September 30: Principal Sessions Judge A S Aguiar today rejected the anticipatory bail application of a businessman charged of cheating by his nephew.

According to the police, the complainant C Vijaykumar had alleged that his uncle P V Sreekumar and his associate Sunder Sherigar had cheated him of over Rs 60 lakh. Vijaykumar and his uncle were managing a firm New Ways Equipment Pvt Ltd. He executed big time orders from companies like Videocon, Tips Cassettes, DRDO (Nasik), MSEB (Uran) etc.

In the meantime Sunder joined the firm as an Accounts Manager. While Vijaykumar was often outdoors, Sreekumar and Sunder took care of the factory and finances.

After noticing large scale discrepancies in the account books, Vijaykumar asked their bank's manager to freeze the account held solely by Sreekumar. In retaliation, Sreekumar closed the factory premises. In April this year Vijaykumar opened the factory premises and afterrechecking the accounts and other documents ascertained that Sreekumar and Sunder had cheated him of Rs 40 lakh by way of self cheque were made and large number of bogus bills were also used.

Special Public Prosecutor Vasanti Joshi appeared for the state, Z Z Engineer appeared for the accused.

Stir threat over Hindi

Rashtrabhasha Mahasangh, a social organisation demanding due `status' to Hindi as a national language, threatened to launch an agitation on the issue.

Freedom fighter Usha Mehta stated, ``Angrezi ko banaya sakhi bhasha, voh bani kareeb-kareeb rashtrabhasha,'' (English was made the language of convenience; it has now become, almost, the national language). She was addressing a press conference held by the Mahasangh demanding that Hindi be made the official language of the nation, `fully'.

According to the Mahasangh the demand to replace English with Hindi is confined to the nation's official correspondence and to the correspondence between the states. ``The language thatunited the people of India for freedom is deemed unfit today to run the affairs of the nation. While we are not opposed to English as a language, we will see to it that Hindi gets back the status it has lost to English,'' said the Mahasangh's secretary, Nandakishore Nautiyal.

Article 343 (1) of the Constitution declares Hindi as the national language. A period of 15 years, starting January 26, 1950, was decided for Hindi to replace English in the state's correspondence. But in 1963 this period was extended. The Mahasangh has demanded that this provision be repealed and that Article 343 (1) be implemented at the earliest.

The Mahasangh has planned to approach both the houses of the parliament to get a Bill, to the effect, introduced so that there can be a debate on it. ``At least we'll know who are opposed to Hindi being the national language,'' said former Justice, D R Dhanuka, also a member of the Mahasangh.

Deadlock over octroi on medicine

The deadlock over the issue of octroi on medicinescontinued with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) referring the matter back to the state government for clarification.

Municipal Commissioner Girish Gokhale said that he was unable to implement the directive sent by the Urban Development department as it was incorrect in spirit and letter.

``I cannot implement the letter because it is not an order. It does not mention the provisions of the Act under which the resolution passed by the corporation on August 20, 1998 which is now in vogue could be revoked,'' said Gokhale, adding that it is ``ultra-vires'' to the civic laws.

Gokhale added that since the civic resolution was passed the matter cannot even be taken for discussion within the mandatory time-limit of 90 days if it has to be revoked. ``The letter is not clear. The state government should have in its letter instructed the BMC under section 520 (C) to withdraw the said two percent octroi,'' he pointed out.

Mayor Nandu Satam while putting the onus on the commissioner for implementation ofthe government's decision agreed that there was a discrepancy in the language of the letter and this could cause legal problems in future.