Posts Tagged ‘Patna’
Written by admin on 05 February 2012
Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar Sunday issued a show cause notice to legislator Sonelal Hembrum, a day after the vigilance department initiated a process to confiscate his assets in a corruption case.
“The show cause notice has been issued to him to explain his stand on the vigilance department’s move. Action will be taken against him by the party,” Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters here.
The state vigilance department had asked the Patna civil court to confiscate his “moveable and immovable property disproportionate to his known source of income”, a vigilance official said.
Vigilance lodged a case against Hembrum, a former deputy commissioner in the excise department, for amassing assets including property valued at over Rs.24 lakh during his tenure.
An official in the vigilance department told IANS on condition of anonymity that this is the first time in Bihar when an official-turned-politician’s property would be confiscated in a disproportionate assets case.
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Written by admin on 05 February 2012
Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) In a shining example of communal harmony in India, Muslims have helped build a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Durga in Bihar’s Gaya district, not just by making donations but also by supervising its construction.
“Muslims have not only donated money for temple construction, they have been involved in it like us,” Suresh Prasad told IANS about the shrine at Loco Colony near the railway station in Gaya town, about 100 km from here.
The temple was opened for prayers and worship last week.
Said Ashok Kumar, another resident: “There was active help from Muslims, all of whom are railway employees. This temple is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity as both joined hands to construct it.”
One of those involved was Tauhid Alam. “We have been living here for years and taking care of each other. It is a gesture for communal harmony,” he said.
He said the foundation of the temple was laid in 2010 and after that Muslims and Hindus of the locality worked together to construct it.
“We joined Hindus to collect donation for temple construction and also supervise construction work,” said Mohammad Rafiq, another Muslim resident.
Muslims personally donated and collected funds worth nearly Rs.5 lakh, locals said.
Mohammad Sahab said dozens of Muslims donated money and others helped by doing other works for the construction.
Muslims make up around 16 percent of the 105 million population of Bihar. In Gaya town, there are over a dozen Muslim localities.
Gaya is considered a communally-sensitive town and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been winning the assembly seat for over two decades — thanks to communal polarisation of votes ahead of the polls.
But Lalji Prassad, a social activist in Gaya, said this move of the Muslims in the construction of the shrine would send a strong message of harmony and peace.
“It is a positive development. People active in public life should propagate how Muslims helped build a temple,” he said.
Businessman Mahesh Agrawal said such cooperation should be encouraged. “If Muslims can help build a temple, Hindus should now come forward to help Muslims in their projects.”
Earlier, a Muslim had donated his land for constructing a temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva in Begusarai district. Mohammad Fakhrool Islam had given land for it in Muslim-dominated Bachwara village.
Over three decades ago, some Hindus had donated a piece of land for the construction of a mazar in the same village.
(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in)
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Written by admin on 04 February 2012
Patna, Feb 4 (IANS) After confiscating the assets of corrupt officials, Bihar has now initiated a process to confiscate the property of a ruling party legislator in a corruption case, officials Saturday said.
The state vigilance department has moved the Patna civil court for a direction to confiscate Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Sonelal Hembrum’s assets. BJP is a coalition partner in the ruling coalition headed by Nitish Kumar.
“The vigilance department has filed a petition in court to confiscate Hembrum’s moveable and immovable property disproportionate to his known source of income. His property will be attached after court permissionm,” a vigilance official said.
Vigilance lodged a case against Hembrum, a former deputy commissioner in the excise department, for amassing assets including property valued at over Rs.24 lakh during his official tenure. Vigilance had raided his residence in 1997 and then lodged a case against him.
An official in the vigilance department told IANS on condition of anonymity that this is the first time in Bihar when an official-turned-politician’s assets would be confiscated. “For the first time, the government has initiated a move to confiscate the property of any elected representive in a disproportionate assets case,” the official said.
Three days ago,a special vigilance court ordered the confiscation of the assets of former Bihar police chief Narayan Mishra and his wife on corruption charges. The court has asked the Patna district magistrate to make the seizures within 30 days. Mishra has been accused of having assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Till date, the Bihar government has confiscated the houses of an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Shiv Shankar Verma, and a treasury clerk, Girish Kumar.
Proceedings to confiscate properties of some more officials, including former drug controller Y.K. Jaiswal, revenue officer Yogendra Prasad Singh, engineer Srikant Prasad and former Rajbhasha Parishad director B.N. Chowdhary have also been initiated.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave his nod for prosecution of 11 officials of various departments last year.
The government last year put in place the Special Courts Act to confiscate properties of corrupt officials.
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Written by admin on 03 February 2012
Patna, Feb 3 (IANS) Six Bihar government employees have been expelled from a departmental examination for promotions after they were caught cheating, an official said Friday.
Officials in the general administration department here said the examination was being held at a government-run girls high school at Shastrinagar here Thursday. “It was shocking that government officials were caught cheating,” an official said.
The government is likely to initiate departmental proceedings against them. “All six have been banned from appearing in the biannual departmental examination in future,” the official said.
According to department officials, all gazetted officers have to undergo departmental examination for promotions.
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Written by admin on 03 February 2012
Patna, Feb 3 (IANS) A Bihar court Friday acquitted 11 Nepali Maoist leaders, including a former minister and six MPs, on a state government petition seeking to withdraw criminal cases against them.
The government Wednesday filed a petition in the court of additional district judge in Patna for the withdrawal of cases against the arrested Nepali Maoists, government lawyer Jai Prakash Singh said.
The state government initiated the move to withdraw the criminal cases following a request by the central home ministry, he added.
According to police officials here, on May 2, 2004, a special team led by then Patna Senior Superintendent of Police N.H. Khan arrested 11 Maoist leaders, including two party politburo members, from five hotels in Patna for their alleged involvement in anti-India activities.
Soon after, a criminal case was lodged with Gandhi Maidan police station and they were sent to judicial custody in Beur jail in Patna and later to the Buxar jail.
The Patna High Court granted them bail on June 16, 2006. Released June 22, 2006, they returned to Nepal where they now occupy key positions.
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Written by admin on 02 February 2012
Patna, Feb 2 (IANS) The Bihar government has decided to withdraw criminal cases against 11 Nepali Maoist leaders including a former minister and six MPs, a government lawyer said Thursday.
“The government has filed a petition in the court of additional district judge in Patna for the withdrawal of cases. It is now a court formality,” lawyer Jai Prakash Singh said.
Singh said the state government initiated the move to withdraw the criminal cases following a request by the home ministry.
The people concerned had got bail in India and returned to Nepal where they now occupy key positions.
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