In brief

VMC,GAIL agree to increase number of gas connections
VADODARA: In a significant development,the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) have decided to start a joint venture (JV) for piped gas supply in Vadodara,and thereby increase the number of gas connections in the city.
A meeting chaired by VMC Commissioner M K Das and GAIL CMD B C Tripathi was held in New Delhi on Tuesday to look into various issues,including gas supply and the JV between the civic body and GAIL.
At the meeting,GAIL officials agreed in principle to increase the gas supply to the civic body,thus facilitating the new connections VMC officials had said in a meeting recently that it was decided to begin the process to provide about 10,000 domestic and industrial gas connections in about a month’s time. Besides,three CNG stations are also in the pipeline. Sources said the JV would start functioning in the next three months and both the parties have agreed in principle to provide additional supply to meet the requirement.

Adani withdraws petition at HC to quash criminal case
AHMEDABAD: Rajesh Adani,managing director of the Rs 26,000-crore Adani Enterprises Ltd,on Wednesday,withdrew his petition before the Gujarat High Court to quash a criminal case of Customs Duty evasion registered against him by the CBI at Panaji. The agency had arrested him on February 28. He was granted interim bail by Justice R M Doshit the same night after one of his relatives moved a habeas corpus petition calling his arrest illegal.
Subsequently,Adani’s lawyers amended the petition. Later,Justice Anant S Dave of the HC refused to hear the petition.
The petition was being heard by the single judge Bench of Justice H B Antani.
CBI lawyer Y N Ravani said that on the ground of territorial jurisdiction,the petition was not maintainable at Gujarat High Court since the offence was registered at Panaji,Goa.
“I think realising this and after obtaining legal advice,they must have withdrawn the petition,” he said.

Man stabs daughter’s friend,escapes
AHMEDABAD: A man reportedly stabbed his daughter’s friend on Tuesday as he didn’t approve of their relationship. The Police said deceased,Prahlad Parmar (23),a resident of Chandlodia,was having an affair with accused,Vastram alias Bullet’s daughter.
Investigating Officer R K Ninama said: “Vastram saw Prahlad with his daughter near his house at Nava Wadaj and abused him. During the ensuing argument,he took out his knife and stabbed Prahlad in the chest and escaped. Prahlad was taken to V S Hospital,where he died on Wednesday.”
The police have registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and have begun further investigations.

Man arrested for rape
AHMEDABAD: The city police on Tuesday arrested a man from Isanpur for allegedly raping a five-month pregnant woman. Investigating Officer Inspector A K Marwada said: “The victim was alone at home when accused Anish Musalman alias Kabadi (23) knocked at her door. The accused covered her face and raped her.” The police said Kabadi owns a cycle repair shop at Isanpur opposite the victim’s house. The police have booked a case under Section 375 of the IPC.

Cong says stir politically motivated
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress has called the BJP’s agitation against the CBI probe into the ‘encounters’ of of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati as politically motivated.
The party said BJP leaders are getting jittery over the issue because the CBI has been directed by the Supreme Court to investigate “all aspects of the case,including the possibility of a larger conspiracy”. Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday,state Congress president Siddharth Patel and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Shaktisinh Gohil said the BJP was not bothered when the Gujarat CID (Crime) had arrested as many as 20 policemen in the cases. But the same BJP is now launching a nationwide agitation when the CBI arrested one police officer during the probe.
“This is because the CBI is investigating the alleged possibility of a larger conspiracy in the episode and the arrests may go beyond policemen,” the two leaders said. Regarding BJP’s allegations that although a total of 712 encounters have been reported all over the country in the last few years,the CBI has been handed over only the Sohrabuddin and Tulsiram cases,Patel said there was a vast difference between the genuine and fake encounters. “As far as the Sohrabuddin case is concerned,the Gujarat government,in its Action Taken Report and affidavits submitted to the Supreme Court,has admitted it to be fake,” said Gohil.