An Ohio court has sentenced two American cousins, one born in India and the other in Chicago, to prison terms for supporting terrorists in a plot to attack American soldiers overseas.

While India-born Khaleel Ahmed, 29, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison, his cousin Zubair Ahmed, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday by US District Judge James Carr in Toledo, Ohio.

"These sentences send a strong message that we will aggressively go after those who would do harm to our servicemen and servicewomen," US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steven M Dettelbach said.

"There is no greater priority for us than combating those who would do us harm."

According to court documents, the Ahmeds, who pleaded guilty in January 2009, admitted that between April 1, 2004, and February 21, 2007, they conspired to provide material support to terrorists in a plot to kill US soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In May 2004, they travelled together to Cairo, where they hoped to make contact with the mujahideen, receive training and be placed in either Iraq or Afghanistan to fight US troops.

They returned to the US, where they came in contact with an undercover informant and sought military training, the court papers said.

Zubair Ahmed testified twice in related cases in Atlanta.

Both Chicago residents were also sentenced to three years of supervised release and each was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.
 

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A 15-year-old boy stabbed his mother's boyfriend to death after the man disconnected the cable television connection, police said.

Adruis Ovalles, a resident of the Bronx area, plunged a knife into the chest of 26-year-old Albert Matthew Hartzog three times, despite his mother's pleas to stop, Fox News reported.

The teen had vanished for three days last week, prompting Hartzog to turn off the cable connection. Hartzog worked as a security guard at a nearby nursing home.

The teen also punched his victim repeatedly before stabbing him, police said.

As Hartzog collapsed to the floor, Ovalles stood in the doorway of the blood-splattered apartment, waiting to be arrested.

Ovalles was charged with murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. He has previous drug and assault arrests on his record.
 

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A violent incident took place at the London Wine Shop at Bharat Mata, Parel, on Tuesday morning. An unknown person shot a staffer at 11:30am.

Eye-witnesses said the victim had a bullet injury on his lower shoulder and was attending to a customer when the assailant visited the shop posing as a customer. He asked for a specific brand of liquor before opening fire at point blank range.

The injured was identified as Ajit, a resident of Ulhasnagar. According to eyewitnesses, Ajit opened the shop at 10 am as always, and was arranging stocks when the incident took place.

The accused, said to be in his late twenties, walked towards the main road and dropped his gun, which accidentally fired a round soon after a vehicle ran over it. A police constable attached to Bhoiwada police station was standing a few meters from the spot.

The constable told MID DAY, "I was at the Bank of Maharashtra, signing the register. As I stepped out, I spotted a man running and throwing away a weapon. I heard a gunshot, minutes after a vehicle ran over it. I seized the weapon and informed the Police Control Room."

The constable added that a few people rushed towards him and informed him about the firing. "On reaching the wine shop, I found a young man lying on a chair in a state of shock. Senior police officers rushed to the spot while locals took the injured to nearby K.E.M. Hospital."

According to police, the weapon is a country-made revolver and the magazine was loaded.

The injured was taken to the emergency ward, where a panel of doctors offered him medical aid. Local police are being assisted by crime branch officials in probing the case.

The Bhoiwada police are waiting for the victim to recover in order to record his statement. The police are likely to register an offence under section 307 (attempt to murder) with the Arms Act.
 

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This is the only reason why happily married 25-year-old homemaker killed herself, according to suicide note found next to her body

Curiosity killed Amruthavalli, a 25-year-old housewife, who was fascinated with the different measures people take to end their lives.

In what appears to be an attempt on Amruthavalli's part to understand suicide by hanging, the housewife hanged herself from the ceiling of her family home in Madivala on July 7.

Her husband Mani Kandan, a techie, said their marriage of two-and-a-half years was a happy one. He told the police that he had not suspected that she would end her life while he was away at work.

Mani Kandan reportedly told the police that he had spoken to her at 12.50 pm but was unable to get through when he called her several times between 1 pm and 6.30 pm.

It was 7.30 pm, when Mani Kandan reached home that he realised that his wife had taken her own life.

When Amruthavalli did not open the door for a long time, Mani took the help of the neighbours to break the door open, and found his wife hanging by a dhoti from the ceiling.

