MEA woman officer posted in Pak arrested for spying

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628127_MEA-woman-officer-posted-in-Pak-arrested-for-spying

A Second Secretary-level woman diplomat working in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has been arrested here for allegedly passing on information to Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Simultaneously, the station head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Islamabad R K Sharma has also come under the scanner, official sources said.

A promotee officer of Ministry of External Affairs, 53-year-old Madhuri Gupta, was arrested here four days back after she was summoned to Delhi on the pretext of discussions on the current SAARC summit meeting held in Thimpu, Bhutan, the sources said.

The officer, a Second Secretary working in the Mission for nearly three years, is alleged to have been passing on information from the Mission to her contacts in ISI till her movements came under surveillance of Intelligence Bureau sleuths.

Home Secretary G K Pillai said Gupta had been passing information to Pakistani agencies.

BJP MPs table breach of privilege notice against PM

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/627968_BJP-MPs-table-breach-of-privilege-notice-against-PM

Fifty BJP MPs today tabled a breach of privilege notice in Lok Sabha against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for announcing outside Parliament his decision to reject setting up of a joint parliamentary committee on the issue of alleged phone tapping.

The MPs submitted the petition to Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Achary.

Their action comes close on the heels of Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj objecting to the Prime Minister's announcement on the issue.

"This is a disrespect to the House. The Prime Minister should give a statement in the House on the issue," she said in Lok Sabha.

She insisted this was a serious matter as phones of even cabinet ministers were allegedly tapped. BJP has also demanded a JPC into the IPL controversy.

Court accepts CBI's closure report against Tytler

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628143_Court-accepts-CBI-s-closure-report-against-Tytler

In a reprieve to Jagdish Tytler, a city court today let off the Congress leader in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case after accepting CBI's closure report giving clean chit to him.

"There is no sufficient material to send Tytler to trial," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

It pointed out that the statement of California-based witness Jasbir Singh had "no relevance" and that the statements of another witness Surinder Singh were "self- contradictory".

Accepting the CBI's closure report giving a clean chit to the former Union Minister, the court said that there was no ground to order further investigation in the case.

The CBI had submitted that there was nothing to proceed against 66-year-old Tytler as two witnesses, Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh, were not reliable and their statements were "false and concocted".

Two JCOs shot dead by jawan

PTI 

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628187_Two-JCOs-shot-dead-by-jawan

In a fresh case of fratricide in Army, a jawan belonging to 12th Maratha Rifles allegedly shot dead two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) in Manipur's Churachandpur district, officials said here today.

The incident took place yesterday at Khengjong outpost, about 70 km from here, after a quarrel broke out between the JCOs -- identified as Mrinthunguan and Thanattan-- and jawan Ambeti Narayan, they said.

Narayan shot at his colleagues with his service rifle, killing them on the spot, the officials said.

Narayan fled soon after the incident, but was arrested today, they said.

Meanwhile, the Army refused to divulge any details regarding the JCOs and Narayan.

Promotion PBORs

 Government has not restricted promotion opportunities for the Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBOR) in the Armed Forces. The Government has, in fact, improved the career prospects by approving grant of three Assured Career Progression (ACP) to PBOR at 8, 16 and 24 years of service as against three Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPs) for the Central Government Civilian Employees at 10, 20 and 30 years of regular service. At the time of each financial upgradation under ACP, the PBOR would get an additional increment and next higher Grade Pay in hierarchy.

            Army:  PBORs (including Jawans) are eligible for grant of commissioning into Officer Cadres through various In Service entries i.e. Army Cadet College (ACC) / Special Commissioned Officers (SCO) / Permanent Commission Officers (Special List) [PC(SL)].

            Navy:  Adequate promotion avenues exist through time based, roster based and selective promotion for sailors. Promotion upto the rank of Leading Seaman/equivalent for non-Artificers and upto the rank of Artificer 3^rd class for artificers are time based. Roster based and selective promotions are for higher ranks against the available / anticipated vacancies. Promotion avenues also exist for sailors to be promoted to officer rank through the Commission Worthy Scheme and the Special Duty List Scheme.

            Air Force:  A PBOR during his service career can be promoted upto the rank of Master warrant Officer (MWO) subject to fulfilling eligibility criteria and availability of vacancies.   

            Number of PBORs including Jawans promoted to Senior Officers post in the three services of the Armed Forces during the last three years is as under:

Year	Army*	Air Force	Navy
			Commission Worthy Scheme	Special Duty List Scheme
2007	159	94	54	82
2008	139	64
2009	205	59

            * Excluding Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps

            Government proposes to review the promotion policy for PBOR to ensure greater opportunities for PBORs. In the Army, review of the promotion policy for PBOR is under process to ensure better opportunities. A cadre review for the PBOR has been ordered in May 2009. The Navy is also working on a proposal for cadre restructuring of sailors, which would enhance their promotional avenues.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Arjun Ray in Lok Sabha.