Terrorist Information System (TIS) ... an useful tool in the hands of counter-terror agencies

http://t.co/pAou7aTl7P

Terror data portal to help agencies coordinate better

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 26, 2013, 03.29AM IST

NEW DELHI: A case like arrest of suspected terrorist Liyaqat Ali Shah, caught between claims and counter-claims made by two police organizations, may not be repeated in future. The Centre has launched its ambitious online Terrorist Information System (TIS) to aggregate states' terrorist data under a single platform, making it easier for one agency to know what the other is up to.

The Union home ministry, instrumental in getting the web platform activated, on Monday allotted user IDs and passwords to all states and NIA, asking them to feed the TIS portal with all details relating to terrorists and terror incidents.

"States are expected to upload all details within a fortnight so that each one of them can get details of any terror incident in the country with just a click of mouse or touch of mobile screen after logging onto the TIS website," said a senior home ministry official.

Login details will be available to anti-terror wings of all state\UT police and NIA. The TIS platform is devised in such a way that it can be opened by each agency using separate ID and password.

Details that can be uploaded on the website - designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre (NIC) - include physical features, fingerprints and photograph of accused, brief case summary of terror incidents, status of appeal (in court), surrender application, if any, of terrorists and financial transactions among accused.

"States have been instructed to update the portal on daily basis, depending on development of the cases being investigated by them and fresh arrest\release of an accused\suspect," said an official.

It is believed that had this system been in place, it would have been easier for Delhi Police to know whether the suspected Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorist, Liyaqat Ali Shah, had applied for his surrender with the Jammu & Kashmir Police two years ago. Delhi Police claimed that Shah had returned from Pakistan to carry out terror attacks in the national Capital, whereas its J&K counterpart contradicted it claiming the former HM militant had come to surrender before the state police.

Officials also felt that had the TIS been operational, the dreaded Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist — Yasin Bhatkal alias Ahmed Siddibappa — would not have been released by the Kolkata Police four years ago when he was arrested in connection with a fake currency note case. Kolkata Police could realize the mistake of treating him like a petty criminal only when they later got details about him from both NIA and Maharashtra Police.

The concept of TIS had gathered momentum when India had erroneously shared a list of 50 wanted terrorists with Pakistan claiming that all of them were suspected to be in the neighbouring country. Later, however, it found out that two of them were in India with one being released on bail.

India's faux pas was then attributed to the central agencies' inability to maintain an updated database comprising details of terrorists, terror incidents and terror funding...........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wMy8yNiNBcjAxMTAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Civil Services (Main) Exam .... UPSC restores the status of regional languages

http://t.co/aHxEgKTVP5

Stung by row, UPSC allows regional language in Main exam without any 'condition'

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 22, 2013, 02.22AM IST

NEW DELHI: Succumbing to the pressure of those who were opposed to pro-English and pro-Hindi tilt of UPSC in civil services (Main) examination, the government on Thursday finally restored the status of other scheduled languages by bringing partial change in the March 5th notification allowing aspirants to take their test in any regional language.

Besides, aspirants can also opt for literature of any of the 22 eighth schedule languages and English as their optional subject even if they didn't study them during their undergraduate courses.

Under the fresh notification, the marks of English (100 marks as specified by March 5th notification) will also not be counted for making merit list of selected candidates for elite services like IAS, IFS, IPS and other central jobs. The English test paper (carrying 300 marks) will now just be 'qualifying' in nature like previous year exams.

The UPSC, however, increased the marks of essay paper from existing 200 to 250. The total marks in the Main exam will now be 1,750 - four papers of general studies (1,000), two papers of an optional subject (500) and essay (250).

Announcing the amendment to the commission's March 5 notification, minister of state for personnel, V Narayanasamy, said, "A candidate will be allowed to use any one regional language from the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India or English as the medium of writing the examination as before. The conditionality of a minimum of 25 candidates in that medium and the requirement to have that language as the medium of examination at graduation level is proposed to be dropped".

As per the amendment, the English component (of 100 marks ) from the essay paper will also be dropped and the two qualifying papers of 300 marks each in any modern Indian language and in English — as in previous years — will be restored.

"The essay paper will now be of 250 marks to be written in the medium/language of candidate's choice," the minister said in Parliament.

He said the government had re-looked at some aspects (the language section) of the newly-notified pattern of the civil services (Main) exam in view of the concerns raised by the members in both Houses of Parliament.

Besides giving weight to the English language paper, the March 5th notification had carried the contentious provisions relating to regional languages, prohibiting candidates to opt for literature of any particular language as their optional subject if they didn't study it in their graduation course. Similarly, it also prohibited them to write their exam in a particular regional language if there are less than 25 candidates opting for that medium of instruction.

In that case, they would have to write their exam in either English or Hindi, which was vehemently opposed by many aspirants in non-Hindi speaking states.

The March 5th notification had also drawn severe criticism from chief ministers with a number of them, including Shivraj Singh Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), J Jayalalithaa (Tamil Nadu) and Narendra Modi (Gujarat), writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding withdrawal of the order.

None of the CMs or political parties, however, had opposed the notification for its non-language-related changes where it gives substantial weight to general studies papers in the revamped system...........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wMy8yMiNBcjAxMTAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Post-encounter probe is quite a complex issue .... cops may want some legal cover before entering 'war' zone....Supreme Court has to strike a balance....after all, killing is killing ... whether it's done by a Maoist\Terrorist or a cop

http://t.co/f6zGgu3grC

Centre opposes HC order on filing of cases against security men for causing death

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 18, 2013, 04.34AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Centre has strongly objected to the four-year-old Andhra Pradesh high court verdict making it mandatory for registration of criminal cases against police personnel for causing death of any person during discharge of official duties, irrespective of the circumstances, and requested the Supreme Court to set aside the order.

In its affidavit, filed in the apex court last week, the home ministry said the HC order was "fraught with extremely serious portents and consequences to the very existence of India as a nation state".

Responding to a writ petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC), the HC had on February 6, 2009 directed that where a police officer causes death of a person, acting or purporting to act in discharge of official duties or in self-defence as the case may be, an FIR to such circumstances may be registered and investigated.

The Andhra Pradesh Police Officers Association had challenged the HC order in the Supreme Court, which stayed it in March 2009.

Under current practice, a magisterial inquiry is conducted to determine the circumstances of the death. Action against police/security personnel involved is taken if the magisterial inquiry establishes wrongdoing on their part. But if the Andhra HC judgment comes into effect, an investigation by an independent agency will be conducted alongside the magisterial inquiry.

As the apex court wanted to hear the Centre's views on the matter, the home ministry gave its response last week and listed specific cases and circumstances where police had to fire upon Maoists, terrorists or insurgents to save lives and protect public property. It said, "There cannot be a universal principle guiding all exchanges of fire and treating them as criminal offence for determination by the courts."

Citing incidents like the one in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh in April 2010 when 75 CRPF personnel were killed in an ambush by CPI (Maoist), the ministry said the HC order, under such circumstances, would destroy the "sovereign edifice of the state and provide free run to gun-wielding non-state actors, who can hold society and the state to ransom".

The ministry argued that if the principle laid down by the HC was accepted, even 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab (who was hanged to death in November last year) would have had the statutory right after his arrest to get a criminal case registered against NSG officials and state police personnel who would have had to eventually defend their cases in their private capacities.

