Italians pay Rs.1.7mn in damages, boat owner drops case

Kochi: The owner of a damaged fishing boat, on which two Indian fishermen were shot dead allegedly by two Italian Marines from a cargo vessel in February, withdrew his complaint Friday after he was paid compensation of Rs.1.7 million ($32,000) by Italian authorities.
Italian authorities earlier Tuesday handed over two demand drafts of Rs.1 crore each to the Lok Adalat as compensation to families of the two fishermen, following an out of court settlement with them.J. Freddy, owner of the fishing boat St. Antony, had Thursday filed an application in the Kerala High Court for permission to transfer this case to the Lok Adalat so that he could settle the case out of court, and this was allowed by the high court Friday.
In his petition filed soon after the Feb 15 shooting incident, Freddy had demanded that the Italian vessel Enrica Lexie should not be allowed to leave the Kochi waters unless he was compensated.
Since the past few days, Italian authorities were in touch with Freddy's counsel for paying compensation for his damaged boat. Both sides Friday appeared before the Lok Adalat, and Freddy collected the compensation of Rs.1.7 million and signed documents that he would not pursue the case.
Earlier, the high court bench slammed Freddy and families of the killed fishermen for going back on their original petition, and said once money changed hands everyone changed their stance and this does not augur well in criminal cases.
Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45, were apparently mistaken as pirates and shot dead by Italian Marines from aboard the cargo vessel Enrica Lexie Feb 15, off Alappuzha. Freddy was on board his fishing boat when the shooting took place.
The Marines, Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone, were picked up from the vessel and sent by a court in Kollam to jail Feb 20 on murder charges. They are now lodged in the central prison in Thiruvananthapuram.

Italians pay Rs.1.7mn in damages, boat owner drops case

Kochi: The owner of a damaged fishing boat, on which two Indian fishermen were shot dead allegedly by two Italian Marines from a cargo vessel in February, withdrew his complaint Friday after he was paid compensation of Rs.1.7 million ($32,000) by Italian authorities.
Italian authorities earlier Tuesday handed over two demand drafts of Rs.1 crore each to the Lok Adalat as compensation to families of the two fishermen, following an out of court settlement with them.J. Freddy, owner of the fishing boat St. Antony, had Thursday filed an application in the Kerala High Court for permission to transfer this case to the Lok Adalat so that he could settle the case out of court, and this was allowed by the high court Friday.
In his petition filed soon after the Feb 15 shooting incident, Freddy had demanded that the Italian vessel Enrica Lexie should not be allowed to leave the Kochi waters unless he was compensated.
Since the past few days, Italian authorities were in touch with Freddy's counsel for paying compensation for his damaged boat. Both sides Friday appeared before the Lok Adalat, and Freddy collected the compensation of Rs.1.7 million and signed documents that he would not pursue the case.
Earlier, the high court bench slammed Freddy and families of the killed fishermen for going back on their original petition, and said once money changed hands everyone changed their stance and this does not augur well in criminal cases.
Ajesh Binki, 25, and Gelastine, 45, were apparently mistaken as pirates and shot dead by Italian Marines from aboard the cargo vessel Enrica Lexie Feb 15, off Alappuzha. Freddy was on board his fishing boat when the shooting took place.
The Marines, Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone, were picked up from the vessel and sent by a court in Kollam to jail Feb 20 on murder charges. They are now lodged in the central prison in Thiruvananthapuram.

Rs 1 lkah subsidy for professional and amateur dramas

Thiruvananthapuram: Sangeetha Nataka Akademi has decided to give Rs 1 lakh subsidy for professional and amateur dramas. Akademi chairman Soorya Krishnamurthy said this year subsidy would be given to 20 dramas. Kerala is the first state in India which is giving subsidy for dramas.
The government also decided to give allowances, including insurance to Kshethravadyam, Kathaprasangam and magic artists too.

Rs 1 lkah subsidy for professional and amateur dramas

Thiruvananthapuram: Sangeetha Nataka Akademi has decided to give Rs 1 lakh subsidy for professional and amateur dramas. Akademi chairman Soorya Krishnamurthy said this year subsidy would be given to 20 dramas. Kerala is the first state in India which is giving subsidy for dramas.
The government also decided to give allowances, including insurance to Kshethravadyam, Kathaprasangam and magic artists too.

