Mahant in Malegaon Net, Soldier’s Laptop Found

Probing into the Malegaon blast, the Maharashtra ATS on Wednesday recovered the laptop of Lt-Colonel Prasad Purohit, the device had gone missing after the soldier was picked up for questioning on October 29, the sleuths have sent the computer for forensic examination.

The ATS detained Mahant Amritanand alias Dayanand Pandey, the head of the Sharda Sarvagya Peeth in Jammu, from his brother’s house in Kanpur, for alleged involvement in the Malegaon blast.

The Mahant will be produced in court Thursday, when the ATS will seek a transit remand to take him to Mumbai for questioning.

ATS Joint Commissioner of Police Hemant Karkare told reporters in Mumbai that the Mahant had a role in the blast conspiracy and had attended several meetings in different parts of the country along with other arrested accused.

Pandey was picked up from the Rawatpur locality which falls under the Kalyanpur police station.

Pandey's name had allegedly cropped up during the interrogation of Purohit and Abhinav Bharat fund-raiser Ajay Rahirkar.

"We got Pandey's photographs, mobile numbers and other details. We verified these and on Wednesday got Pandey's custody from the UP police,'' said Karkare.

Talking of Pandey's role, Karkare said, "He participated in several meetings conducted by the arrested accused at Bhonsala military school, Deolali camp, Indore, Nashik and Jammu and Kashmir. He was part of the larger conspiracy.''

Additional director general (law and order) Brij Lal and secretary, home, Kumar Kamlesh in Uttar Pradesh told reporters that Pandey claimed to be the head of Sharda Sarvagya Peeth situated in the Trikut nagar area of Jammu. Pandey had been living in the peeth after his initiation in 2003.

Reports appearing n the internet media suggest Pandey was the guru of Sadhvi Pragya and had been hiding in his lawyer brother Pushkar's house near Ram Lala School of Rawatpur since Pragya's arrest a few days ago. Locals, however, claimed that Pandey had come to visit his father, a retired police sub-inspector.

Meanwhile, regional head of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Awadh Bihari Mishra denied that Sudhakar had any links with the organisation. "I have never heard about him," he said.

Obama Calls PM, Indicates Early Visit

Quelling speculations of a diplomatic ‘cold shoulder’ to New Delhi, US President-elect, Barack Obama, finally telephoned Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He accepted Singh’s congratulations and promised to visit Delhi soon. He stressed on the importance of the bilateral strategic partnership.

Singh told Obama that relations between India and the US were good, but the two countries could not be satisfied with the status quo. According to the Prime Minister's Office, he wished Obama well in trying to meet the “enormous challenges that face the world”.

Obama said the US-India strategic relationship was important and the new administration wanted to work with India on all global issues. He recalled Singh’s contribution as Finance Minister and also praised his contribution as the country’s Prime Minister.

Singh and Obama spoke in the morning, after days of media speculation over the time the President-elect seemed to be taking in making the call. Soon after his election, Obama began working the phones, talking to heads of several countries — ranging from Britain to Pakistan — but left out India. Some wondered if he was “ignoring” India.

However, Singh dismissed the thought, suggesting to reporters travelling with him that the only issue between the two was scheduling the call. Singh has just returned from a trip to Oman and Qatar and Obama too is busy.

Both have exchanged letters in recent weeks. Obama wrote to Singh during the campaign and Singh sent him a warm note when he was elected President.

As in his letter, Singh assured that a “warm welcome” awaited Obama when he visited India.

Obama said he wished to make “an early visit”.

Sonia Accepts Alva’s Resignation

While refuting allegations of malpractices in the ticket distribution process, the Congress higher-ups on Wednesday accepted Margaret Alva’s resignation from the post of All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, the decision by default sacks her from Congress Working Committee and the Central Election Committee of the party.

Alva sent her resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday after coming in for sharp criticism from colleagues for her allegation that ticket for elections was being sold within the party.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told media persons that there was no need for an enquiry into Alva’s allegation as it had not been substantiated.