"If the judgment of the high court comes to be universally applied in all cases of exchanges of fire resulting in death of an insurgent or a militant, the natural reaction of all security force personnel would be to disengage and retreat, to avoid a prolonged criminal investigation and trial in their private capacities," the ministry said.

Making it clear that the home ministry did not condone extra-judicial killings by members of security forces under any circumstances, it told the apex court that "such aberrations by the security forces can be and are being addressed on a case to case basis under the existing legal framework and principles"........................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzAzLzE4I0FyMDE1MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

J&K terror incident ---- tough days for votaries of peace ....

http://t.co/Ofp1Smu1DC

Fidayeen attack in Srinagar: Diaries, made in Pak ointment found on killed terrorists

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 15, 2013, 03.14AM IST

NEW DELHI: A day after the government indicated Pakistani footprints in the Srinagar attack, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Thursday listed the reasons which prompted security agencies to point to foreign origin of the killed terrorists.

Shinde, while making a statement over the incident in Parliament, said items like diaries carrying telephone numbers and a Pakistan-made tube of skin ointment found on the terrorists indicated that they were of 'foreign' origin.

He said, "Investigations reveal that this tube (Betnovate skin ointment) was manufactured in Glaxo Smithkline Pak Ltd at 35 Dockyard, Karachi. The name of the tube was mentioned in Urdu and the numbers mentioned in the diaries appear to be of Pakistani origin."

Emphasizing that the terrorists were suicide attackers, the home minister said, "Their bodies were shaven which confirms them to be fidayeen" - pointing to the practice among such terrorists who shave their bodies after leaving their family for the assigned mission.

Officials in security agencies explained that bodies of all the 'fidayeen' in the past were found to be shaven. "It may just be a coincidence, but past findings point to this practice", said an official, adding the 'shaven' body could just be a pointer.

Hours after the incident on Wednesday, home secretary R K Singh had said that agencies had inputs that four terrorists had entered. "So, we were alert... These two terrorists have been killed. There might be two more (terrorists) who are out," he had said.

Even the home minister on Thursday said the government "knew there will be such attempts" after the execution of Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Shinde made the statement after sharp criticism by opposition members who said the government had repeatedly failed in preventing terror incidents as well in dealing with Pakistan from where it originates.

"The killed terrorists are suspected to be of foreign origin," he said about the incident in Lok Sabha. However when pressed in the Rajya Sabha for clarifications, Shinde said he did not say that the terrorists were Pakistanis and only mentioned them as foreigners.

"The killed terrorists are suspected to be of foreign origin...Although the responsibility for the incident was owned by an agent of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the authenticity of the claim is yet to be ascertained," Shinde said.

He disagreed with contentions that the situation on the terror front in the Valley has turned from bad to worse saying there has been decline in the number of terror incidents as well as infiltration incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years.

"We are focusing on PoK and we are keeping a watch on the camps there. We are very vigilant. Our intelligence agencies are very serious," Shinde said..........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wMy8xNSNBcjAxMDAz&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

J&K terror attack ...... Is this a beginning to spoil the last year's gain over peace process?

http://t.co/9tmIuEUqJ9

Attack on CRPF camp in J&K: Govt sees Pak hand, points finger at LeT

Vishwa Mohan & Deeptiman Tiwary, TNN | Mar 14, 2013, 06.59AM IST

NEW DELHI: Parliament House attack case convict Afzal Guru's hanging appears to have given a new lease of life to terror in the Valley. Attack on a CRPF camp in Bemina area of Srinagar is a sign of Pakistan-based terror groups' successful attempt to carry out attacks taking advantage of the surcharged atmosphere.

The attack on Wednesday was carried out despite the forces being on alert. The four terrorists, who sneaked in from across the border, could not have timed it better when the Valley has been observing a series of public protests — first against Guru's hanging and later while pitching for handing over the body of the Parliament House attack convict.

Though the 'exact' identity of the 'fidayeen' (suicide attackers) could not be immediately known, the government agencies pointed their fingers at Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — based on electronic chatters and other intelligence inputs.

The officials also out-rightly rejected the initial claims where someone tried to pop up Hizbul Mujahideen's name for the attack. Though the Kashmir-based outfit later denied its role, officials said the earlier claim was deliberately made by some group to mask LeT's hand.

Hours after the incident, Union home secretary R K Singh said, "Prima facie the terrorists don't appear to be local but from across the border and first impressions are that they were possibly from Pakistan".

Emphasizing that the government had inputs, Singh said, "We had inputs that four terrorists have entered. So we were alert...These two terrorists have been killed. There might be two more (terrorists) who are out".

Security agencies said that there had been a number of intercepts, pointing at Pakistan-based terrorist groups' frustration of not carrying out something big for long. Atmosphere in the Valley post-Guru's hanging had been referred to a number of times after February 9 when the Parliament House attack case convict was hanged inside Tihar Central Jail here.

Such an attack just before beginning of the tourist season certainly causes alarm. The past two seasons had seen quite a high number of tourists visiting the Valley, showing a sign of normalcy — something which did not go down well among the terrorists groups. Even though Valley has remained relatively quiet in the recent years, infiltration of militants has been on the rise. In fact, it was more than double in 2012 as compared to 2011.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wMy8xNCNBcjAxMjAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

AND

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wMy8xNCNBcjAxMjAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

AFSPA .... civilians are forced to live with this draconian provision

http://t.co/jX6yXGK4lE

Now, AFSPA may not be scrapped

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 14, 2013, 05.47AM IST

NEW DELHI: Killing of five CRPF personnel by Pakistani terrorists in a 'fidayeen' attack in Srinagar may put the demand for withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir on back burner.

Though the security agencies and armed forces had never been in favour of withdrawal of this Act which provides them 'special' powers of arrest , search and seizure in 'disturbed areas' , the Wednesday's incident will give the Centre—specifically the defence ministry—a handle to snub the proponents of such demand at this juncture.

Even the proposal to partially withdraw the AFSPA from certain peaceful districts may go to deep freeze. Incidentally , Srinagar is one of the districts which has been identified for 'partial' withdrawal of this controversial act which gives certain protection to security forces while fighting militancy.

The other districts in this category include Budgam, Jammu and Samba where the J&K government had planned to revoke the Disturbed Areas Act, a prelude to automatic revocation of the AFSPA. Both the Centre and the CM Omar Abdullah had last year pitched for 'partial' withdrawal of the Act. But, the defence ministry had shot this down following the opposition to it from the Army.................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wMy8xNCNBcjAxMjA3&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

New law in making .. expect a better draft post discussion

http://t.co/p4nVu824sl

Group of ministers to tighten anti-rape law

Vishwa Mohan & Himanshi Dhawan,TNN | Mar 13, 2013, 01.53AM IST

NEW DELHI: The government is redrafting the anti-rape law following serious concerns raised by Cabinet members that the proposed legislation was loosely-worded and open to misuse, and did not account for new social realities of a growing women workforce and inadequacies of law enforcing agencies.

The criminal law amendment bill was urgently referred to a group of ministers after objections were raised at Tuesday morning's Cabinet meeting over the formulation of offences dealing with voyeurism, sexual harassment, stalking, unwelcome physical contact and abuse of positions of authority. There was also growing concern that the age of consent - irrespective of whether it is pegged at 16 or 18 years - may face opposition on the ground that it was at odds with Muslim personal law.

