Indian news & views briefly

NOV 16: Security provided to 1993 serial bomb blasts accused and extradited gangster, Abu Salem, has been stepped up further, following inputs that he could face danger from rival gangs, reports PTI quoting CBI sources. CBI sources said that Salem was today taken in a police van to Sir George Hospital for routine medical check instead of the ambassador car in which he was taken for the past three days.

Armed policemen have been posted all around the C-3 bungalow, round-the-clock, and a close watch is kept even on people visiting the adjacent bungalows that houses State Ministers Vimal Mundada, Ranjit Kamble and Ravishet Patil, the sources said.

They said security personnel intercepted a person last night who was found moving suspiciously at the backside of the bungalow that houses CBI STF office. But upon inquiry he turned out to be a journalist of a local tabloid, who was in search of news.

Annoyed by this, CBI sources have warned media men not to venture in such activities as the security personnel would act harshly against intruders owing to security reasons.

Hanuman is a hit, smashes all records
Mumbai, Nov. 15: Sahara One Motion Pictures� first animation venture Hanuman, made in association with Percept and Silvertoons at a cost of Rs 2.5 crores, has been declared a hit by the trade. The 90-minute Hanuman, based on the life of the mythological hero, has grossed record earnings of Rs 7 crores from all over India since its opening, including Rs 3.5 crores from Mumbai alone.

Hanuman is here. It is based on the adventures of Hanuman, the hero from the Ramayana.

An impressive Rs 1.5 crores had been collected in the first three days alone, a remarkable feat for an animation film. This is the first time that such a film had been promoted like a normal feature movie, with 150 prints circulated nationwide on the day of release.

Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, on the performance of Hanuman: �The box office collections of Hanuman are bigger and better then most other star cast films released in the last one month. It is a one of the best products to hit the screen recently.�

Sandeep Bhargava, chief operating officer of Sahara One Motion Pictures, adds: �This film has appealed to audiences of all age groups. The film has started well and will pace up in the coming weeks. With the Christmas holidays coming up shortly, Hanuman will get its audiences glued with its fantastic animation and screenplay.� Hanuman is about the extraordinary journey of this mythical superhero � from his days as an adorable, miracle-working baby to his ultimate triumph in the army of Lord Ram. Hanuman has made waves in the animation industry with its numerous pioneering features.

Animation guru V.G. Samant, a three-time national award winner and two-time international award winner, took two years and three months to create over 200,000 individual images along with 40 individual characters for the film. There were 108 artistes and 120 animation artistes involved. Hanuman has been officially recorded as India�s first indigenous animation film in the Limca Book of Records 2004 edition. Leading playback singers like Shaan, Sonu Nigam, Palash Sen, Kailash Kher, Saapna Mukherjee, Madhushri and Sneha Pant have sung for the film. (Source: Deccan Chronicle)

Maoists storm jail, free hundreds, kill two

PATNA, Nov 14 - Hundreds of Maoist rebels stormed a jail in Jahanabad town of Bihar state, killing at least two people and freeing more than 300 prisoners, including many fellow guerrillas.

The rebels reportedly entered the town late Sunday night in small groups, cut off power in areas around the jail and attacked the prison.

They killed one jail guard and a member of a private landlord army and also abducted at least two dozen members of a private army of upper caste landlords who were jail inmates, says news report. "We have rushed reinforcements from other places to control the situation," Bihar's police chief, Ashish Ranjan Sinha, told Reuters in Patna. Police and local witnesses said the Maoists made announcements during their night-time attack in Jehanabad, saying civilians should remain indoors and would not be harmed.

No de-militarization until infiltration stops: Manmohan

NOV 13: India on Saturday made it clear that there was no question of demilitarization unless Pakistan stopped cross-border terrorism and attempts at infiltration.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit in Dhaka, also asserted that in moving the peace process forward and correcting the "trust deficit" it was important that "we are not deflected by the incidents of terrorism and infiltration attempts that continue."

Salem, Monica may reveal Bollywood nexus

Nov 12: The Central Bureau of Investigation today began interrogating underworld don Abu Salem, extradited from Portugal and arrested for his alleged complicity in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, with the central intelligence agencies likely to join CBI in the probe soon.

The CBI started interrogating Salem at an undisclosed place in south Mumbai in the afternoon where a team of interrogators started with the routine procedure of recording history of the gangster, CBI sources told media.

"Salem is a wealth of information. He has closely been associated with the Dawood Ibrahim gang, and knows strengths and weaknesses of Dawood and his rival gangs better. The tit-bits he might give us during the course of interrogation can help us tying some loose ends in the intelligence of these gangs," the sources added.

Apart from the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case, the CBI�s special task force will also carry out a detailed inquiry into the assets and properties owned by Abu Salem and Monica Bedi and Salem�s links with Bollywood.

CBI officials confirmed that they would be carrying out an in-depth inquiry of all the cases and both Salem and Monica would be interrogated separately.

A senior CBI official from Delhi said, �The CBI will question Monica and Salem individually and any disclosures made during the interrogation will be investigated thoroughly.�

Bollywood links

In the course of the investigation, the police learnt that a film producer helped Monica acquire two flats in MHADA�s Oshiwara Complex in Jogeshwari (W) on Salem�s orders.

They suspect the producer has close links with the gangster and has even used Salem�s money for making a few films.

A CBI official said, �All those film personalities who are named during the interrogation might be called upon for questioning, depending on the role they have played in executing Salem�s orders.�

Monica�s flats sealed

The two flats, one of which is in Monica�s mother Shakuntala Bedi�s name, were sealed by MHADA in 2001. A senior MHADA official, on condition of anonymity, revealed that Monica paid about Rs 15.5 lakh for each flat, which cost Rs 28 lakh.

Since complete payment for the flats is still pending and Monica was absconding for over five years, MHADA attached the flats and will now be selling them, once the legalities are sorted out.

CBI, police work together

When asked if the CBI would seek assistance from the Mumbai police, the senior officer replied, �The Mumbai police has three cases against Salem and if their assistance is needed to probe some links, we will surely approach them.

Also, Salem�s custody will be given to the Mumbai police, as there are cases of murder, extortion and other serious cases registered against him. The Mumbai police can also probe his Bollywood nexus.�

Monica Bedi taken to Hyderabad

Monica Bedi (Courtey: Star News)

Monica Bedi was taken to Hyderabad by CBI officials last night.

Bedi was escorted by Hyderabad police to Sultan Bazar, where she spent the night at a mini ladies police station.

��She appeared composed from the time she landed till we reached Sultan Bazar,�� said Deputy Superintendent of Police, A Khan. "She was very quiet during the drive.��

At the police station, women constables inquired if she required anything. ��She only asked for some fruit and was given an apple and a banana,�� said another official. She was also given a blanket.

Bedi, the second wife of Abu Salem, faces charges of forgery in two fake passport cases.

Salem claims to have divorced his first wife Sameera Jumani, who now resides in the US.

(Sources: Mid-Day, PTI)