A former state director of cultural affairs will have to spend three months in jail as he failed to explain the source of Rs 70,000 recovered from his house during a raid in 1996.

The special Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) court on Wednesday convicted Sudhir Meshram for forging papers to justify disproportionate assets.

The prosecution said the ACB had raided Meshram’s house and recovered Rs 70,000. Meshram told the raiding party that he had got the money as an advance to organise a cultural programme. Meshram had also manipulated the books of accounts and got a travel agent to issue fake bills, the prosecution said.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to unveil a bill during the budget meeting of the state parliament for the protection of women against violence.

The decision was taken at the state's winter capital during a conference, which was headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of various cases of strange demises of women in the state, attributed to nuisance of women and dowry demand by in-laws.

The Medical Council has shared that accused doctors which forged certificates were from Dharamsila Cancer Hospital, Jeevan Hospital, Sunderlal Jain Hospital, Max Balaji Hospital and Batra Hospital, among some others.

The Supreme Court today issued a ruling, which is aimed at providing relief to doctors who are continually harassed by patients and their families over accusations of medical negligence. The Court ruled that a "simple lack of care or an error of judgment or an accident” does not mean that negligence in the medical profession.

"It would not be conducive to the efficiency of the medical profession if a doctor is to administer medicine with a halter around his neck”, said a division bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and H S Bedi.

Can the heir of a deceased payee of a dishonoured cheque file a criminal complaint? The Bombay High Court does not think so.

The Aurangabad bench of the high court earlier this week quashed the process issued by a metropolitan magistrate’s court in Ahmednagar in August 2008 against one Vishnupat Khaire.

On September 28, 2007, Khaire had issued a cheque of Rs 3 lakh in favour of one Balbir Madhan. A few days earlier, on September 5, Madhan died in an accident.

Kailash said when he deposited the cheque on February 5, 2008, it was dishonoured.

As a setback to the Gujarat government lead by Narendra Modi, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh taking the case away from the state.

The Supreme Court expressed its dissatisfaction over the conduct of the case by the state government as the latter failed to conduct impartial investigations and filed conflicting reports.

State has expressed that a CBI probe cannot be ordered as the charge sheet has already been filed. However, a Bench consisting of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and Aftab Alam held that the investigation by the Gujarat police could not be said to be satisfactorily held.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 : Former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore, who has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s, is expected to move the High Court on Monday for his bail.

The Panchkula court had on Friday (January8) dismissed the bail plea of Rathore.

The court had also slammed the Haryana Police for failing to provide evidences against Rathore, and for not opposing his bail petition.

Rathore has three cases pending against him in the court; all filed by Ruchika''s family and friends.

Ruchika''s family lawyer Pankaj Bharadwaj had earlier filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rathore.

Justice B S Chauhan on Thursday removed himself from case as Reliance Power filed by an appeal. The appeal is to challenge an Allahabad High Court order involving land acquisition for the Dadri mega power plant.

The hearing was adjourned till January 18 by a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice B S Chauhan. Giving the reason for the adjourned Justice Chauhan said that as a judge of the Allahabad HC he had partly heard the appeal. The appeal is to herd by another bench on January 18.

Lahore, Jan. 6 : The Lahore High Court (LHC) has stayed the removal of 19 doctors, who are accused of negligence in the medical treatment of late Huma Akram, the wife of former test cricketer Waseem Akram.

Huma had died on October 25 while on an air ambulance carrying her from Lahore to Singapore, which stopped in Chennai (India) to refuel. Her disease, which was only diagnosed fully in the autopsy, was an extremely rare one.

Islamabad, Jan. 6 : The Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that the issue of the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of persons in Balochistan is posing greater challenges to the country’s democracy than the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

“The government should be aware of the consequences of missing person cases which is bigger than the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) for it affects every citizen of the country,” The Dawn quoted Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, as saying.

Islamabad, Jan. 6 : The Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that the issue of the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of persons in Balochistan is posing greater challenges to the country’s democracy than the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

“The government should be aware of the consequences of missing person cases which is bigger than the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) for it affects every citizen of the country,” The Dawn quoted Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, as saying.

Ghaziabad, Jan 5 : A Ghaziabad court on Tuesday gave permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct narco tests on Aarushi''s parents Rajesh and Nupur Talwar.

However, date of narco test is not finalised.

The Aarushi murder case, which rocked the country a year and a half ago, returned to the spotlight on Monday, with the CBI seeking permission from the court.

The court heard the CBI''s application, which said its probe team found fresh clues, requiring the Talwars to undergo narco tests.

Jaipur, Jan 5 : The bail plea of Habib Hussain, who was caught hiding in the toilet of an Air India flight from Medina to Jaipur, will be heard on Tuesday in a Jaipur court.

Habib Hussain''s escape had triggered a controversy over security arrangements. He had earlier claimed that he was desperate to escape from Saudi Arabia, where he was kept like a bonded slave, his passport being taken away and he was made to work without pay.

Hussain has said that he could afford to eat only once a day and used to survive on alms that were handed to him by pilgrims going to Mecca and Medina.

"There are many who are being mistreated. Brokers take you there and once you are there they don''t pay you and in a way they sell you off," said Habib.

New Delhi / Varanasi / Amritsar / Puri, Jan 1 : To herald an auspicious start to the year 2010, devotees across the country offered prayers and sought the blessings of the Almighty on Friday.

People came out in large numbers to pray for a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Braving the winter chill, devotees at the holy city of Varanasi offered prayers to the rising sun, and took a dip in the holy River Ganges.

They offered prayers at Lord Vishwanath''s temple to begin their new year.

Panchkula (Haryana), Dec 30 : A Panchkula court on Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore.

The court said no anticipatory bail would be given to Rathore till January 1.

With this, Rathore who was earlier handed a six months jail sentence for molesting Ruchika Girhotra may be arrested soon.

Rathore had filed the bail application after two fresh cases were filed against him.

Kochi, Dec 30 : Kerala CPI (M) Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan was today granted bail by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in connection with the state''s financial fraud controversy- the SNC Lavalin case.

Judge K P Jothindranath granted bail to Vijayan and directed him to furnish a bail bond of two lakh rupees and two sureties for a similar amount.

Vijayan was the State Electricity Minister when the SNC Lavalin scam broke out.

SNC Lavalin power scandal is one of the biggest financial scams to rock Kerala.

On Monday, the Florida Supreme Court ordered local judges to adopt a proper, uniform mediation program which they would follow in all cases of foreclosures, as well as other interventions, to effectively deal with the huge wave of foreclosure cases that have ended up clogging the courts.

With the order, Chief Justice Peggy Quince seems to be agreeing with the court's Task Force on Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Cases, which had recommended the plan earlier this year. Adoption of the plan has now been ordered, and under Justice Quince's order, a “model administrative order" will be issued by chief judges in every circuit.

New Delhi, Dec 30 : Artistes have hailed the Central Government''s proposal to amend the Copyright Act of 1957.

At a meeting hosted here on Tuesday, they deliberated on the implications of the existing Copyright Act and the proposed amendments, which will fetch them substantial royalties. Those who took part in the meet were composers, singers and lyricists.

Renowned singer and compose Shankar Mahadevan said amendment should allow artistes to retain their own creations.

"This amendment when it comes out it will be something that will help each one of us, not only us but also future generations. All the young composers, their grand children and everybody will be able to retain their own creations," he added.

Karachi, Dec. 26 : Pakistan’s Law Minister Babar Awan said the PPP government won’t allow military courts in the country, as there is no room for parallel courts in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference at People''s Secretariat, Awan said that Prime Minister Gilani would take a decision on the issue as per his will in case of a deadlock between the constitution and the law, The Dawn reports.

Despite the high fatigue factor (I’ve often felt like the woman in that toothpaste ad who would always says in tones of great exasperation, “Ofo, ek aur naya toothpaste?!”) this really was the year of reality TV. And reality shows were not restricted to any one channel — all the entertainment channels were equal participants (offenders?) when it came to launching one show after another. Despite the near-blizzard, the programmes didn’t blur into each other the way soaps and serials did (to my jaundiced eyes, that is. I’m sure people who follow their favourite serials have a different story to tell).