The GoM met for two hours in the evening and has begun to frame the changes that will be debated again on Wednesday.

The amended bill is to be considered afresh by the Cabinet on Thursday and then placed before an all-party meeting called for March 18 as the government scrambles to seek wide ranging consensus on the proposed law that is intended to replace the post-Nirbhaya ordinance defining a range of sexual offences and tough sentences.

Discussions in the GoM appeared to veer towards lowering age of consent to 16 years from 18 and tightening the definition of rape to make it a gender specific crime where the victim is female. Minister for women and child development Krishna Tirath has voiced objections to lowering the age of consent, but it is felt offences against minors can be addressed by a separate law.

Official sources said the provisions of the law could be misused to harass and settle scores and a far from efficient and accountable criminal justice system may be given sweeping powers. It was also felt safeguards were needed to balance the onus of innocence resting too strongly on a male accused.

Sensing that the rethink on provisions of the ordinance will expose the government to attacks from women's activists and political opponents, the government has called an all-party meeting on March 18. The government is cutting things fine as it must pass the bill before the budget session goes into a break on March 22.

If the bill passes muster with the opposition, it will be introduced in Parliament latest by March 20 - giving members of both Houses three days to discuss and pass it before Parliament adjourns for a month-long recess. The government cannot be certain that the main opposition BJP will be ready to bail it out by agreeing to the bill's urgent passage.

Sharp differences have arisen within the government over lowering the age of consent to 16 years, making definition of rape gender-specific and graded punishment for other crimes like voyeurism and stalking after it was felt the bill's current form makes it an odd fit for India's many layered society still strongly influenced by conservative and feudal elements.

This is the second time that lack of consensus in the government has forced it to defer the anti-rape law in six days. Last Thursday, the bill was not brought on agenda so that rough edges could be smoothed out, but the efforts were clearly inadequate as a GoM was set up.

Speaking after the GoM meeting, finance minister P Chidambaram said, "Now we have completed the work substantially. I think we will require another hour or so. Sections that we have covered, all points of view have been taken into account and reconciled and the final version has emerged and we can do that for the remaining sections also and tomorrow the work will be complete."

At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, some ministers pitched for adequate safeguards with regard to provisions on stalking to check false complaints. It is understood that all ministers with a law background - external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, telecom minister Kapil Sibal, law minister Ashwini Kumar, information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari and Chidambaram pointed to various infirmities in the bill.

A view emerged at the Cabinet meeting that the bill might not make it through Parliament in its present form as it would invite the opposition of several sections. There was concern that provisions dealing to specifying age of consent might rub conservative Muslim opinion the wrong way as attaining puberty is seen by some interpretations of religious law as the relevant factor.

The sense emerging from the Cabinet deliberations was that the bill seemed like an artificial graft imposing "Scandinavian liberalism" on a feudal society. The tough definitions do take into account contemporary Indian reality of a growing women workforce and the far from settled dynamics this has resulted in. There were concerns that the radical provisions left in the hands of law enforcement agencies were prone to misuse as well.

However, the government's two steps forward, one back attitude does create an impression of ambivalence and lack of clear political vision. The government can be danger of losing the credibility it sought to gain by coming across as being committed to tough laws on crime against women.

There were also differing views on the provisions regarding voyeurism, which is proposed to be made criminal offence, and lowering of age of consensual sex to 16 years from the current 18 years. Tirath is strongly in favour of keeping the age of consent at 18 years.

The stand is reflected in the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) that was passed by Parliament last year. In fact, Tirath had written to the PM expressing dissatisfaction at not being consulted on the anti-rape law despite the fact that it was an issue concerning women's welfare that her ministry is mandated with.

While Tirath is keen to continue with 18 years as the age of consent, a significant section of the Cabinet is of the view that this should be lowered to 16 years keeping in view the contemporary reality of greater sexual awareness and increasing sexual activity among teenagers.

On the issue of stalking and voyeurism, some ministers are of the view that the provisions were "prone to misuse" and should only be incorporated after putting in place sufficient safeguards, including harsh penalty for lodging false cases.

There are also differences on some other issues like replacing the term "rape" — which is more gender specific — with "sexual assault" — which is gender neutral. Some ministers were of the view that the law should be made gender specific so that the accused can only be a man but the victim can be both boys and girls. The GoM were of the view that the issue of rape and sexual offences against boys could be dealt with under POCSO.

The new area of concern was about the new anti-rape law being in conflict with the codes of Muslim Personal Law that allows a girl to be married after she reaches puberty. While this is already in violation of the prohibition of child marriage act, some members of the GoM felt that bringing in a new law that was in violation of the Muslim personal law could stir up a hornet's nest.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, whose ministry is piloting the Bill, expressed confidence that the legislation will be passed by March 22. Despite platitudes the government is aware that the issue has become a political hot potato. Some parties like the Samajwadi Party have serious reservations on certain provisions of the ordinance claiming they are prone to misuse.

The Criminal Laws Ordinance, which made anti-rape laws more stringent, was promulgated on February 3 in the wake of public outrage over the December 16 Delhi gang rape. The Ordinance has to be approved by Parliament before its month-long recess from March 22, failing which it would lapse on April 4...................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDMvMTMjQXIwMDMwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

New law in making .... differences of opinion will help in making better law .... let them discuss

http://t.co/fRVevlqeF6

Anti-rape Bill deferred second time in six days, referred to group of ministers

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 12, 2013, 11.10AM IST

NEW DELHI: Differences of opinion over the draft Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill - seeking to reintroduce the word 'rape' instead of 'sexual assault' in the anti-rape law and lower the age of consensual sex from 18 to 16 — forced the government to defer it again on Tuesday, second time in six days.

The special cabinet, called to discuss the issue, referred the Bill to the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) to sort out differences within the government. It is learnt that the age of consent - lowering it from 18 to 16 - is the major hitch as the ministry of women and child development is not fully convinced of the proposal of the home ministry.

Finance minister P Chidambaram will head the EGoM which will try to finalise the draft Bill as early as possible because the government is supposed to pass new legislation — replacing the existing Ordinance — before March 22 when both the Houses of Parliament adjourn for a month-long recess.

It is learnt that the law ministry has expressed reservations over the home ministry's draft replacing 'sexual assault' with 'rape' while the ministry of women and child development expressed strong reservation against bringing down the age of consent from 18 to 16 years.

"The Bill has to stand the scrutiny of Parliament and later judiciary. A consensus is must for the government before moving ahead. In all likelihood, the draft Bill will not undergo major changes now and will soon be brought before Cabinet," said an official.

The home ministry's draft has, in fact, reversed what the previous Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and the Ordinance on Criminal Law, 2013 had done in the case of the two contentious provisions and preferred to go by the recommendation of the Justice JS Verma committee's recommendation which insists on retaining the word 'rape' in the law.

The ordinance — making the anti-rape law much more stringent — was promulgated by the President on February 3 in the wake of public outrage over the December 16 gang-rape of Nirbhaya. Making sexual crimes gender neutral, the ordinance replaced 'rape' with 'sexual assault' in tune with provisions of the pending Bill.

The EGoM has to bring the fresh draft before the Cabinet as early as possible because government needs to bring it to Parliament within six weeks of the ordinance getting promulgated.