Earlier on Wednesday, AICC general secretary in charge of organisational affairs Janardan Dwivedi announced that Alva’s resignation had been accepted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Alva was the party general secretary in charge for Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab & Chandigarh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

At the party’s routine briefing, Ahmed said that Alva continued to be a member of the Congress and added that if Alva so wishes, the party would use her for campaigning.

Chargesheet Filed in Ahmedabad Blasts Case

Three and half months after the serial blasts in Ahmedabad claimed 55 lives, Gujarat police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in a court naming 26 people, allegedly linked with SIMI, as accused in the case. The 2,000-page chargesheet was filed in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate G M Patel.

The accused named in the chargesheet include SIMI activists Mufti Abu Basher, Safdar Nagori and Sajid Mansuri.

The chargesheet also lists the names of 50 absconders in the blasts case. The chargesheet says that police has so far examined 511 witnesses.

The chargesheet has been filed pertaining to city civil hospital blast case and L G hospital blast case, police said.

As per the rules, the police have to file chargesheet in any case before 90 days of the first arrest of the case.

The police had arrested ten accused in the case on August 16.

The blasts had taken place in various parts of the city on July 26 evening. Blasts had also rocked city civil hospital and L G hospital when those injured in blasts in other parts of the city were being brought to two hospitals.

US Aid Worker Shot Dead in Pakistan

Gunmen shot and killed Stephen Vance an American as he was traveling to work for a US-funded aid program aimed at chipping away support for al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions. Cance’s chauffeur was also reported killed I the firing.

The incident took place in an upscale neighborhood of Peshawar, a sprawling and increasingly lawless city on the eastern edge of northwestern tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

While there was no claim of responsibility, suspicion fell on Taliban- and al-Qaida-linked militants under fire from Pakistani military operations in the tribal areas as well as a surge in unilateral U.S. missile attacks on the region.

The border region is a possible hiding place for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri. Militants have found a safe haven there, using it as a staging ground for attacks on U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan as well as within Pakistan.

Vance worked for CHF International, a U.S.-based aid group that was implementing American government-funded schemes to pump $750 million over five years into developing basic infrastructure such as wells and better clinics and roads in the impoverished tribal areas — which count among the least-developed regions on earth.

Update

Also in Peshawar early Thursday, gunmen kidnapped an Iranian diplomat after killing his guard, police official Mohammed Manzoor said. He said authorities don't know who the gunmen were. Officials have cordoned off the city's main roads and are trying to trace the kidnapped Iranian.

The attacks were the latest in a string of attacks targeting foreigners in Pakistan.

Center Mulls Ban on Bajrang Dal

Amid demands for a ban on Bajrang Dal, the Union Home Ministry on Wednesday dispatched missives to state governments asking them to furnish details on activities of Hindutva organizations, especially the Bajrang Dal and information of the action initiated against them.

With no official confirmation of the plans to ban the Dal, sources said such inputs were required before declaring any organisation as outlawed.

Sources said the name of Bajrang Dal was specifically mentioned in the letter sent by the Home Ministry.

The letter comes in the backdrop of incidents of communal violence in some parts of the country leading to demands for strict action against individuals and groups involved in the attacks.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has written to state governments and sought details of the action they may have taken," the official said.

The demand for strong action against the Hindutva organisations, including Bajrang Dal, VHP and RSS have been made both inside and outside the ruling UPA, with some key coalition partners demanding a ban on these groups.

The Home Ministry has been keeping a close watch on the activities of communal organisations including the Bajrang Dal in the wake of violence against Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and Kerala.

Tourism Minister Granted Bail

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Tukoji Rao Pawar and party colleague Phoolchand Verma were granted bail by a local court Wdnesday, a day after he was sent to jail following his arrest on the charge of threatening and intimidating a lady Returning Officer. The two BJP leaders did not apply for bail on Tuesday and were taken to jail.

