August 2019

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
ASIA
Will accept Lamba's resignation even on Twitter: AAP
New Delhi : Soon after Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Alka
Lamba said on Sunday she will resign
from the party's primary membership
and will contest the next election as
an Independent candidate, the AAP
said it will accept her resignation
even on Twitter.
Lamba, who has not been on the
same page as the party on various
issues since the past several months,
said she took the decision after consulting
the public, although she did
not reveal the date when she would
resign. She also said that she would
not give up her position in the Delhi
assembly. "People from my constituency
have decided that firstly,
instead of compromising with selfrespect
I should resign from the
party's primary membership, which
has been announced today (Sunday),
and secondly, that I should contest the
next election from Chandni Chowk as
an Independent candidate," the
Chandni Chowk MLA tweeted in
Hindi.
Challenging the party and its chief
Arvind Kejriwal, Lamba said: "If you
have guts, then sack me from the
party. I know you will never do this as
you are scared of the people. I will
continue to be the MLA, as I don't
want people and development work
to suffer." Responding to Lamba's
announcement, AAP spokesperson
Saurabh Bhardwaj said: "She has
announced this a dozen of times in the
past. It takes only a minute to send a
written resignation letter to the party
leadership. We will accept it on
Twitter too."
The first major flare-up between
Lamba and the AAP surfaced in
December 2018 when she went
against the party over an alleged resolution
to revoke former Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna
award. Since then she has accused the
party of partiality and misbehaviour
on several occasions.
Rupee ends five-month low
post hawkish Fed comment
Mumbai : The Indian rupee fell to a
five-month low while the gold lost
sheen after a surprise hakwish tone of
the US central bank on Thursday.
The Indian rupee weakened to Rs
69.05 from its Wednesday's close of Rs
68.79 after the US central bank stated
that the rate cut was "not the beginning
of a long series of rate cuts". The precious
metal also declined by half-a-per
cent. At the Multi Commodity
Exchange (MCX) at 20.55 IST gold
expiring in August was trading at Rs
35,235 per 10 gram, down Rs 184 or
0.52 per cent. It fell to a
low of Rs 35,025 per 10
gram earlier.
"Market was expecting
a 25 bps rate cut and
Fed delivered it. Though
it was the first rate cut in
a decade, it was a preemptive
action to protect
the US economy
from slowing global
growth and impact of the ongoing US-
China trade war," said Rahul Gupta,
Currency Research Head, Emkay
Global Financial. "Ideally a rate cut
should have depreciated the dollar,
however, the unexp ected hawkish tone
of Fed led to a dollar rally. Also, the
risk appetite plunged putting pressure
on emerging market currencies, resulting
in a gap down opening in the
rupee." Gold contract expiry in
December was trading at Comex at
$1427.25 per troy ounce, lower by
$10.75 or 0.27 per cent from previous
close. Earlier the contract fell to
$1412.25 during the Thursday's trade.
Commodity expert Ajay Kedia of
Kedia Commodity said attributed the
fall in gold prices to strengthening of
the dollar which followed the rate cut.
August 2019
7
Ratul Puri
linked to killing
of witness: ED
tells court
New Delhi : The Enforcement
Directorate on Tuesday told a Delhi
court that Kamal Nath's nephew Ratul
Puri is "highly
influential"
and is
allegedly
responsible
for the
"killing of a
witness". Puri
is under the
scanner for
allegedly
receiving
kickbacks in the AgustaWestland deal
through his companies.
Arguing for the ED, Special Public
Prosecutor D.P. Singh said: "The man is
so influential that he not only poses
flight risk but is capable of and responsible
for tampering evidence and influencing
the witness where one witness we
fear has been killed."
Special CBI judge Arvind Kumar,
who is hearing the anticipatory bail plea
filed by Puri, has posted the matter for
hearing at 3 p.m. While Special Public
Prosecutors D.P. Singh and Naveen
Kumar Matta are representing the ED,
senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi
and Vijay Aggarwal are appearing for
Puri. Earlier on Monday, Special Judge
Arvind Kumar extended the interim protection
granted to Puri while slating the
matter for hearing at noon on Tuesday.
Unnao rape : SC shifts trial to Delhi,
orders solatium, security to family
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on
Thursday passed an unprecedented and
comprehensive order in the five cases
connected with the Unnao rape case.