Bringing down the age of consent from 18 to 16 years is opposed by the WCD ministry since it will be run contrary to a recent law protecting children from sexual offences and the Child Marriage (Prohibition) Act.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, which was passed by Parliament last year, was enacted following recommendations by a parliamentary panel and a range of experts suggesting that the age of consent provision was being misused for child trafficking for sex, labour and domestic work. The WCD ministry had also reasoned that the provision was used to slap false cases against young couples who were targeted for not conforming to social norms.

The ministry had faced the wrath of child rights activists at the time who felt that stringent punishment like life imprisonment for sexual assault could be used to criminalize teenage sex, making any intercourse below 18 years of age an offence under this law.

UPSC takes a bold step .... these are expected irritants ... one shouldnot expect to become a bureaucrat without knowing basic English in 21stcentury

http://t.co/tZbAEHkhLi

Tug of war over language in civil services exam

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 12, 2013, 02.43AM IST

NEW DELHI: The revamped civil services examination - which selects candidates for elite central services including IAS, IPS and IFS among others - has set off a 'language' war.

It has drawn criticism from political parties with a number of them writing to the Centre requesting to withdraw the UPSC's notification which tilts towards aspirants who "know better English".

Even the clause which will not allow students speaking a certain regional language to take the exam in that medium unless there are at least 25 applicants willing to appear in that particular language has also been resisted. The new clause says, "In case there are less than 25 candidates opting for any approved language medium, then those candidates will be required to write their examination either in Hindi or in English only" - giving a clear tilt in favour of those who knows either Hindi or English.

A number of representations have reached UPSC, raising objection to its notification which gives 100 marks weightage to the 'English' language paper. Parliamentarians raised the issue in Rajya Sabha on Monday, saying the new exam pattern will unfairly give advantage to candidates from urban areas or English-medium educated aspirants.

Earlier, English language paper was qualifying in nature where its marks were not counted for selection. But under the new pattern, notified last Tuesday, its marks in the CSE (Main) will be counted while preparing the merit list for 'personality' test and final result.

Besides, the new pattern has completely removed the other regional language paper (any one of the languages enlisted in the 8th schedule of the Constitution) which used be qualifying in nature along with English.

Resenting the new pattern, which will also not allow students speaking a certain language to take the exam unless there are at least 25 applicants willing to appear in that particular language, TDP member C M Ramesh on Monday said, "The decision of UPSC goes against the interests of students of Andhra Pradesh."

Noting that aspirants from his state will not be allowed to opt for Telugu language as 'optional' paper unless there are 25 such applicants, Ramesh, while raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, said the decision had come as a "bolt from the blue" for his state and was "unjustified, illogical, unfounded and injustice to Andhra Pradesh".

Notwithstanding protests over the new pattern, government sources, however, said there was no move at all to withdraw the notification. "Giving weight to English by allotting 100 marks was a well thought out decision, keeping in mind the importance of the language in day-to-day administrative practice," said an official.

He said all 8th Schedule languages were, after all, treated equally and therefore it should not be resented.

Earlier, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "The practice of adding marks obtained in English to grand total of UPSC exam results is not only an attack on the morale of students but also affects future prospects of aspirants from rural and tribal areas and that of aspirants living in urban slums and the urban poor and middle class youths."

Terming the new exam pattern as "anti-people and unnecessary", the CM had last week demanded that the government should intervene and withdraw the notification.

In his letter, Chouhan said these youths could not compete with other aspirants whose English language skills were at par with international standards. Higher-level English medium schools could not be established in rural and urban areas due to administrative weakness, he added.

"But innocent youths are being punished for this even when they are not responsible for this, rather they have become victims," the chief minister said. He said it was wrong to assume that 100 marks, earmarked for English, out of total of 2,075 marks, do not play significant role in civil services exam................................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDMvMTIjQXIwMjEwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

New law in making ..... law makers have to keep the modern ethos in mind

http://t.co/N4ctsWWuW2

Special Cabinet meet on framing anti-rape law soon

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 9, 2013, 01.38AM IST

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to call a special Cabinet meeting by Tuesday to discuss changes to criminal law dealing with sexual crimes.

A special Cabinet meeting was necessitated as the government could not bring the bill before the ministerial panel's last meeting on Thursday due to differences of opinion among ministries over the draft Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill - seeking to reintroduce the word 'rape' instead of 'sexual assault' in the anti-rape law and lowering the age of consensual sex from 18 to 16.

Government had to defer it amid reservations expressed by law ministry over the home ministry's draft replacing 'sexual assault' with 'rape' and also over lowering the age of consent.

Downplaying differences among ministries, finance minister P Chidambaram on Friday said, "The law ministry has given its views. The ministry of home affairs is putting together the bill. It will come to the Cabinet. May be there will be a special Cabinet meeting early. There are no differences in the government."

Talking to reporters outside Parliament, Chidambaram said there were different points expressed by different people with some suggesting that the word sexual assault must be retained while others favoured the term rape.

"Then there is an issue whether the age of consent should be 18 or 16. That is why there is Cabinet," he said, adding this would be resolved in the Cabinet.

"The bill will be cleared by Cabinet as early as possible and we have every intention to pass the bill before the deadline which is March 22," Chidambaram said.

The home ministry's draft has, in fact, reversed what the previous Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and the Ordinance on Criminal Law, 2013 had done in the case of these two contentious provisions. By doing so, it preferred to go by the recommendation of the Justice J S Verma committee's recommendation which insisted on retaining the word 'rape' in the law.

The ordinance - making the anti-rape law much more stringent — was promulgated by the President on February 3 in the wake of public outrage over the December 16 gang-rape of Nirbhaya. Making sexual crimes gender neutral, the ordinance replaced 'rape' with 'sexual assault' in tune with the provisions of the pending bill.

Sources said though hectic consultations were still on to fine-tune the draft keeping concerns of different ministries in mind, there were indications that the home ministry would retain the word 'rape'.

It is learnt that the ministry would, at the most, widen the definition of 'rape'. The ministry may, however, not stick to lowering the age of consent to 16 as it would run contrary to a recent law protecting children from sexual offences, they added................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzAzLzA5I0FyMDE5MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

NCTC has really become a 'slogan' after every terror attack on India'smainland ..... Feb. 21 Hyderabad twin-blast is the trigger now

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CMs to be consulted afresh on NCTC proposals

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 9, 2013, 02.36AM IST

NEW DELHI: The controversy-ridden National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) will once again be back on the chief ministers' table with the home ministry, acting on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's advice, deciding to put it on the agenda of the internal security conference here early next month.

The decision came on a day when the PM, while replying to the motion of thanks on the President's address, told Rajya Sabha that his government would work with states to arrive at a consensus over setting up the anti-terror body.

Asserting that there would be no compromise in dealing with terrorism, Singh said, "All political parties need to speak with one voice in dealing with terrorism. In order to bring about a broad national consensus, we will work with state governments in respect to the proposal for setting of NCTC."

It is learnt that the home ministry will soon send a fresh draft to the states, explaining how the Centre is willing to address the concerns of chief ministers before setting up the powerful body which will have powers to conduct anti-terror operations anywhere in the country.

Besides keeping the proposed anti-terror body out of the ambit of Intelligence Bureau (IB) as desired by some non-Congress chief ministers, the home ministry will in its fresh draft add a provision clarifying that NCTC will not carry out any operation without taking the state police chief into the loop.

