Non-bailable warrant issued againt RJD lawmaker in sexual abuse case

Source: hindustantimes.com

A court here on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against RJD legislator in Bhojpur, Arun Yadav, in a case relating to sexual abuse of a minor girl.

District and Sessions Judge R K Singh, who holds the charge of special POCSO court, issued the NBW against Sandesh MLA Arun Yadav following an application filed by the district police.

On Wednesday, the police had prayed before special court of POCSO act to issue a warrant against the MLA but the latter found several shortcomings in the petition.

According to sources, the court had asked the investigating officer to file the petition with update case diary. Since the court was closed for’ Anant Chaturdashi’ on Thursday, the IO filed a fresh petition with update case diary on Friday.

While the girl, in her first statement recorded under section 164 of criminal procedure code (CrPC) had failed to name the MLA, a video circulating on social media since September 1 purportedly showed her naming Yadav.

Subsequently, on September 6, her statement was again recorded before a magistrate under section 164 of CrPC following court’s nod. This time, she named Arun Yadav.

So far the police claimed to have arrested four persons in this case.

The Sandesh MLA is the second state legislator facing charges of raping a minor girl. Earlier, RJD MLA from Nawada Raj Ballabh Prasad was convicted and awarded life term in a rape case in Nalanda district.

PM Modi inaugurates New Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha building in Ranchi

Source: newkerala.com

He also inaugurated various development projects in Ranchi today. Modi was also scheduled to launch the Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (KMDY) here.

“The PM will launch the scheme — Prime Minister Kisan Man Dhan Yojana — and will also inaugurate 400 Ekalvya Model Residential schools to provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education to ST students in tribal-dominated areas,” an official statement had earlier said.

The KMDY will secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month to those who have attained the age of 60. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,774 crore for the next three years.

All the small and marginal farmers who are currently between the age of 18 to 40 years are eligible to avail the benefits.

The Eklavya Model Residential Schools are aimed at providing quality education to the students of Scheduled Tribes. This scheme will be implemented in blocks with a tribal population of at least 20,000.

The residential schools will have tribal students from Class 6 to 12. Around Rs 10,000 crore will be spent on the construction of these schools in Jharkhand, Odisha, Northeastern and other states in the next two years.

Parking fees to be slashed in Ranchi

Source: telegraphindia.com

In a move to ensure better compliance, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has decided to reduce parking fees by 50 per cent at all parking bays.

“Existing parking fares will be reduced by 50 per cent. We will also increase the time limit for parking. These decisions have already been taken. A formal notification would be issued in a day or two,” said RMC CEO Manoj Kumar, adding that the idea was to encourage people to use authorised parking bays instead of parking their vehicles in front of shops and cause traffic congestion.

Currently, the parking fare for four-wheelers is Rs 40 per hour and for two-wheelers is Rs 20 per hour. As per the new rates, Rs 20 will charged for four-wheelers for three hours and Rs 5 for two-wheelers, also for three hours.

According to sources in the RMC transport wing that manages parking lots, the new rates would be introduced at all the 30-odd parking bays across Ranchi, including 18 parking bays along Main Road. Most parking bays are along roads and have been auctioned to private parties.

“Private agencies that have won rights to collect fees at various parking bays have been asked to introduce the new rates as soon the official notification is issued in a day or two. We hope that after the introduction of the reduced fees the problem of illegal parking would be resolved to a great extent and Main Road will remain free of traffic congestion,” said an RMC official.

Another senior official said the RMC had plans to introduce POS machines at parking bays.

“We would like private parties managing parking bays to have POS machines to enable ease of payments. However, it will take some time,” said RMC official.

Residents welcomed the move.

“This is good news at a time when steep fines are being imposed for traffic violations. The new fees won’t pinch pockets and will encourage people to park in designated spots without having to worry about bike thefts,” said Rajesh Sharma, a cloth trader in Upper Bazaar.

Caught on cam: Bihar DGP rides official car without seat belt

Source: indiatoday.in

On Thursday, Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey was caught on camera sitting on a four-wheeler without wearing a seat belt.

The incident happened in Chhapra district of the state where the DGP had gone to attend a private function. Soon after the function, the DGP left in his official vehicle without wearing the seat belt.

He was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle without the seat belt.

Taking the cue from the DGP, Saran range DIG Vijay Kumar Verma and Chhapra SP Har Kishore Rai also left in their official vehicle without wearing a seat belt.

The Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) of Chhapra, Vinod Kumar Singh, said that it was mandatory for everyone whether sitting on the front seat or on the back seat to wear a seat belt.

“It is compulsory for anyone sitting on the front seat or back seat to wear a seat belt. Though I have not seen the DGP without seat belt but had the incident taken place in front of me then I would have fined him. Everyone has to adhere to the new Motor Vehicle Act,” said Vinod Kumar Singh, MVI Chhapra.

A day before, clashes broke out at the Exhibition Road roundabout in Patna between the locals and the police after a lady driving four-wheeler without wearing seat belt was asked to pay Rs 5,000 fine.

