17042018-TT-01.qxd 4/16/2018 10:33 PM Page 1 13 established in 1881 tuesday,april 17, 2018 ! himachal pradesh chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | jammu | srinagar | www.tribuneindia.com | vol. 138 no. 105 | 16 pages | ~4.50 | regd. no. chd/0006/2018-2020 /thetribunechd ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ screening to continue: SC New Delhi, April 16 Controversial film “Nanak Shah Fakir”, based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, will continue to be screened in cinema halls as the Supreme Court on Monday made it clear it would not stop its public viewing. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, however, issued notice to the filmmaker and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and posted it for further hearing on May 8. The film has already been released across India, except in Punjab, senior advocate RS Suri told the Bench. Appearing for the SGPC, senior counsel PS Patwalia referred to a 2003 SGPC notification, which categorically stated that no person could be allowed to portray the life of the 10 Sikh Gurus, their family members and the “Panj Pyaras”. Sikhism bans human beings from portraying its Gurus, he added. “Let the actor playing the Guru not take credit. Let it be an abstract person,” said the Bench, which had on April 10 cleared the decks for the April 13 nationwide release of the film and criticised the SGPC for opposing it. The Bench said the fundamental issue was if the life of Guru Nanak had been portrayed in the right manner or not. — TNS kin for 5 Mecca Masjid blast Kathua victim’sasks J&K totrial in Chandigarh Apex court issues notice, provide security to family, lawyer case accused let off Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Aseemanand acquitted again after Ajmer case Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, April 16 All five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case were acquitted by a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here on Monday. Among those acquitted was Swami Aseemanand, a right wing ideologue and a former RSS member. The court found fault with the prosecution for not presenting satisfactory evidence. The NIA is likely to move the High Court, challenging the acquittal. In March last year, Aseemanand was also acquitted in the Ajmer blast case. He is also on trial for the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing. On May 18, 2007, a powerful blast ripped through the historic Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers, killing nine people and injuring 58. Five others were killed in the police firing during the violence that followed soon after the blast. A pipe-bomb triggered by a mobile phone timer went off near the ablution spot of the 17th-century mosque located close to the iconic Charminar. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the CBI, which filed a chargesheet. The NIA took over the case from the IRCTC case: Rabri, Lalu chargesheeted New Delhi: The CBI on Monday filed a chargesheet against former railway minister Lalu Prasad and others in connection with alleged corruption in handing out a management contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private company. Former Bihar chief minister and Lalu Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejaswi were also among 14 people named by the CBI in the chargesheet filed in a court here. PTI ‘ISI informer’ arrested in Rohtak Rohtak: Gaurav Kumar of Gannaur in Sonepat district has been arrested on the charge of being an ISI informer. “Gaurav would share information related to the Army with Pakistan’s ISI,” claimed police sources. While preparing for armed forces, Gaurav came in contact with two girls on Facebook, “both ISI agents. He agreed to send photographs and videos of Army areas for money”. TNS SC relief for former MPs on pension New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a PIL against pension, travel allowances and other perks for former lawmakers. It upheld the decision of the Allahabad High Court, which said Parliament was competent to legislate on pensions for ex-MPs. Lok Prahari, an NGO, had questioned pension for ex-MPs, saying it amounted to waste of public money. TNS sioner to lodge a strong protest against reported attempts being made during the ongoing visit to raise the issue of Khalistan. The Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of making inflammatory state- New Delhi, April 16 The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Jammu and Kashmir on a petition filed by the biological father of the minor Kathua rape victim, seeking transfer of trial from Kathua to Chandigarh. Asking the state government to respond to the transfer plea, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra posted the matter for further hearing on April 27. As senior counsel Indira Jaising raised the issue of Expect normal monsoon: IMD A file photo of Mecca Masjid blast accused Swami Aseemanand, who was acquitted by a special NIA court in Hyderabad on Monday. PTI JUDGE QUITS AFTER DELIVERING VERDICT Hyderabad: The special NIA court judge, K Ravinder Reddy, resigned on Monday