The note to states will, however, add an 'exception' where the central agency can conduct operations in extraordinary situations without taking the state concerned into the loop as it may not be possible to inform the DGP immediately. It may give some case-specific examples where it is needed to act immediately.

"Though the content of the fresh note will more or less be in tune with what the then home minister P Chidambaram had framed to address the states' concerns, it will explain the situation by choosing right words to make things clearer. It will also elaborate how the 'standing committee' mechanism within the NCTC is only meant for taking states on board on a daily basis," a senior official said.

He added that since the ministry felt the need to clarify these concerns, chief ministers would be requested to express their views once again and suggest ways to end the logjam in the meeting which is tentatively scheduled for April 4.

Non-Congress chief ministers including Narendra Modi (Gujarat), Mamata Bannerjee (West Bengal), J Jayalalitha (Tamil Nadu), Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) and Nitish Kumar (Bihar) had objected to the Centre's move to set up NCTC in its current form which empowers the body to arrest a suspected terrorist and conduct search and seizure against him on its own.

They contented that these powers would amount to infringement on states' powers over 'law and order' and would compromise with the basic tenets of federalism. They had also opposed putting NCTC within the IB which, being an intelligence agency, is not accountable to Parliament.

UPSC is in change mode .... IFoS exam gets screening round

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New prelim test challenge for Indian Forest Service

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 8, 2013, 04.56AM IST

NEW DELHI: After making significant changes in the basic format of the Civil Services (main) Examination (CSE), the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has brought changes in the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) test by introducing a component of preliminary entrance in it.

However, the Commission won't conduct a separate preliminary exam for IFoS. Rather, it has made provision for a common preliminary test for both CSE and forest service exams.

The preliminary test, which is to be held on May 26, will be a common screening entrance for short-listing candidates for their respective main exam. The main exam of both CSE and IFoS will be held on different dates in view of common aspirants for both.

While CSE selects candidates for IAS, IPS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Information Service (IIS) and other elite central services, the IFoS exam is conducted separately to select officers exclusively for forest service.

Earlier, IFoS exam did not have the preliminary test component like CSE. Since the preliminary exam is a subject-neutral test, which screens aspirants on basis of their aptitude, analytical skill and general knowledge, it won't change the basic character of the IFoS exam that is open for only science and engineering graduates.

As per the changes notified by the UPSC earlier this week, the IFoS exam will comprise two stages: civil services (preliminary) examination (objective type) and main — written test and interview — for selection of candidates against available vacancies for the Service.

"The preliminary examination will consist of two papers of objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks," said the notification.

It added, "This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the preliminary examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the main examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit".

The number of candidates, eligible to appear for the main exam, will be around 12-13 times of the total number of vacancies to be filled in a year. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in preliminary exam will be eligible to appear for main entrance.

Much awaited change in the country's premier civil services examination .... the move gives a level-playing fields to aspirants

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UPSC: More weight to general studies, aptitude skills

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 6, 2013, 05.23AM IST

NEW DELHI: Ushering a major change in the country's premier civil services examination, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday notified the test for this year giving more weight to general studies and aptitude skills. It also introduced an English language paper, whose marks will count in final selection of aspirants for elite services like IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and other prestigious central jobs.

The general studies papers will — for the first time — also have components testing aspirants on "ethics, integrity and aptitude".

"This paper will include questions to test the candidates' attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society," said the Commission.

This new paper having 250 marks will use the case study approach to determine ethics, integrity and aptitude of candidates.

The new pattern will also spare candidates of compulsorily qualifying other language papers like Hindi or any of the VIII Schedule language. Earlier, candidates had to qualify in English and other language paper whose marks were, however, not counted for short-listing the aspirants.

As per the notification, the preliminary exam this year will be held on May 26. Candidates will be able to file their online application till April 4.

The CSE has three stages — preliminary, main and personality test (interview). The changes, brought in by the Commission on Tuesday for CSE 2013 onwards, will be only meant for the main examination.

Unlike the previous pattern of the exam, which often favoured aspirants with subject knowledge, the UPSC has now introduced four general studies papers of 250 marks each instead of two such papers of 300 marks each. The general studies papers will carry 1,000 marks from CSE, 2013.

Besides, there will be two papers of 250 marks each of one optional subject instead of four papers of 300 marks each for two optional subjects earlier. The weightage of the optional papers (subjects) will also be reduced from 1,200 to 500 marks. Total marks for the main exam will be 1,800. Besides, personality test carries 275 marks.

The UPSC, which had changed the preliminary exam pattern in 2011 infusing elements of aptitude test, had last time brought a minor change in the main exam pattern in 1993 when it introduced an additional paper of essay of 200 marks.

Under the new pattern, the Commission continued with the essay paper having 200 marks, but it also introduced an additional English language paper worth 100 marks. The English language paper will test aspirants in their comprehensive and writing ability - in tune with the demand of modern-day administration, where English has become a mainstay of official communication across the country.

Officials feel that the unlike the earlier pattern which used to short-list candidates more on the basis of their score in specified subjects instead of their knowledge in general studies, the new pattern will focus more on testing candidates in their administrative and managerial potential and awareness of the country's socio-economic system.

There will be no change in the pattern of preliminary exam.

The new pattern will also reverse the trend in overall selection process. The earlier pattern used to help candidates who used to opt for high-scoring engineering or science subjects and mathematics. It was felt that getting high scores in science\engineering\medicines papers was easier than obtaining good marks in humanities and language papers and therefore the old system used to test aspirants unfairly.

Read the full text of UPSC notification............http://t.co/LhYWBxncIn

.......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDEzLzAzLzA2I0FyMDA5MDM=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Will this help in bringing Maoists to mainstream?

http://t.co/l4oUeeMKgs

Surrender sop for Maoists up 25 times

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 5, 2013, 06.02AM IST

NEW DELHI: Surrender will become more lucrative for Maoists across the country from April 1. The finance ministry has approved the home ministry's proposal to increase its share of financial contribution for each surrendered ultra by 25 times for senior Maoists and 15 times for foot soldiers.

A senior ultra (politburo member or state/zonal/district committee commander) will get Rs 2.5 lakh, while a junior cadre will get Rs 1.5 lakh as one-time payment once they surrender.

The amount will be more if the ultras surrender with arms, depending on the kind of weapons they lay down. Besides, the surrendered ultras will get an additional Rs 3,000 per month — an increase of Rs 1,000 from the existing amount — for 36 months.

"Though the states are free to offer more to the surrendered Maoists, the Centre will reimburse to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh as one-time payment for senior and junior cadre, respectively, under the home ministry's Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme," said a senior home ministry official.

He said the reimbursement would also be meant for monthly stipend for Maoists, irrespective of their seniority, for 36 months (Rs 1.08 lakh for each surrendered ultra), as well as maximum Rs 30,000 for those who turn in their weapons.

An ultra can be offered additional incentive of Rs 30,000 for each deposited light machine gun (LMG), Rs 25,000 for each rocket-propelled grenade/sniper rifle, Rs 15,000 for AK 47/56/74 rifle, Rs 5,000 for each high frequency communication set and Rs 3,000 for each pistol or revolver — no matter whether they come over-ground with 'looted' police weapons or with arms which were procured from elsewhere (via smuggling).

