Coal scam: CBI records statement of two PMO officials

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday recorded statements of two officials of the Prime Minister's Office as part of its probe into the coal scam. The CBI sought clarification from Vini Mahajan and Ashish Gupta regarding the allocation of the coal blocks, sources said.

The probe agency also summoned former coal secretary HC Gupta as an accused in the scam. Gupta will be questioned on June 20.

TN: DMDK seeks Congress support for RS polls

Chennai: A day after the main opposition party DMDK entered the fray for the June 27 biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, the party approached the Congress seeking support for its candidate.

"Five DMDK MLAs met me and gave me a letter, which requested Congress support for their candidate in the RS polls. I have forwarded the letter to Delhi... party high command will take a decision on it," Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president BS Gnanadesikan told reporters.

Sharad Pawar condemns BJP-JD(U) workers clash

JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav has condemned the clash that took place between his party and the BJP workers in Patna. "We have gone our separate ways. We can't walk together. What's the point of fighting? They can do the bandh if they want," he said.

Bihar Bandh: BJP, JD(U) workers clash in Patna, many injured

After the bitter political breakup, an open war erupted between the JD(U) and the BJP in Bihar on Tuesday. The party workers of the BJP and the JD(U) clashed in Patna as the bandh called by the BJP got a mixed response.

Ishrat Jahan fake encounter: CBI questions IB special director

Gandhinagar: The CBI on Tuesday questioned Intelligence Bureau Special Director Rajinder Kumar in Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. Questioning took place at the BSF campus in Gandhinagar.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has claimed that it has evidence which shows a senior IB officer colluded in the 2004 fake encounter by the Gujarat Police. Sources say that the CBI has call detail records to prove Kumar's role in the alleged encounter and that there was evidence which shows that Kumar was aware that Ishrat and three others will be killed in a fake encounter.

BJP says bandh has been a success, calls its end of Nitish era

"Nitish Kumar claimed he would do all he can to stop this bandh. Now you can see that men and women of the BJP are being attacked. JD(U) is responsible for this violence," said BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

Kunda killings: Raja Bhaiya agrees to undergo polygraph test

Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya has agreed to undergo a polygraph test in the Kunda killings case. CBI sources said Raja Bhaiya appeared before a special CBI court in Lucknow on Tuesday and gave his consent to undergo the polygraph test in connection with the murders which took place in his assembly constituency Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh on March 2.

"I have neither changed my statement nor am I worried about anything. If CBI feels that its necessary, then I have given my consent," he said. The former minister said the truth should come to fore.

Modi says Advani's letter to Rajnath created problems for BJP: sources

New Delhi: Days after BJP patriarch LK Advani sent his resignation letter to party chief Rajnath Singh criticising the party's functioning and conduct of its leaders, sources have indicated that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has raised concerns over its content and tone. Sources say Modi claimed that the letter has created problems for the BJP and he discussed it during his hour-long meeting with party leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday. "He had come to express his gratitude on being appointed the campaign committee chairman," Joshi said after the meeting.

Modi in fact met Advani after meeting Joshi in Delhi and sources say the meeting was positive. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is also expected to meet Advani and is likely to advise him to clarify the allegations he made in the letter.

VHP denies reports of Narendra Modi planning to visit Ayodhya

New Delhi: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has issued a statement denying reports of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi planning to visit Ayodhya. There were reports that Modi was planning to visit Ayodhya this month.

Reports had said that during his Ayodhya visit, Modi was expected to offer prayers at the disputed site. Reportedly, the VHP had also called a meeting of Hindu saints who played active roles in the Ram temple movement in 1990s.

Nitish thanks PM for calling him a secular leader

Patna/New Delhi: Two days after snapping ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seem to be warming up to the Congress. Hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Nitish a secular leader, the Bihar Chief Minister thanked him saying, "What the PM has said is right. I thank him for that. There is no hidden message in that."

Manmohan Singh reached out to the Janata Dal United leader on Monday saying he is a secular leader. The PM also said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is not a threat to the Congress in the next Lok Sabha election.