Bihar Oppn bogged down with many ideas on fighting NDA

Source: deccanherald.com

The Opposition in Bihar, still smarting under the crushing loss in all but one seat in the Lok Sabha polls, seems to be bogged down with too many ideas when it comes to fighting the Assembly polls next year, when it will face the formidable NDA once again.

Veteran RJD leader and former union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Friday again called for a merger of all the regional parties in the bloated and loosely-knit Mahagathbandhan – a view that has few takers even in his own party.

Hindustani Awam Morcha, a smaller constituent, reacted with sneer with its spokesman Danish Rizvan, remarking “Merger is a good idea. We would welcome it if RJD and other constituents agree to merge with HAM”.

Notably, HAM founding president Jitan Ram Manjhi, a former chief minister, has been threatening the grand Alliance that he would quit and go it alone in the Assembly polls if his demands are not accepted.

Manjhi’s demand is that if the grand alliance wins, it should have two Deputy CMs, besides the chief minister and these posts should be held by one candidate each from the extremely backward classes, the Scheduled Castes and the minorities.

The formula suggested by Manjhi virtually rules out the possibility of accepting the leadership of the Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad’s younger son or any other member of his family which controls the RJD, who belong to a powerful OBC caste.

RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, a former NDA constituent who switched sides less than a year ago, has suggested that the grand alliance should be expanded to include other entities like the Left parties.

The Left parties, which are seen as a spent force in the state, have so far shown little interest in the proposal.

Amid this deluge of political strategies, Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra has warned the alliance members about the lurking threat from a recently formed front of a number of disgruntled leaders, which will benefit only the NDA.

The Bihar Navnirman Morcha was formed a fortnight ago by former state ministers Narendra Singh and Renu Kushwhaha, previously with JD(U) and BJP respectively, and Arun Kumar, the former RLSP MP from Jehanabad.

Speculations are rife that Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, may also join the front as he has been disowned by the grand alliance and spurned by the NDA.

“All these leaders who have formed the Morcha, as well as those who are expected to join, wield influence in their respective areas. The social equation is such that if they enter the fray, they will cut into the votes of the grand alliance and benefit only the NDA. Something needs to be done about it, said Mishra.

PM Modi inaugurates Jharkhand assembly building, lays foundation of state secretariat

Source: hindustantimes.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Rs 465 crore newly constructed state-of-the-art Jharkhand assembly building, putting an end to the state’s 19-year wait for construction of its own assembly building and laid foundation stone of the Rs 1238 crore proposed construction of state secretariat.

The ground plus three floors magnificent structure of the assembly building has come up on a site of 39 acres of land at HEC township near Jagannath temple. A symbolic one-day special assembly session has been convened on September 13 in this new building.

Inaugurating the assembly complex, Modi said, “It’s a historic day for Jharkhand. After 19-years of its creation, the state now gets its own assembly building and foundation stone of the proposed state secretariat has been laid.”

Appealing to the youths to must visit this assembly complex, Modi said, “One should not consider this building as a structure with walls only. It will lay foundation of the better future of state’s citizens. It will help in realizing the dreams of coming generations.”

Recalling the importance of these buildings, the Prime Minister said, “The recently concluded monsoon session was one of the most productive sessions of the Parliament after independence. The houses worked till night to discuss and pass important legislations. People felt happy to see it going. Credit goes to all MPs and political parties for giving effect to a healthy discourse.”

The dome shaped Jharkhand’s new assembly complex consists of Central, East and West wings and service buildings including covered car parking. A rooftop solar power plant of 500 KVA capacity have been set up over the car parking area. The campus is beautifully landscaped with three stage fountains in the south (front) and north (back). Besides, work is in progress to set up four half ball fountains.

The main attraction of the building is its large dome just overhead of the assembly hall. The dome has been decorated with traditional Jharkhandi arts from the inside. These arts will be illuminated with high quality lights.

The building’s central wing consists of a assembly hall of seating capacity of 150 persons, chambers of chief minister, assembly speaker and deputy speaker, a conference hall with seating capacity of 400 persons, MLAs lobby, press gallery, media lobby, library, canteen and others.

While the building’s East wing would have 22 minister rooms, six committee rooms, establishment, budget, pension, question and answer sections, accounts, legislative section and others, the west wing would house chamber of leader of opposition, five committee rooms, parliament, public information, dispatch, whip sections, bank, post office and other services.

The four-storied proposed state secretariat building will be constructed on an area of 33.60 lakh square feet in HEC township.

Central Wing: Assembly hall (150 seating capacity), chambers of CM, Speaker, deputy speaker with rest rooms, 400 seater conference hall, MLA lobby, press, officers, visitors galleries, library, canteen, dispensary and others

East Wing: 22 minister rooms, six committee rooms, establishment, budget, pension, question and answer sections, accounts, legislative section and others

West Wing: Chamber of leader of opposition, five committee rooms, parliament, public information, dispatch, whip sections, bank, post office and other services.

Service building: Electrical sub-station, AC plant room, police barrack, maintenance room, covered car parking (400 vehicles)