In her suicide note  written in Tamil interspersed with English words, Amruthavalli wrote that she wanted to experience what it feels to die.

She wrote that no one should be held responsible her death.

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RTI reply reveals Rs 5.2 crore taxpayers' money spent as rent as humble Panchayati Raj Ministry operates out of posh Delhi hotel for last 4 years citing 'space crunch'

There is nothing 'cattle class' about this. The Panchayati Raj Ministry, responsible for decentralisation and local governance in states, but more importantly, empowering the rural poor, has been spending crores every year as rent on space acquired at a 5-star hotel in south Delhi.

Waste of money? The 5,500-sq-ft space on the sixth floor of Samrat
Hotel in Chanakyapuri was hired on August 30, 2006, due to an 'acute
 

The 5,500 sq ft space on the sixth floor of Samrat Hotel in Chanakyapuri was hired from the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) on August 30, 2006, due to an 'acute space crunch'. Interestingly, the ministry is also functioning from a 4,406 sq ft office at Sardar Patel Bhawan and 1,800 sq ft of space at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi.

This information came to light in reply to an RTI application filed by a Delhi-based activist. The 5,500 sq ft space at Samrat Hotel originally came with the price tag of Rs 195 per sq ft as rent per month, for a period of two years commencing from September 1, 2006, to be extended further with an increase of 8 per cent after expiry of the tenure. After the period lapsed on August 30, 2008, the present rate of rent became Rs 210.60 per sq ft, from September 1, 2008. The total adds up to more than Rs 5.22 crore spent as rent so far.

The RTI reveals that at present the office premises of the ministry at Samrat Hotel are occupied by an additional secretary, a joint secretary, a director, a national project manager, two under-secretaries, two private secretaries, two section officers along with their staff members and security personnel. In all, there are six officers' rooms, a National Informatics Centre (NIC) room, a record room, a drivers' room and a large hall, which staff members of Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and other departments occupy. In addition to this a conference room has been prepared for convening meetings at the Samrat Hotel office.

Rental rate
Rent per month (prior to September 1, 2008): Rs 10,72,500
 
Rent per month (after September 1, 2008): Rs 11,58,300

Total tariff from Sep 1, 2006 to Aug 31, 2008: Rs 2,57,40,000

Total charges from Sep 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010: Rs 2,54,82,600

Total cost incurred till June 30, 2010: Rs 5,12,22,600
 
It is notable that apart from the Panchayati Raj Ministry, Ministry of Finance, and Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Authority are also occupying spaces at the same hotel.

Prior to May 27, 2004, Panchayati Raj was a part of the Rural Development Ministry.

To make panchayat institutions effective units of local self-governance and to ensure attainment of both economic development and social justice in rural areas where the bulk of Indian population lives, it was felt imperative to create a full-fledged Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Accordingly, the ministry came into existence from May 27, 2004. Initially only six posts were sanctioned in the ministry. Later on additional posts were allotted and an office measuring 4,406 sq ft was allocated at Sardar Patel Bhavan. As this office space was found insufficient, it was felt necessary to hire some additional space.

The Other Side
Despite repeated attempts by MiD DAY, ministry officials did not respond to calls for clarifications.
 
An office measuring 13,000 sq ft has now been hired by the ministry on the 11th floor of LIC Jeevan Prakash building on Baba Kharag Singh Marg in New Delhi.

The RTI reply says that as per the rent negotiation committee, the tariff of the hired accommodation has been fixed at Rs 215 per sq ft, with maintenance charges at Rs 2 per sq ft. Currently, renovation of the space is being conducted by CPWD. The Panchayati Raj Ministry plans to move into its new offices as soon as work is completed.
 

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Man arrested with son and daughter-in-law in cheating case

This family is one of a kind. Delhi police have arrested Ram Kumar Gupta (68), his son Lalit Gupta (38) and daughter-in-law Rajini Gupta (34) for cheating various companies in West Bengal of sums amounting to Rs 87 crore in total.

"A complaint had been received by the anti-cheating section of the Economic Offences Wing of Kolkata police from Vikrany Steels Ltd, alleging that Ram Kumar Gupta and Lalit Gupta of a company called Haryana Electricals bought TMT rods worth Rs 67 lakh and gave them a cheque of Rs 48 lakh as part of the payment. But they suddenly closed their bank account before the transaction could be made."