The court order included compensation
for the victim, shifting of cases to
Delhi, daily trial to be completed in 45
days, security cover for the victim's
family members, best medical treatment
for the victim, completing of investigation
within a fortnight by the CBI in the
accident and possibility of shifting victim's
uncle to Delhi prison on security
grounds.
"The trial judge to whom the cases
have been earmarked will commence
the trial forthwith on a day-to-day basis
and will ensure completion of trial of all
the five cases within 45 days from the
commencement of trial", said Chief
Justice of india (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi.
Dharmesh Sharma, district judge in
Tize Hazari court, will conduct the trial.
The CJI got agitated on learning that
charges in the cases are yet to be
framed. "What is happening in this
country", he lashed out at the authorities
concerned present in the court.
The Bench also awarded Rs 25 lakh
compensation to the victim. "We direct
Uttar Pradesh to pay an interim compensation
and the compensation will be
paid to the mother of the victim by
tomorrow (Friday)", said the court.
The court has granted two weeks to
conclude the investigation into the
Sunday's truck-car accident, which left
the rape victim and her lawyer in critical
condition and her two aunts dead.
Learning about the victim's medical
condition, the court asked the family's
counsel D. Ram Krishna Reddy to
ascertain the family's views in connection
with the victim's transfer to a hospital
outside Lucknow. The court was
informed that the victim was receiving
the best medical attention in a top hospital
in Lucknow. "Amicus curiae to
ascertain the views of the family of the
lawyer of the victim as to whether the
said person should be shifted from the
hospital in Lucknow to another hospital
in the country for more advanced medical
treatment", said the court.
The court also ordered security cover
for the victim and her lawyer, the victim's
mother, four siblings and uncle
Mahesh Singh (younger brother of the
victim's father) and the immediate family
members of Singh, who lives in
Makhi village in Unnao.
"Such security and protection shall
be provided by the Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF). The commandant
of the CRPF battalion in Raebareli or in
any location near Raebareli where a
CRPF battalion may be located, shall be
responsible for providing adequate
security and protection in terms of this
order," said the court after noting security
threats to the victim's family from
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator
Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his
henchmen. The court asked the UP government
whether the victim's uncle
should be shifted to Tihar Jail from a
Raebareli jail. "The standing counsel of
UP will inform the court as to whether
Mahesh Singh, currently lodged in
Raebareli jail, needs to be moved out on
account of security reasons," said the
court. The Bench will continue the hearing
on Friday to know if its directions
had been carried out.
The Supreme Court has expanded its
suo moto registered PIL on the steps to
curb child rape cases and included in it
the issue of compensation and protection
to the Unnao rape victim.
The court has considered the amicus
curia's suggestion to make the Bachpan
Bachao Andolan, founded by Noble
Three police guards of Unnao
rape survivor suspended
Lucknow : Three Uttar Pradesh Police personnel tasked with protecting the
rape survivor from Unnao,
were suspended on Thursday
on charges of dereliction of
duty, an official said.
Inspector General of
Police, Law and Order,
Pravin Kumar told reporters
here that the suspended
police personnel are Sudesh
Kumar, and women constables
Sunita Devi and Ruby
Patel. All three were in the
personal security of the rape
survivor but did not accompany her to Rae Bareli on the day the survivor met
with an accident. The young woman, who has accused BJP lawmaker Kuldeep
Sengar of raping her at his residence in 2017 when she was a minor, her family
and her lawyer were hit by a truck in Rae Bareli on Sunday. Her two aunts were
killed and she and the advocate have been critically injured.
Ajendra Awasthi, another advocate for the woman, said he has been provided
with adequate security by the district administration on his request.
Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, a party in
the matter. The CJI on Wednesday took
suo moto cognisance of a letter written
by the victim's family alleging threats
from Sengar's men. The court has
sought a report in seven days from the
registry on the delay in placing the letter
before the court. On Sunday, the victim,
who had accused Sengar of raping her
in 2017, was travelling to Raebareli
with her lawyer Singh and two aunts
when a truck being driven on the wrong
side hit them. The rape victim and her
lawyer are on life support system. Of
the two aunts killed in the accident, one
was witness to the crime.