KOLHAPUR, November 7: Union Law Minister Ramakant Khalap said he would consider the creation of a bench of Mumbai High Court at Kolhapur after receiving a report from the state government and the Mumbai High Court. Speaking at the Kolhapur district bar association on Thursday, Khalap said lawyers and politicians should agree on the demand. Stressing the need for speedy justice, Khalap said all the facilities should be made available to the affected parties. Related case documents should be placed before the court within 90 days and the case should be studied within the next 90 days, he said. ``However, lawyers should try to work out a compromise between rival parties instead of going to court,'' he added.State principals' meet in AurangabadAURANGABAD: The 18th annual convention of the Maharashtra Principals' Association will be held here on November 11 and 12. The convention will be inaugurated by the deputy chairperson of the state legislative council N S Farande while deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde will be the chief guest, said the president of the association, Dr Sharad Advant, while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.CITU official's custody extendedNASHIK: The judicial custody of CITU general secretary Dr D L Karad was extended up to November 21 by the Nashik court on Thursday. Dr Karad had been arrested on October 27 on charges of instigating a riot at Nav Bharat Industries in Ambad MIDC, in which a temporary worker was killed. The workers had clashed on October 10 after the management hired temporary workers in their place. CITU protested against Dr Karad's arrest in a morcha on November 5. Meanwhile, the Nashik Industries and Manufacturer's Association accused Dr Karad of terrorising the local industrial belts.Dacoits strike again in NashikNASHIK: A gang of dacoits looted a shop and two houses on Thursday morning, injuring three persons. Fifteen men armed with axes, iron rods and knives broke into the house of Sunil Vasant Nikam and decamped with ornaments worth Rs 14,000. Next they looted Sneha Saree Centre before attacking Kautik Mahadu Nikam's house. Kautik, his wife and 10-year-old niece were assaulted while trying to put up a fight. The dacoits escaped with valuables worth Rs 40,000. A similar dacoity in Niphad earlier had prompted the panic-stricken farmers to form local vigilance squads.Five cops booked for excessesJABALPUR: Cases have been filed against five policemen, including a town inspector and two sub inspectors, under sections 342/34 of the Indian Penal Code, by the Lordganj police authorities for having illegally detained a Homeguard jawan three years ago. The policemen are Yogendrapal Singh, P C Jain, R D Bhardwaj, Tekchand Sharma and Balvirsingh. On December 15, 1994, Shyamal Soni, the jawan, was picked up by Jain and Bhardwaj. He was mentally and physically tortured during interrogation.