Sharing these details with senior police officials, including DGPs and chief secretaries of naxal-affected states, in a meeting on Monday, home secretary RK Singh is learnt to have asked them to encourage Maoists to join the mainstream by availing the added incentives that will be provided under the new surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy.

"Although all Naxal-affected states have been giving incentives to surrendered Maoists, the finance ministry's approval to increase the Centre's share under SRE scheme for this purpose will help cash-strapped states to go for implementing the surrender policy more vigorously," said an official.

Besides giving its nod to the revised surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy of the home ministry, the finance ministry has also approved the proposal to increase community policing fund from existing Rs 5 lakh per district per annum to Rs 10 lakh per district per annum.

The community policing - involving citizens for day-to-day non-core policing in coordination with local police and initiating confidence building measures within the local community — fund is earmarked for 106 districts, which are covered under the SRE scheme.

Expenditure under the scheme is first incurred by the state government and thereafter reimbursed by the Centre. However, 25% advance of the approved annual work plan outlay is provided to the state governments concerned in the beginning of fiscal for its smooth implementation..................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wMy8wNSNBcjAxMDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Parliamentary Committee's suggestions make sense ....

http://t.co/aIGwiVWRht

Make sexual ragging a cognizable offence: House panel

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 2, 2013, 05.46AM IST

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary committee which reviewed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill inserting stringent punishment for sexual offences on Friday recommended making ragging with sexual overtones in educational institutions a cognizable offence as it felt that limiting punishment to rustication and other disciplinary acts was not enough. It also suggested that mercy petitions of death row convicts be disposed of within three months of receiving such pleas.

Highlighting how minor offences sometimes led to major crimes, the panel said that though the act of ragging often started with bullying of freshers by seniors, at times, it acquired sexual overtones causing deep embarrassment to students of both sexes.

"Therefore, it should be made cognizable offence with punishment attracting provisions under criminal law, particularly for instances where ragging takes the overtones of sexual harassment/assault," the parliamentary standing committee on home said.

The committee agreed with almost all provisions of the recent ordinance on criminal law including capital punishment for rapists-murderers and repeat offenders.

It also urged the government to dispose of mercy petitions of death row convicts within three months. The committee noted that delay in clearing mercy petitions was being used by convicts to demand commuting their death sentence to life imprisonment in courts.

As reported by TOI earlier, the committee said the president should not consider mercy petitions of rapists-murderers. It suggested that the government make public the reasons for commuting death sentence of such convicts to life imprisonment if it was done in certain circumstances.

After tabling the report in Parliament, committee chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the panel had wanted to know the reasons behind former president Pratibha Patil commuting the death sentence of rape and murder convicts. He added that since the home ministry refused to share the details citing privilege in discussions between the home minister and the then president, the committee suggested that the government "make the reasons public".

Going beyond the provisions of the ordinance, the panel suggested incorporating Justice J S Verma committee's recommendation to punish officers for their failure to prevent rapes by men serving under their "command". It said superior officers should be held responsible in case a crime committed by his subordinate was in his knowledge and he does not take any timely action. "Omission of such acts on the part of superior officer must be recorded in his official dossier/ACR," the panel said.

The committee also urged the government to frame guidelines so that women are not portrayed in poor light through "obscene, vulgar pictures or scenes".

Suggesting increasing the number of women in police, the panel said the strength of women in police forces should be at least 33% of the total. It asked home ministry to impress upon state governments to take suitable measures in this regard.

Supporting the bill to make acid attacks a specific offence, the committee recommended that in case the convict failed to pay compensation to the victim, the Centre and the state government should make steps to rescue the victim.

Despite suggestions by several members, the panel decided against recommending a relook at the age of juveniles as the home ministry said the matter was being examined by the women and child development ministry. "I raised the issue ... there were opinions that the age of juveniles should be reduced from 18 to 16 years," Naidu said.

Going beyond its mandate to recommend changes in the bill, the panel also suggested improving courts' infrastructure and said adequate funds should be earmarked for setting up fast-track courts..................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzAzLzAyI0FyMDEzMDI=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Parliamentary Committee goes a step ahead .... rapists-murderers don't deserve Presidential pardon

http://t.co/IOtHdSsMEy


Ignore mercy pleas of rapist-murderers: Panel

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Feb 28, 2013, 12.34AM IST

NEW DELHI: Two months after questioning the rationale behind commuting death sentences of five rape-murder convicts to life imprisonment during then President Pratibha Patil's tenure, a Parliamentary committee has now suggested that the mercy petitions should not be considered for such criminals.

Though the Committee is not in favour of completely knocking out the provision of mercy plea for convicts like those on death row, it wants the government to spell out reasons for grant of pardon.

The Parliament Standing Committee on home affairs -- which finalized its report on the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 on Tuesday - also recommended the government to expeditiously dispose off any mercy petition.

Besides, the panel has favoured death sentence for rapists in case the victim dies or is left comatose. It has also agreed to replace the word 'rape' with 'sexual assault' - in sync with the Ordinance on criminal law that was promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3 - and suggested including all clauses on capital punishment in the new Bill.

Sources in the home ministry said that the government will withdraw the pending Bill and introduce new Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, in Parliament next month. The new Bill, replacing the Ordinance, will incorporate these provisions.

Though the matter concerning mercy pleas was not part of the panel's mandate, it is learnt to have suggested in the wake of strong objections raised by a few members over commutation of death sentence of five rapist-murderers to life imprisonment by President Patil between 2010 and 2012.

Members of the Committee - headed by BJP Rajya Sabha member M Venkaiah Naidu - had on December 27, 2012, referred to four cases involving five rapist-murderers while questioning the government's decision.

The cases include that of Uttar Pradesh's Bantu, who was convicted for raping and killing a five-year-old girl. His mercy petition was disposed off in his favour by President Patil last June. Among others whose death sentences were commuted include Moloi Ram and Santosh Yadav of Madhya Pradesh in February 2011, Satish of UP (May, 2012) and Dharmender Singh (June, 2010).

The last such criminal was hanged in the country was West Bengal's Dhananjoy Chatterjee in August, 2004. He was found guilty of raping and killing a 14-year-old girl in 1990.

Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President's clemency powers can only be exercised under the government's advice. "The President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence," the Article says..............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzAyLzI4I0FyMDEzMDE=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Indian Mujahideen .... faces of terror are hiding in Pakistan

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Four IM men targeting India in return for ISI hospitality

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Feb 26, 2013, 01.14AM IST

NEW DELHI: They had fled to Pakistan to escape the long arm of the law in India. Now, they are plotting terror strikes on India with unflinching regularity as a trade-off for their own safety.

Four top Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives - Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal, Amir Raza Khan and Fayyaz Kagzi - have been enjoying Pakistani spy agency ISI's hospitality with a quid pro quo of carrying out attacks on their homeland.

The rein of IM's terror machines is in the hands of the quartet, who have been operating through their commanders, including head of India operation Yasin Bhatkal, in various Indian cities.

Besides, there are others who keep shuttling between Pakistan (mainly Karachi) and Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia and UAE) on Pakistani passports. Their job is to establish contact with Indians who have been working in those countries, and are tasked with developing them as unsuspecting conduits to send remittances to India. The funds are used for creating sleeper cells for plotting future strikes.