"A case was registered and during investigations, the West Bengal police found that these people had been accused of cheating in several other cases in the state. The West Bengal police team raided on their residence on May 12 but the accused family assaulted the policemen and escaped," said a Delhi police officer.
After this incident, a case under sections 224, 225, 186, 353 and 34 of the IPC were lodged at the Model Town police station. And Delhi police started investigating this matter.

"Our Special Operation Squad of the Crime Branch received information that the accused were hiding near Shakti Nagar Chowk in Delhi. The police team apprehended the culprits on location and arrested all three of them."

"During the interrogation, Ram Kumar revealed that they were engaged in the iron trade since 2004 and had their own firm by the name of Haryana Electricals. They projected themselves as big merchants and purchased TMT bars from different traders of Kolkata. Then they would sell these bars to other dealers in the NCR region.

They would issue cheques to pay the amount but the account was closed before the transaction of money. With this modus operandi the family had cheated several companies in West Bengal," the officer added.
The police claim to have worked out 5 cases of cheating while 13 cases against the family are pending in different courts.
 

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Swami Nithyananda, who discoursed on freedom at his ashram after he was released on bail, spoke on role of controlling oneself for pursuing a spiritual life

Swami Nithyananda's disciples were back to their trademark robes yesterday, which they had abandoned after their guru was arrested when a video that allegedly showed him with Tamil actress Ranjitha was aired on national television.

The mood at the swami's ashram Dhyanapeetham, where he delivered his discourse following his release, saw disciples who had taken to wearing jeans and T-shirts back to the ashramites' trademark white and saffron robes.

 
Swami Nithyananda being brought to the city, amid tight security, after his arrest in Himachal Pradesh.
 
 

Among other things, Swami Nithyananda, who chose freedom as the topic for his first discourse after he was released on bail, dwelt on principles like non-violence, and self- restraint while defining freedom.

"We had to dress casually, after Swamiji was arrested. We were afraid that the public would attack us," explained a disciple.
 
"The public was so mistaken that in their eyes, it became a matter of shame to be Swami Nithyananda's disciples.

The police were also monitoring us. We did not want to get into trouble. But now with our guru out, we have changed to our old robes."

Explaining the dress code in the ashram, Maa Shantananda, the spokesperson of the ashram, said the ashram did not impose any dress codes on the general public. "I am not aware if disciples had taken to wearing jeans and T-shirts when swamiji was away.

Regular disciples wear white, bramacharis, who observe celibacy, sport either yellow or orange shawl on their white dress. The sanyasis, who are called swamis, wear saffron," explained Shantananda.

Swami falls at reporters' feet

Following a scuffle with media persons, Nithyananda's administrator Swami Bhaktananda fell on the feet of reporters, who were at the ashram to record his discourse.

Reporters annoyed by the strict security at the ashram decided to boycott the coverage of the programme, when Bhaktananda fell at the feet of the reporters. The embarrassed reporters quietly went back to their seats.
 

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The cops on duty were just starting their day at Tilak Nagar on Saturday and it was the last thing that they were expecting.

A teenager with blood spots on her clothes came rushing in. She was crying incessantly and was not able to answer the questions of the cops. A woman constable then assured her all help and calmed her down.

Mamta, 18, (name changed) told the police that her cousin raped her four months ago. But her uncle and aunt stopped her from registering a complaint and assured her that they will marry her to the same cousin. However, allegedly they did not keep their promise and Mamta got pregnant.

Four-months pregnant Mamta got suspicious on Saturday when she felt immense pain in her stomach and then started bleeding from her private parts. Instead of going to see a doctor, she rushed straight to the Tilak Nagar police station.

"My uncle and aunt want to kill my baby. They must have given me abortion pills which is why I started bleeding," Mamta told MiD DAY.
Mamta, an orphan, lives with her maternal uncle in Dhaula Kuan. She started working as a maid in neighbouring houses when she was 17.

"She claimed that she was given some abortion medicine without her knowledge. But no foul play was found during a medical examination. Her uncle and aunt took her to their house and rejected the charges. Even Mamta retracted and refused to get an FIR registered in the case," the officer added.