Bangaru pleads leniency, CBI seeks 'maximum' punishment

bribe in a fictitious arms deal case, on Saturday sought leniency on the ground of poor health, while the CBI sought the maximum punishment of five years for him. 72-year-old Bangaru, who was yesterday held guilty in the case, was produced from Tihar Jail before Special CBI Judge Kanwal Jeet Arora. The court after hearing arguments on quantum of sentence in the case reserved its judgement for 2.30 Former BJP President Bangaru Laxman, convicted for accepting Rs. one lakh pm.
Bangaru was convicted for taking bribe from fake arms dealer to recommend to the Defence Ministry to award them a contract to supply thermal binoculars to the Army.
He is convicted under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act which relates to 'taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant' and entails a maximum punishment of five years imprisonment and a minimum of six months.
On being asked by the judge as to why Bangaru should be given minimum punishment of six months, the politician said he was not keeping well and has undergone bypass surgery twice.
'I have health problems as I have undergone bypass surgery twice and suffering from diabetes. I have never been involved in any such case before. So, I should be given the minimum sentence,' Bangaru pleaded.
Seeking maximum punishment for Bangaru, CBI prosecutor Padmini Singh said corruption is spreading like anything in the society so it has to be dealt accordingly.
Citing various Supreme Court judgements on corruption, the prosecutor said corruption is rampant and it has to be dealt severely.
'CBI has been able to prove the case against Bangaru so we want maximum punishment for him under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,' the prosecutor said.
Opposing CBI's plea for maximum punishment, senior advocate Sunil Kumar, appearing for Bangaru, said in 40 years of his political career, he was 'never ever involved in any such case' and no civil or criminal case has been lodged against him.
'He was holding important portfolio in the ministry. Once the tape was aired in news channels, Bangaru stepped down as a minister,' the counsel said while seeking minimum sentence.PTI

Bangaru pleads leniency, CBI seeks 'maximum' punishment

bribe in a fictitious arms deal case, on Saturday sought leniency on the ground of poor health, while the CBI sought the maximum punishment of five years for him. 72-year-old Bangaru, who was yesterday held guilty in the case, was produced from Tihar Jail before Special CBI Judge Kanwal Jeet Arora. The court after hearing arguments on quantum of sentence in the case reserved its judgement for 2.30 Former BJP President Bangaru Laxman, convicted for accepting Rs. one lakh pm.
Bangaru was convicted for taking bribe from fake arms dealer to recommend to the Defence Ministry to award them a contract to supply thermal binoculars to the Army.
He is convicted under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act which relates to 'taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant' and entails a maximum punishment of five years imprisonment and a minimum of six months.
On being asked by the judge as to why Bangaru should be given minimum punishment of six months, the politician said he was not keeping well and has undergone bypass surgery twice.
'I have health problems as I have undergone bypass surgery twice and suffering from diabetes. I have never been involved in any such case before. So, I should be given the minimum sentence,' Bangaru pleaded.
Seeking maximum punishment for Bangaru, CBI prosecutor Padmini Singh said corruption is spreading like anything in the society so it has to be dealt accordingly.
Citing various Supreme Court judgements on corruption, the prosecutor said corruption is rampant and it has to be dealt severely.
'CBI has been able to prove the case against Bangaru so we want maximum punishment for him under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,' the prosecutor said.
Opposing CBI's plea for maximum punishment, senior advocate Sunil Kumar, appearing for Bangaru, said in 40 years of his political career, he was 'never ever involved in any such case' and no civil or criminal case has been lodged against him.
'He was holding important portfolio in the ministry. Once the tape was aired in news channels, Bangaru stepped down as a minister,' the counsel said while seeking minimum sentence.PTI

