In brief

Sources in the Crime Branch said that Haseeb Raza,another SIMI member who was arrested last week from the city,has disclosed that Jamal closely worked with Abdul Subhan alias Tauqeer,the alleged mastermind behind the July 26,2008 blasts. Jamal,who was operating from Chhapra,Bihar,had supplied one air gun,one revolver and 20 cartridges to Raza for his ‘operations’ in Gujarat.

Wanted criminal arrested in Vadodara
The Vadodara police on Monday arrested Bablu Liaqat Ali alias Iqbal,who was wanted for the murder of former Anand BJP councillor Alpesh Chacko alias Navin Patel. Iqbal is a close aide of bootlegger Mukesh Harjani. The arrest was made during a routine security check on the city outskirts. The police said he also used “clear” land for builders in Tandalja and the adjoining areas while maintaining a low profile. “He was also involved in the murder of one Pappu Shukla at Sinor in Vadodara district and attack on a Sindhi trader from Warasia,Ishwar Jagiasi,and his brother,Haresh,” said a police officer. —ENS

Bharuch resident dies of swine flu
A 24-year-old man died of swine flu at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital here on Monday. SSGH Resident Medical Officer

B Patel said the patient,Brijesh Patel,belonged to Amod village in Bharuch. He was admitted to the hospital on Friday. “When he was brought here,his condition was very critical and was kept on ventilator support. We received his medical report,confirming swine flu,around 3.30 pm after his death,” added Patel.

Two test positive for cholera
Two patients have been tested positive for cholera in Ahmedabad,according to authorities at the microbiology department of B J Medical College. Dr Nilam Patel,Chief District Health Officer,Ahmedabad,said: “In Ghoda village,three cases of cholera were reported,of which one was of a five-year-old girl and another of a 70-year-old man. The health department has increased surveillance in the area from Monday.”

13 from city make it to top 30 in CA exam
Thirteen students from the city have made it to the top 30 national rankings in the Chartered Accountant exams,the results of which were announced on Monday. This year,over 1,400 students had appeared from Vadodara of which 340 cleared the test.

Krupali Upadhyaya has secured the seventh rank in India and first in the city. She is followed by Siddhant Mehta (AIR 21) and second in the city. Pratik Gandhi,who runs CA coaching classes in the city,said: “This is the first time that so many students from the city have made it to the top-30 list.” — Hearing in riot-relief scam deferred till month-end
A hearing in the Panderwada riot relief scam case has been deferred till the month-end as Gujarat High Court Chief Justice S K Mukhopadhyay is on leave. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Mukhopadhyay and Justice Aqil Qureshi was scheduled to hear the petition on Monday.

In the wake of a petition filed by Dr J B Panesuria,an observer with the Junagadh-based All India Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Watch (AIACHRW),the Panchmahals district association instituted an inquiry.

Five Taluka Development officials,three engineers,three talatis and a sarpanch together with 13 taluka officials from the Khanpur Taluka Office were found to have siphoned off Rs 1.38 crore that came as relief for the victims of the 2002 riots.

Panesuria said:“Even now the villagers for whom I have filed this petition say that sarpanch Anil Modi,against whom an FIR was filed at the Bakor police station,and Ghulam Kharadi,who siphoned off Rs 92.7 lakh,are free and roaming around in Vad village near Bakor.”

When The Indian Express contacted Bakor police station officers on Monday afternoon,they said the two have been declared wanted,but their whereabouts are still not known.