Mamta's uncle refused comment, saying it's their family matter and he would not like to share it with the media. 
 

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Couple defies panchayat and family diktat; ties knot

They are not sure how are they going to sustain in days of killing inflation but for now Sandeep and Kavita vow to live on a generous diet of love.

The lovebirds belonging to different castes, come from the khap heartland of Jhajjar and Rohtak and have dared to realise their dreams of being together despite opposition from their respective families.

While Sandeep Bansal, 28, belongs to the Baniya community, Kavita, 23, is from a Scheduled Caste. Love blossomed when they were 14 and 15 years of age respectively. The affair went from strength to strength and as soon as they attained the legal age to marry, Sandeep and Kavita had decided to enter the wedlock.

However, they were fully aware of the consequences because as soon as their romance went public, Kavita's mother threatened suicide while Sandeep's father told him that he would disown him and leave him at the mercy of the khap diktat.

But no amount of coaxing could have made the couple change their plans. The fear of the khap was nonetheless playing out on their mind. They knew that they could end up dead, if they went ahead with their plans. But, the MiD DAY report on Love Commando (dated July 5), came as a blessing in as direct form as it could be.

Buoyed by the fact that there were people who could help him, Sandeep - who works for a private firm in Jhajjar - eloped with his ladylove on July 6.
The couple were married at the Arya Samaj Mandir at Jamuna Bazar in old Delhi under the auspices of Love Commando.

"Had it not been for the MiD DAY report, I could have never dared to go ahead with making my dream of marrying Kavita, a reality. It made me reach Love Commando. I am really thankful to both. It's a great partnership and I think it will help break the barriers for young couples like us," Sandeep told MiD DAY.

When asked how he was going to sustain, as the company for which he used to work has not agreed to give him a transfer, a confident Sandeep said: "I will figure it out. I am happy and ready to face all hardships since now I have Kavita by my side."

A blushing Kavita only nodded her head in agreement, refusing to say anything.
The couple has, for now, decided not to return to their native towns but they are sure that some day their parents will accept them.
The Love Commando has informed the parents of couple and the local police about their marriage through telegram.
 

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Kashif Ali, the suspected Pakistani spy who was arrested here two days ago, had duped government departments and banks during his over two-year stay here. He had a driving licence, voter ID card and even a PAN card - all procured on the basis of fake documents, police said on Monday.

Ali's rented accommodation in Sector 44, from where he was arrested Saturday, was raided and police seized various documents and a digital camera. Ali, 24, a resident of Faisalabad in Pakistan's Punjab province, is suspected to have sent vital defence information from India to his country.

"We have recovered a driving licence that was issued by a New Delhi transport authority, a voter identity card with a Chandigarh address, PAN (permanent account number) card and a high school certificate issued by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB)," a police official said.

"We have also recovered a receipt of the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh. Ali admitted that he had entered India through Nepal. He had stayed in New Delhi and at Bikaner before coming to Chandigarh. He had bank accounts in Axis Bank and at Union Bank of India," he added.

The seizure of these documents highlights the loopholes in the intelligence wing of police in Chandigarh.

"We are looking into all aspects of this matter and trying to ascertain the links of Ali with other people in Chandigarh and in other states. We will also check how he managed to procure all these documents on the basis of fake papers," Inspector (crime branch) Amanjot Singh said.

Ali, who was sent to police custody by a local court, had moved an application in court seeking permission to talk to his family through two Pakistan phone numbers.

The court granted him permission to talk to his family members in the presence of the investigation officer and also directed police to record the conversation.

Police had also detained two of Ali's friends here - Santosh, 24, and Rajeev, 23, - who were in close contact with him.

"We also questioned Ali's landlord about people who came to meet him. We have found that two women who are working in a beauty parlour here were coming to meet him at regular intervals. He did not talk to his neighbours and had told his landlord that he was into the real estate business," the police official said.

Inspector General of Police Pradeep Srivastava had earlier told reporters: "Ali admitted that he had taken weaponry training from Pakistan. He was collecting vital information regarding (the army's) Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir (in neighbouring Panchkula town) and the air force station here and was passing it to Pakistan."
 

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