A fresh war of words broke out on Thursday between Amar Singh and civil society representatives after police indicated that the CD containing a purported conversation among the expelled SP leader, lawyer Shanti Bhushan and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav was not tampered with.

Man-leopard conflicts have intensified to the extent that 291 leopards were reported killed in 2010 and another 235 were killed in 2009.
With the leopard population in the country dropping to 11,000, a worried environment minister Jairam Ramesh has shot off a letter to chief ministers asking them to create a trained response team to prevent their extinction as happened in the case of the cheetah.

Civil rights activist Binayak Sen, who is serving life sentence after being convicted of sedition by a Raipur court on December 24, could enjoy his supper with his family in his home here on Monday after a gap of nearly four months, thanks to Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, who asked his officials to “keep their hands off” the doctor by rejecting their suggestions to contest the bail granted to him by Supreme Court on December 15.

Criticising the statements of some ruling party leaders against members of the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, the BJP on Tuesday alleged that corruption has become “Congress-centric.” The party alleged the UPA has given “supari (contract)” to professionals to defame the anti-corruption campaign of Mr Anna Hazare.

In a move aimed at killing two birds in one stroke, the Congress strategists are asking noted social activist Anna Hazare to launch his nationwide campaign against corruption from Narendra Modi-run Gujarat. “He could start the campaign from any Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state,” a CWC member said. The suggestion has come at a time when the main Opposition has been trying to fix the Congress over the graft issue inside and outside Parliament.

Unnerved over realignment of political forces opposed to her, BSP supremo and UP chief minister Mayawati is reportedly mulling over advancing the state Assembly election to as early as November this year or latest by February next year.

With an eye on the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, senior BJP leaders from the state will be holding a meeting on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by party chief Nitin Gadkari and other central leaders, will take stock of the party’s preparation for the state Assembly polls, scheduled in 2012.

With elections fast approaching, UP chief minister Mayawati is now determined to refurbish the image of her government and for this she is ready to put even senior leaders in the party and officers in the government on the chopping block.

A special city court on Wednesday denied bail to five corporate executives named as co-accused in the case involving the award of second generation (2G) telecom spectrum during the tenure of former communications minister A. Raja. judge O.P. Saini.

The case of alleged molestation of girl students from Alwar in Rajasthan during a school trip here six months ago, has been transferred to the sessions court, official sources on Wednesday said.