Daughter of Mexican woman handed over to grandmom

Chennai: The court had ordered that the daughter of slain Ceule Denise Acosta would be handed over to her boyfriend Martin Manrique's mom. Denise was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kalamandalam, Thrissur and was killed by her former boyfriend Martin Manrique. The Madurai bench of Madras HC handed over 6-year old Adela to Martin's mother Monica after considering the plea submitted by the families of Denise and Martin.
Martin's family members met him at the Chennai central jail for having murdered Denise and disposing her body by dumping it in a suitcase and setting it on fire. The family would return to Mexico after competing the formalities. The blood sample of Adela was collected for DNA test .
Ceule Denise Acosta, 36, was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kalamandalam in Thrissur while her former boyfriend, Martin Manrique, 40, is doing his PhD from a private university at Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district since last June. As they were no longer together, the couple had agreed that their five-year-old daughter would spend every alternate year with each parent. The child was with Manrique this year, and Denise would visit them regularly. 
On April 4, Denise came to Srivilliputhur to visit her daughter. Five days later, Manrique reported her missing. He told the police that he had accompanied her to Krishnankoil bus station from where she normally took a bus to Madurai, from where she would proceed to Shoranur town where Kalamandalam is situated. When she did not contact him after reaching Shoranur, he contacted Kalamandalam, where the staff told him she had not returned, he said. 
On April 11, the police found a partially-burnt body in a suitcase, dumped in a secluded area at Austinpatti near Madurai. The right hand had been severed to fit inside the suitcase. 

Daughter of Mexican woman handed over to grandmom

Chennai: The court had ordered that the daughter of slain Ceule Denise Acosta would be handed over to her boyfriend Martin Manrique's mom. Denise was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kalamandalam, Thrissur and was killed by her former boyfriend Martin Manrique. The Madurai bench of Madras HC handed over 6-year old Adela to Martin's mother Monica after considering the plea submitted by the families of Denise and Martin.
Martin's family members met him at the Chennai central jail for having murdered Denise and disposing her body by dumping it in a suitcase and setting it on fire. The family would return to Mexico after competing the formalities. The blood sample of Adela was collected for DNA test .
Ceule Denise Acosta, 36, was a student of Mohiniyattam at Kalamandalam in Thrissur while her former boyfriend, Martin Manrique, 40, is doing his PhD from a private university at Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district since last June. As they were no longer together, the couple had agreed that their five-year-old daughter would spend every alternate year with each parent. The child was with Manrique this year, and Denise would visit them regularly. 
On April 4, Denise came to Srivilliputhur to visit her daughter. Five days later, Manrique reported her missing. He told the police that he had accompanied her to Krishnankoil bus station from where she normally took a bus to Madurai, from where she would proceed to Shoranur town where Kalamandalam is situated. When she did not contact him after reaching Shoranur, he contacted Kalamandalam, where the staff told him she had not returned, he said. 
On April 11, the police found a partially-burnt body in a suitcase, dumped in a secluded area at Austinpatti near Madurai. The right hand had been severed to fit inside the suitcase. 

Plus two student held for cheating money at ATM

Thrissur: A 17-year-old boy was held for cheating at an ATM. A plus two student from a financially sound family in Karunagapally was held when the victim himself caught the accused and handed him over to the police.
The incident was reported at the SBI ATM at Thrissur MG Road at 5 pm where the ATM outlet had two machines. Ajith made entry in the first machine and was waiting for his money when a youth tried to fool him by saying that the machine was not working and asked him to try in the next one. When Ajith moved to the next machine, the boy took the money of Rs 20,000 that was delivered by the first machine. On suspicion, Ajith checked his balance. With the help of persons standing outside, he caught the youth. While moving to the next machine he forgot to cancel the first transaction. 
The boy was fond of luxurious life and his father is a software engineer abroad.
Many such cases were reported earlier against the boy, police said. The boy was later shifted to Juvenile home after being presented before juvenile justice board.

Plus two student held for cheating money at ATM

Thrissur: A 17-year-old boy was held for cheating at an ATM. A plus two student from a financially sound family in Karunagapally was held when the victim himself caught the accused and handed him over to the police.
The incident was reported at the SBI ATM at Thrissur MG Road at 5 pm where the ATM outlet had two machines. Ajith made entry in the first machine and was waiting for his money when a youth tried to fool him by saying that the machine was not working and asked him to try in the next one. When Ajith moved to the next machine, the boy took the money of Rs 20,000 that was delivered by the first machine. On suspicion, Ajith checked his balance. With the help of persons standing outside, he caught the youth. While moving to the next machine he forgot to cancel the first transaction. 
The boy was fond of luxurious life and his father is a software engineer abroad.
Many such cases were reported earlier against the boy, police said. The boy was later shifted to Juvenile home after being presented before juvenile justice board.