First in the Express

• FEBRUARY 6

It was official, for the first time: Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao backed off from N-tests in December 1995 after US President Bill Clinton urged him not to conduct the tests. Former US deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott’s revelation came in an interview with The Indian Express editor-in-chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24×7.

• FEBRUARY 11

Murli Manohar Joshi quoted a 2002 Supreme Court verdict out of context to justify cutting IIM fees by 80 per cent. Manoj Mitta found that the sole ‘quote’—‘‘An educational institution cannot charge such a fee as is not required for the purpose of furthering the object’’— was misleading, since the apex court observed that only to reaffirm its ban on private professional colleges charging capitation fees.

• FEBRUARY 21

Two years after the mass rape and murder of 14 relatives of Gujarat riot victim Bilkis Yakoob Rasol, 13 Muslim residents of Randhikpur gave evidence in the case. DNA testing of the remains of the victims, however, was inconclusive, as reported on December 18: 60 kg of salt had been dumped with the bodies to hasten decomposition.

As The Indian Express continued its focus on the Gujarat riots, the International Press Institute India award came its way for ‘‘outstanding work in journalism’’ on February 15.

• MARCH 21

Then Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Yadav and his deputy Subhash Maharia ran up a taxi bill of almost Rs 30 lakh in less than a year. The bill went to the ministry PSU, the Food Corporation of India. When a senior official protested, he was transferred out. Pranab Dhal Samanta broke the story.

• APRIL 11

Two years after the Gujarat riots claimed nearly 1,000 lives, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that he would have to carry that ‘‘burden for the rest of my life’’. The admission came during an interview with The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24X7.

• APRIL-JUNE

Vikas Kahol and Manoj Mitta did a series of reports on the 25 judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court who went on a day’s mass casual leave, ostensibly in protest against Chief Justice B K Roy’s demand for an explanation from two judges who had applied for membership in a golf club involved in litigation.

• MAY 1

Within hours of cracking the leak of the CBSE pre-medical test paper, the Delhi Police Crime Branch turned alleged extortionists. Ritu Sarin reported that three officials were caught on CBI tape, telling the father of two suspects: ‘‘Abhi to hamne teri ladki ko chhorh rakha hai… ’’

• MAY 29

Nine months after an MC-172 Mesco chopper crashed, killing 23 ONGC men, Ritu Sarin discovered that the craft had been grounded four days earlier for maintenance work. There was no evidence of airworthiness tests.

• JUNE 11

Pakistan national security adviser Tariq Aziz and his Indian counterpart J N Dixit held talks at an Amritsar hotel on June 8. The story was broken by Shishir Gupta and Pranab Dhal Samanta.

• AUGUST 8

Tourism Minister Renuka Chaudhary moved her office into two deluxe suites at the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, while her quarters at the Ministry were being renovated. However, Amitav Ranjan found both rooms were shown as unoccupied in the hotel register.

• SEPTEMBER 3

A day before the three kidnapped truck-drivers returned home, National Security Adviser J N Dixit told Ritu Sarin that they were working on a no-negotiation policy in hostage situations.

• SEPTEMBER 19

The first notes of the Uma Bharati drama were picked up by Pradeep Kaushal, who reported a telephonic fight between her and the then BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu.

• OCTOBER 29

Almost six months after Manmohan Singh took charge, UPA ministers were falling behind schedule in fulfilling their CMP promises. The prime minister called a meeting of all ministers, requiring them to explain missed deadlines, on November 1. Navika Kumar broke the story.

• DECEMBER 26

India accepted a visa-on-arrival scheme, and made the first offer to Pakistan. Pranab Dhal Samanta broke the story on the morning of the foreign secretary-level talks.