Statescape — Priest accused of rape arrested in Nagpur

GADCHIROLI, July 9: The Gadchiroli police on Tuesday arrested Father Thomas of Nagepalli, who was accused of raping a 12-year-old tribal gi...

GADCHIROLI, July 9: The Gadchiroli police on Tuesday arrested Father Thomas of Nagepalli, who was accused of raping a 12-year-old tribal girl at knife-point in Vainvaibhav forest near Bhamragadh.

Several social and tribal organisations in the region were demanding Father Thomas’ arrest. Acting on a tip-off, Additional Superintendent of Police Mohan Rathod sent a team to Nagpur where the priest was trying to seek anticipatory bail from the High Court. He was taken to Gadchiroli the same day.

Coal workers stir from July 28

NAGPUR: Coal workers of the country will go on a general strike from July 28 to July 30 to press various long-pending demands. These include immediate stoppage of privatisation of coal mines, bringing import duty on coal to the 1989 level, budgetary support by the Union to Coal India Limited (CIL) to launch new coal projects, and treatment of CIL and its subsidiaries as one single company. Basant Kumar Rai, general Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Khadan Mazdoor Sangh, claimed that his union had already launched its month-long agitation on July 1.

Dubai don to be extradited soon

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BANGALORE: The city police have completed the formalities for the extradition of Muthappa Rai, the Dubai-based underworld kingpin blamed for the killing of a rival gang member in the city earlier this month. Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, city Police Commissioner L Revannasiddaiah noted that Rai had already been declared a proclaimed offender. He said a ten-member police squad headed by deputy police commissioner (south) M F Pasha had been formed to investigate the murder. Public hearing demanded for projects NEW DELHI: The Environment and Forests Ministry on Wednesday asked State Pollution Control Boards to conduct public hearings for site-specific projects, including mining, pit-head thermal power stations and hydro-electric power, before site clearance applications were forwarded to the Centre. In projects where the ministry has already accorded site clearance, a proposal for environmental clearance would be considered only after a public hearing, an official note said.

CBI unable to probe Rajan Pillai case

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a Delhi court on Wednesday expressed its inability to probe the alleged conspiracy by industrialist Nusli Wadia, Chandraswami into the death of NRI biscuit tycoon Rajan Pillai in July 1995 in Tihar jail. CBI counsel Y K Saxena, requesting Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Prem Kumar to withdraw his inquiry order, said only the High Court could refer the matter for investigation to the agency.