They have been working in sync with the charter of the IM that was set up by ISI as an Indian proxy of the Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to project to the world at large that terrorism in India is homegrown in both form and content. Consequently, most of the recruits in IM are Indians, who have been reporting to their bosses in Pakistan.

Indian security agencies, however, suspect that eight out of 15 key IM absconders continue to be in the country. "Couple of them must be in Nepal and keep coming to India," said a senior government official, adding India had shared dossiers on these fugitives with both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Though Saudi Arabia had cooperated and helped deport three terrorists, including Abu Jundal (26\11 Mumbai terror attack accused) of LeT and Fasih Mohammed (IM operative), Pakistan has been in denial over the presence of Indian fugitives on its soil.

Faces of terror

Amir Reza Khan: The mobster of Kolkata (36) who along with the American Centre attack convict Aftab Ansari and two Bhatkal brother - Iqbal and Riyaz - had formed IM and been instrumental in carrying out a numbers of attacks across the country between 2005 and 2008. After fleeing India, he used to operate from Dubai, Riyadh and Oman. But, later he had shifted his base to Pakistan and largely confined to Karachi under ISI patronage after an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued against him.

Riyaz Bhatkal: An engineer by profession, the Karnataka-born terrorist (36) had lived in Kurla, Mumbai, where he used to run a tannery business of his father before turning to the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). He was known to Mohammed Sadique Israr Sheikh, a known criminal who worked for both Amir Reza and Aftab Ansari. He had fled India in 2008, when his name first cropped up in Bangalore and Ahmedabad blasts the same year.

Iqbal Bhatkal: Elder brother of Riyaz, Iqbal (44) is considered an IM ideologue, who was responsible for the August, 2007 serial blasts in Hyderabad along with his younger brother. He is a master in imparting instructions via electronic means to the terror outfit's cadres without leaving a trail. He is the one who has been supplying written\pictorial materials to the cadres to motivate them to carry out attacks on Indian soil.

Fayyaz Kagzi alias Abu Amir: He is the youngest (31) among the top four IM fugitives who have been running the show from Karachi. Originally a resident of Beed in Maharashtra, Kagzi was involved in a blast at Ahmedabad railway station. He had fled to Pakistan via Iran after his name cropped up in the Aurangabad arms haul case in 2006. Later, he had shifted his base to Saudi Arabia in 2008. He again moved to Pakistan when Saudi authorities had started cooperating with India in identifying and deporting Indian fugitives........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMy8wMi8yNiNBcjAxMDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

IM - Indian Mujahideen

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Indian Mujahideen's jihad factory alive and kicking

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Feb 23, 2013, 02.20AM IST

Getting continuous support from the Pakistani spy agency ISI, the Indian Mujahideent has enough resources to make its presence felt at regular intervals through attacks in different cities.
NEW DELHI: Indian Mujahideen, Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's proxy in India, may have been down after the August 2012 Pune serial blasts but it's certainly not out as it has the capacity to regroup after every clampdown. The Hyderabad incident has once again proved that the banned group is not only alive but also kicking through its potent sleeper cells in different states.

Getting continuous support from the Pakistani spy agency ISI, the outfit has enough resources to make its presence felt at regular intervals through attacks in different cities. Its supply lines of explosives, detonators and micro chips are intact and it can attack anywhere in the country with as much ease as it did during its peak in 2007-08 when it carried out blasts in Lucknow, Faizabad, Varanasi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

A Delhi Police dossier, prepared after last year's Pune blasts and shared with the home ministry in September, shows that the terror outfit has modules in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Delhi where it recruited cadre during the lull of 2009. It came to action again in 2010 when it attacked German Bakery in Pune and carried out a shootout and blast outside Jama Masjid in Delhi.

The dossier, shared with all states, says the IM's top leaders - Amir Raza Khan and Bhatkal brothers (Iqbal and Riyaz) - are currently in Pakistan while others have safe hideouts in Saudi Arabia, Nepal and the UAE (Dubai and Sharjah). Khan and the Bhatkal brothers were among the founding members of the outfit which later took in its fold almost all the cadres of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The dossier says that IM - which was set up by ISI to camouflage its own footprint and project to the world that Islamic terrorism in India was indigenous in character and content - has "substantial corpus of money", having funding sources based in Kuwait, Riyadh, Chicago and different cities in Pakistan.

Even though a number of operatives were arrested in 2011-12 by Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat police, 15 key absconders - Yasin Bhatkal, Shahnawaz, Abu Rashid, Abdus Subham Qureshi, Tehsin and Mirza Shadab Bai among them - have been carrying out operations under the guidance of their bosses in Pakistan.

Calling IM a "start to finish jihad factory", the dossier highlighted that "innocuous religious platforms" like Quran Foundation, Pune and Islamic Guidance Centre, Mangalore were among institutions from where foot soldiers were recruited, which included disenchanted Muslim youth ranging from petty criminals to highly paid software professionals. It noted how the outfit had recruited its prized operative -- Mansoor Ali Mohammed Peerbhoy -- while he was studying Arabic at the Quran Foundation.

Peerbhoy, a Yahoo techie-turned-media chief of the terror outfit who was arrested in 2008, had brought in a number of educated youth to the IM's fold. Recruitments of Arif Badar, IED assembly and micro chip-based timer expert, and Mobin, internet hacking expert, were testimony of how talented ones were identified and trained as terrorists through fiery and emotive 'taqrirs' (speech) and attitude hardening 'dars' (lessons).

It was noted that "brainwashing through doctored pictorials and videos, such as that of Godhra and Babri Masjid incidents" was very common in these 'taqrirs' and 'dars'.

Use of 'social networking sites' for sending personalized messages and motivating vulnerable youth had also come to the notice of investigating agencies, prompting them to suggest setting up "massive and sophisticated surveillance infrastructure" in the country.

Though the IM came to notice for the first time when it sent emails to media houses before the serial blasts in Faizabad, Lucknow and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh in November 2007, its genesis - the dossier says - goes back to the year 2000 when the underworld network was roped in to organize talent spotting, motivation and training of Indian youth at the facilities of LeT and ISI.................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMy8wMi8yMyNBcjAxNDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Yet another alert post-twin blast in Hyderabad - security lapse despite an intelligence input

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Indian Mujahideen hand becomes clearer in Hyderabad blasts

Bharti Jain, Deeptiman Tiwary & Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Feb 23, 2013, 01.06AM IST

The bombs carried the signature of Indian Mujahideen. Both devices were packed with ammonium nitrate and shrapnel with a timer mechanism: the staple of IM bomb-makers.
NEW DELHI: As investigators trawl the devastated spots in Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar for clues to Thursday's twin blasts, a debate has begun in the home ministry over whether the terror attack could have been prevented.

According to reports reaching here, there is no breakthrough yet for the investigators. "We are still groping in the dark," a senior home ministry official familiar with the details of the probe said. However, there was relief after it turned out that some of the CCTV cameras in the ill-fated locality were functional at the time of the explosions on Thursday evening and, therefore, might be holding pointers.

Senior sources disputed reports that the wires of CCTV cameras had been snapped four days ago.

The MHA had fewer doubts on Friday about the involvement of Indian Mujahideen in the attack. The bombs carried the signature of IM. Both the devices were packed with ammonium nitrate and shrapnel with a timer mechanism: the staple of IM bomb-makers. The use of cycles to strap bombs has also been an IM trademark since November 2007 when they attacked courts in UP.

