moto.

The import of Chinese crackers illegally has been destroying the cottage industries in the country, the judge observed.

The judgement comes after Abdullah alleged that auctioning of Island Ground by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation is indirectly paving the growth of Chinese crackers as cottage industries won’t be able to pay the cost to set up shops.

Abdullah has urged the Madras High Court to issue a direction to secretary of Municipal Administration and Water Supply and Chennai Corporation commissionerto allocate space for selling of crackers manufactured in Sivakasi, in Virudhnagar district, in the Island ground on the War Memorial side, Kamarajar Salai

CBI registers case against AC Muthaiah for causing Rs 274 cr loss to IDBI bank

Chennai:

CBI has registered a case against Chennai based industrialist AC Muthaiah and seven others including Farouk Irani, hailed as the pioneer of the leasing business in India, for causing an alleged loss of Rs 274 crore to the IDBI bank. 

The case pertains to a complaint filed by IDBI bank against 'First Leasing Company of India Ltd' where Muthiah was Chairman till November 2013. The company has also been named as a co-accused in the FIR, an official CBI press release stated. 

Irani was the then Managing Director of the company, while Chennai based Chartered accountant firms Sharthy and Balu and MK Dandeker and Company have also been named as co-accused in the FIR, the release stated. S Dilli Raj and L Shivaramakrishnan, the then Senior Vice-President and CFO of the company respectively, are the other accused in the FIR. 

Charged under sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery of valuable security using forged documents as genuine and falsification of accounts during 2005-13, the CBI conducted searches at eight places including seven in Chennai and one in Hyderabad in the offices and residences of the accused which led to recovery of incriminating documents on Friday, the official release stated. 

Interestingly, First Leasing owed a consortium of banks nearly Rs 1,200 crore and that the company had no assets enough to meet the liabilities. A special audit undertaken by a consortium banks revealed that money lent by the banks had been siphoned off by the promoters, directors, employees, relatives of the directors and entities controlled by the directors and their relatives. 

First Leasing accounts has already been frozen by Reserve Bank of India, which has stated that an inspection revealed falsification of books of accounts, creation of fictitious assets, accounting of non-accrued income, booking of non-existent profits and portrayal of false positive net worth by the company. 

Muthiah and Irani started First Leasing in 1973. The spat between the bellicose partners surfaced in the open when Irani accused Muthiah and his men of ganging up and forging his signatures, and in the process victimizing him. While Irani claims he was a whistleblower, Muthiah said all the maladies in the company happened right under Irani's stewardship. Both Muthiah and Irani have since stepped down from the board; an interim board is conducting the affairs of the company with no powers to transact any business