hours after acquitting the five accused. Reddy handed over his resignation to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge. Reddy cited personal reasons for his resignation and said it had nothing to do with the judgment. In fact, he said, he was considering resigning for some time. PTI CBI in 2011. Eight people belonging to right-wing organisations, including Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai and Rajender Chowdhary, were charged by the NIA in the blast case. The court, however, delivered its verdict with regard to the five accused. continued on page 7 political reactions on page 7 India accuses Pakistan of inciting Sikh pilgrims New Delhi, April 16 The fresh spat between Delhi and Islamabad over Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan for Baisakhi celebrations has become more bitter. India on Monday summoned the Pakistan Deputy High Commis- /thetribunechd ments and displaying posters at various places and shrines where the pilgrims are visiting from April 12 to 21. “Pakistan was called upon to immediately stop all such activities that were aimed at undermining India’s sover- eignty, territorial integrity and incitement of disharmony in India,” said the MEA. Of the nearly 20,000 Sikh pilgrims from across the globe, nearly 2,100 from India have been issued visas to visit holy sites. — TNS New Delhi, April 16 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted “normal” monsoon for the four-month season, conveying an optimistic signal for the distressed agriculture sector and overall economy of the country. “Quantitatively, monsoon 2018 is likely to remain normal at 97 per cent with an error margin of +/-5 per cent of the long period average (LPA),” IMD chief KJ Ramesh said. Monsoon is categorised “normal” if average rains are between 96 and 104 per cent of the LPA. The onset date for the June-September rains, which generally touch Kerala around June 1, will be given in mid-May. — TNS detailed reportpage 7 ALL ACCUSED PLEAD NOT GUILTY; READY FOR NARCO MORE INSIDE protection to the victim’s family, J&K government counsel M Shoeb Alam said the state had already provided five armed policemen for their security. The Bench said the protection should continue. It asked the state to also provide protection to advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who has been extending legal assistance to the family, after Jaising said she was facing grave threats in Kathua where lawyers had allegedly obstructed court proceedings. She said owing to polarisation in Kathua, a fair trial couldn’t be held there. Therefore, the case should be transferred outside the state. She requested the court to monitor the case. Vehemently opposing senior advocate Bhim Singh’s plea for a CBI probe, Jaising said the state police had done a “commendable” job. Directing the government to strengthen security at the juvenile 1 dead in clash over K’shetra Waqf land Vishal Joshi Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, April 16 One person was killed and seven grievously injured in a clash at Kharindwa village on Monday over a piece of land belonging to the Haryana Waqf Board. Several rounds were fired by a group of people at the site used as a burial ground. While Mangat Din succumbed to bullet injuries, seven persons were rushed to PGI and 35 treated at Shahabad, SP Abhishek Garg said. An injured Khurshid Ali, 60, alleged they were attacked by a mob led by Jasmer Singh Chahal, comprising youths from outside Kharindwa. “They arrived in tractor-trailers and cars with guns, sticks and farm implements. Chahal and family members opened fire to grab the land,” he said. Chahal and 18 persons have been booked. Claiming retaliation in selfdefence, Mehboob Khan said: “As the old cemetery had scant space, we were able to get land possession with panchayat help.” SDM SS Kundu said the land dispute was pending before the High Court. “In official records, it is not marked as a burial site. The Chahals have had possession for more than 50 years.” home where the juvenile accused in the case was lodged, the CJI said: “We are only concerned with a fair trial, protection of the victim’s family and their lawyers.” The eight-year-old had disappeared from a village near Kathua on January 10. She was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, raped inside a place of worship and killed. Meanwhile, a PTI report from Jammu said eight lawyers have been named in an FIR for allegedly trying to prevent filing of a chargesheet. edit: the dignityof the robe Hry puts Rajiv Trust on notice Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 16 The Manohar Lal Khattar government has issued a show-cause notice to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, New Delhi, asking why its 33-year lease of land to run an eye hospital in Gurugram’s Ullawas panchayat should not be cancelled. Principal Secretary, Development and Panchayat Department, Anurag Rastogi said the Trust had failed to operationalise the hospital despite repeated extensions. “Its reply is being examined.” Last month, the department had sent a show-cause notice asking the Trust why continued on page 7