Both bombs were designed to ensure that the impact of explosions was concentrated on one side: again a stock in trade for IM which has used boat-shaped devices earlier in order to maximize casualties.

Faced with allegations of intelligence failure in Parliament, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde pointed out that the Centre has issued a series of alerts to authorities in Hyderabad about a possible terrorist reprisal against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The first advisory went out on Saturday, alerting states against the threat of United Jehad Council to launch a fresh terror campaign against India to avenge Guru's hanging. The message was amplified by Lashkar chief Hafiz Saeed.

Although the first alert was general in nature, intelligence agencies, acting on basis of intercepts, refined it to caution that Hyderabad, along with Mumbai, Bangalore, Coimbatore and Hubli and certain places in Gujarat and Maharashtra, could be on the hit list of terrorists desperate to make good their threat.

This message highlighting the threat to Hyderabad was sent on February 19. The following day, Intelligence Bureau asked the states to step up vigil at places which were known to be on the radar of terrorists and had been recced.

Centre's concern, prompted by clear inputs according to Shinde, that a terrorist strike could be in the works manifested itself again on February 20, when it repeated that Hyderabad could be among the likely targets along with other places.

The same anxiety led the government to sound the same alert anew on Thursday morning just eight hours before the bombs went off in Hyderabad, killing at least 16 and maiming many more.

Dilsukhnagar fitted the bill, having been surveyed by an IM module as recently as last year. Delhi Police had on the basis of testimonies of two alleged IM terrorists, Syed Maqbool and Imran, told Andhra authorities that the locality was recceed as recently in July last year.

Sources in the home ministry said that the emphasis on the sites which had already been reconnoitered reflected the assessment that the terrorists were under pressure to do something spectacular sooner than later and, hence, focussed on locales they were already familiar with.

Centre refrained from blaming the state government, with Shinde saying in Rajya Sabha that the calm professionalism of AP cops was worth emulating. But many in his own ministry wondered whether cops could have prevented the carnage by upping their guard in response to a series of advisories. There was also puzzlement about the reasons why they failed to do so despite the fact that terrorists had targeted the same spot in 2007.

The last attempt failed only because the device planted by IM terrorists failed to go off, sparing the locality the devastation caused by the bombs the same module led by Riyaz Bhatkal had planted at Gokul Chat Bhandar and Lumbini Park.

According to sources, one possible explanation could be the fatigue among cops over having to deal with the same kind of alerts over and over again. They said the counter-terror advisories issued in the wake of Guru's hanging were not different from those which were sent after Mumbai attacker Ajmal Kasab was sent to the gallows in November.

The alerts issued after Kasab's execution had mentioned Hyderabad along with Bangalore and Coimbatore among the vulnerable spots. Speaking in Rajya Sabha, Shinde emphasized that the Centre had strong reasons to hoist the caution sign higher after February 19 and afterwards. If this was the case, the authorities clearly failed to impress the urgency upon the men at ground zero

Sources said that the routine of having to respond to the same kind of cues repeatedly could not but lead to a dulling of response: a vulnerability which could be exploited by a terrorist group set on a particular target as has been the case with IM and Dilsukhnagar. The predominantly Hindu locality with a history of communal tension has been consistently targeted by terrorists since 1999 when they unsuccessfully planted a bomb there.

The terrorists returned again in 2002 when a bomb claimed two lives. Residents were lucky in 2007 when the bomb planted there did not go off, but the determined group had had their way on Thursday......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDIvMjMjQXIwMDMwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Twin blasts in Hyderabad - February 21, 2013 - 12 days after AfzalGuru's hanging

http://t.co/KwRQcCNVy8

Hyderabad bomb blasts: Dilsukhnagar has been on Indian Mujahideen radar since 1999

Vishwa Mohan & Bharti Jain,TNN | Feb 22, 2013, 01.16AM IST

Dilsukhnagar, a Hindu-dominated locality with a history of communal tension, has been on the terrorists' radar for long; at least since 1999 when a bomb was planted near a Hanuman temple.

NEW DELHI: The twin blasts at Hyderabad are suspected to be the handiwork of Indian Mujahideen(IM) commander Riyaz Bhatkal. Although intelligence agencies are in no rush to jump to a judgment, their suspicion of IM's role is derived from the fact that the terror outfit had targeted precisely the same spot — near the foot overbridge in Dilsukhnagar — on August 25, 2007 when IM carried out serial blasts in Hyderabad.

While the bombs that Bhatkal and his team, essential IM's Pune module, set off at Gokul Chat Bhandar and Lumbini Park killed 42 people, Dilsukhnagar escaped the mayhem because the device planted there malfunctioned. Residents of the locality, however, ran out of luck on Thursday.

During their interrogation in 2008 in connection with their involvement in the serial attack on Hyderabad the year before, two members of IM — a Indian proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba which was launched to cloak Pakistan's involvement in the terror campaign against India — confirmed that Bhatkal was the mastermind.

Speaking to reporters after the twin blasts on Thursday, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde seemed to reflect the principal assumption of the agencies about Bhatkal and his IM gang being the chief suspects when he said the latest attack was similar to the 2007 serial attacks in the city.

The suspicion is derived also from the testimony of the three alleged IM terrorists to Delhi Police in October 2012. Imran, Tabrez and Maqbool told the special cell that they had been assigned by Bhatkal to do a recce of Dilsukhnagar and other communally sensitive areas in Hyderabad.

The motivation for the terror strike is suspected to be the call given by Hafiz Saeed — Lashkar chief and principal mentor of IM terrorists — to avenge the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. United Jehad Council, with Lashkar as one of its main constituents, had on February 13 — four days after Guru was sent to the gallows — vowed to retaliate against the execution.

Intelligence agencies did not treat it as rhetoric, and did sound a countrywide alert on Tuesday, although Shinde acknowledged that the warning was general in nature.

Dilsukhnagar, a Hindu-dominated locality with a history of communal tension, has been on the terrorists' radar for long; at least since 1999 when a bomb was planted near a Hanuman temple. The device was detected in time by police.

The timing was significant, just an year after intelligence agencies zeroed in on Abdul Saleem Junaid. A Pakistani, Junaid was launched into India by Lashkar commander Azam Cheema. While Junaid, who was designated as the head of Lashkar in India, was supposed to be based in Delhi, he found Hyderabad more hospitable and settled down there after marrying a local girl.

The cover of a regular couple proved useful for setting up several sleeper cells, at least a few comprising Pakistanis.

The terror group targeted Dilsukhnagar again in 2002, planting a bomb near the Saibaba temple killing two persons.

The choice of Dilsukhnagar is no accident and fits in the pattern of IM attacks. The terror module has so chosen the day and timing of its attacks as to ensure that the majority community bore the brunt: something which dates to the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai and which is meant to exacerbate communal tension.

Shine, along with home secretary R K Singh, are leaving for Hyderabad on Friday morning for an on-the-spot assessment. There is also going to be a probe into whether Delhi Police shared the specific information about Bhatkal persisting with his plans against Dilsukhnagar with their counterparts in Hyderabad and, in case they did, what did the latter do to fend off the attempt......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMy8wMi8yMiNBcjAwMTA1&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom