Mining case: NGT displeased with MoEF
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed displeasure over the absence of a representative of the Ministry of Environment and Forest in a sand mining case, saying even in the New Year it “persists” in its “practice” of being unrepresented. “Nobody is present on behalf of respondent 1 (MoEF). It had been assured to the Tribunal that there will be proper representation of MoEF before the Tribunal and all requisites steps in accordance with law would be taken,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
Def Ministry to quiz European middleman
New Delhi: A team of Defence Ministry and CBI officials will question European middleman Guido Haschke before an Italian court on Thursday in connection with the alleged bribery in the Rs 3,600 VVIP chopper deal. Haschke is suspected to be a key player in the bribery scandal for swinging the deal in favour of AgustaWestland. Defence Ministry has been made an affected party by the Milan court that has allowed India to grill the middleman. A CBI team led by an SP rank official of the CBI along MoD team will leave for Italy on Wednesday. India had on January 1 scrapped the deal with AgustaWestland for violation of the Integrity pact. CBI will for the first time question Haschke, one of the 13 accused in a corruption case being probed by the agency here.
INS Vikramaditya reaches Karnataka
New Delhi: After a delay of almost five years, India’s largest warship aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya reached its home base Karwar in Karnataka. The long-awaited USD 2.3 billion aircraft carrier had started its voyage towards India from Russia after it was inducted formally on November 16 there by Defence Minister AK Antony.
new faces to be inducted as AICC delegates
New Delhi: Four to five new faces from the Hindi belt as well as some other States could be inducted as AICC spokespersons while the 36-member list of television panelists from Congress could witness a thorough rejig this month. Sources said that the changes are planned to take place after the January 17 AICC meeting, which will be held amid a growing clamour in the party for projecting Rahul Gandhi as Congress’ PM candidate. The exercise is part of the Congress V-P’s plan to revamp the media strategy of the party ahead of the next lok Sabha polls.