Pawar’s BJP colleague Phoolchand Verma, who is contesting from Sonkatch reserved seat, was also granted bail by a Chief Judicial Magistrate(CJM), official sources said.

The two BJP leaders did not apply for bail on Tuesday and were taken to jail.

Pawar, a scion of the erstwhile Dewas royal family, is contesting the forthcoming polls from his traditional Dewas seat which he had represented for four terms.

The CJM ordered the release of the two men on bail after they furnished a security bond of Rs 5,000 each, the sources said.

Both Pawar and Verma were arrested on the charges of obstructing official work and intimidating a lady election officer of Sonkatch, Sanjana Jain, in a dramatic action just days ahead of the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled State. After a few hours in jail, they were shifted to Government MY hospital, Indore late on Tuesday night following complaints of chest pain.

Iraqi Soldier Guns Down Two US Troops

An Iraqi soldier shot dead two US soldiers in the northern city of Mosul before being shot dead himself, according to sources, said the shooting took place during a joint patrol to inspect security procedures in Mosul. The US military considers Mosul the last urban al-Qaeda bastion in Iraq.

"There was an altercation, and up until now we don't know the reason of the altercation between the soldiers," Major General Mohammed al-Askari, a spokesman for the Iraqi defence ministry said.

Maj-Gen Askari identified the Iraqi soldier as Barazan Mohammed Abdullah al-Hadidi, 21, but did not provide any further information about him.

An official in Iraq's interior ministry said "a US soldier slapped an Iraqi soldier during the patrol and he opened fire in response".

But Major General Mark Hertling, the commander of US-led forces in northern Iraq, said the shooting occurred in the courtyard of an Iraqi army base where the soldiers were waiting for a meeting to end.

"There was no argument," he said. "There was no spitting or cursing between the individuals. In fact there was not even a conversation between the Iraqi soldier who was shooting and the soldiers who were shot."

Maj-Gen Hertling said the shooter killed one US soldier immediately and shot another in the stomach. The second soldier later died of his wounds, and six other US soldiers were wounded.

He said Iraqi security officials apologised after the shooting and vowed to help in a joint investigation.

Maoists Gun Down BJP Leaders

Hollowing claims of having put in place adequate security arrangements in Naxal infested areas ahead of the elections to the state Assembly, Maoist guerrillas on Sunday gunned down two local leaders of Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Dantewada district, the police said.

The incident took place in a forested area, some 450 km south of Raipur, when the two leaders - Ramesh Rathore and Suryaprakash - were campaigning in their vehicle.

"Maoists stopped the vehicle. The leaders tried to flee but the insurgents caught them and killed (them)," Rahul Sharma, the district superintendent of police, said.

Insurgents had set ablaze a Congress vehicle in Bastar district on Friday and briefly abducted several party supporters. But they were released after they promised to keep off the election campaign.

The Communist Party of India-Maoist has given a poll boycott call and asked parties not to take part in election work in Bastar, where Maoists hold sway. Chhattisgarh goes to the polls November 14 and 20.

India Test Fires Shaurya Missile

Beefing up its nuclear strike capability, India Wednesday test fired a new generation ballistic missile, Shaurya, which is aimed at evading enemy detection. The 600-km range sub-surface weapon is a variant of the undersea K-15, widely considered India's biggest missile breakthrough.

The missile which is meant to be fired from underground silos will give India more options to hit back, in case it is attacked with nuclear weapons.

The Shaurya, with a optimum capacity to carry a 1-tonne warhead, is a quick-reaction missile fired from a canister.

Scientists say the new missile increases India's options for a second strike capability which is critical in view of its nuclear weapons policy of No First Use.

Chief Controller, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr W Selvamurthy says, "When you talk of second strike capability, it means that when the mobile moves on surface whether on rail or on road, it will easily be detected by either intelligence or from the satellite imaging, but in this case, if you keep it either underwater or underground, certainly you won't be able to detect it. It is very difficult to detect."

It is likely that it will replace the 8.5-metre-long Prithvi short-range missiles.