Hasan net widens to Puducherry LG, Maya secy

NEW DELHI: Investigation in the Hasan Ali case has reached a crucial stage with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) deciding to question Puducherry lieutenant governor Iqbal Singh and UP chief minister Mayawati's principal secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey in the $8 billion money-laundering probe. 

While summons were issued to Iqbal Singh on Friday, ED is likely to issue notice to Pandey in the next few days asking him to appear for questioning, sources said. 

Faced with Supreme Court's adverse observations on the probe into one of the country's biggestmoney laundering cases, the ED has brought important functionaries under the scanner. Hassan Ali and his associates, including Kolkata-based businessman Kashinath Tapuriah, both in ED custody, have been slapped with tax evasion penalty of Rs 70,000 crore. 

The decision to summon Iqbal Singh and Pandey was taken after a key Hassan Ali aide and a Congress functionary from Bihar, Amlendu Pandey, stated under oath that he had been in regular contact with both Singh and the UP CM's principal secretary. 

Mention of the UP CM's office in connection with Hassan Ali also came up in the Supreme Court on Friday when counsel for ED pointed out how the CM's office was taking undue interest in allegedly derailing the money-laundering investigation. 

ED informed the court that Jasvir Singh — a co-petitioner with "tainted" former IIT Kharagpur professor S K Dubey seeking inquiry against top agency officials — is a DIG-rank officer attached to the office of the CM's principal secretary. 

In an affidavit submitted to the court, ED director Arun Mathur and his senior officials S K Sahni and Prabhakant said they were never present in Kolkata on August 1, 2009 and therefore there was no question of taking any undue favour for their hotel stay from anybody, as alleged by petitioner Jasvir Singh. 

Amlendu Pandey was questioned by ED officials in Mumbai on Thursday. The ED is investigating Tapuriah's UP connection. Both Tapuriah and Pandey had allegedly accompanied Hassan Ali toSingapore to open bank accounts. 

Pandey's statements were video recorded and taken under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which is admissible as evidence in court. He was raided by ED sleuths in the last week of March for his association with Ali. Pandey is believed to have helped the Pune-based punter to obtain a passport from Patna under forged documents. 

The ED argued that there was an attempt to malign senior officials to derail the ongoing investigation in the Hassan Ali case which has reached a conclusive stage. ED director Mathur, in his affidavit, said his house was never searched by CBI when he was administrator, Daman. His deputy Balesh Kumar affirmed that he was cleared by vigilance/CVC and his name was on the panel before he was selected for special director in ED.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Hasan-net-widens-to-Puducherry-LG-Maya-secy/articleshow/7996015.cms

26/11 case: Will India become party to lawsuit in US against ISI?

NEW DELHI: Intending to nail Pakistan's lie over the role of ISI in the Mumbai terror attack, India is mulling the option of becoming 'party' to the lawsuit filed in a US court last year by relatives of two Americans -- who died in the 26/11 carnage – against top officials of the Pakistani intelligence agency and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. 

A top government official said: "India may become party to the lawsuit and provide evidence to theNew York court. The matter can be taken up at the government-to-government level as well in support of the lawsuit under existing Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and US." 

The lawsuit, filed in November last year by relatives of Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who were killed by Lashkar terrorists at Chabad House in Mumbai in November 2008, has accused the ISI of aiding and abetting LeT in killing 166 people, including six American citizens.

It said: "The ISI has long nurtured and used international terrorist groups, including the LeT, to accomplish its goals and has provided material support to the LeT and other international terrorist groups." The lawsuit referred to the disclosure made by American-Pakistani Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley and blamed top ISI officials for providing "critical planning, material support, control and coordination of the attacks (2611)". 

The New York court had subsequently issued summons to senior ISI officials including its chief, Major General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, and LeT leaders Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi. Though the lawsuit is now stuck in procedures after the Pakistan government decided to defend its spy agency and got 'waiver' for Pasha's visit to the US, India appears to be keen on following the matter in whatever way it can to expose the ISI. 

Officials here do not rule out the possibility of some back-channel efforts to help the petitioners which may also become a starting point for people of other countries whose citizens were killed by the Lashkar terrorists. 

Besides Indians, 28 foreign nationals including citizens of France, UK, Germany, USA, Singapore,Israel, Canada, Australia and Japan were gunned down by the terrorists during the three-day carnage in Mumbai. 

An official said: "The latest disclosure made by Headley's accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana that he acted at the behest of the Pakistan government and ISI has strengthened India's position." Although Rana may not get relief from the US court for himself on this ground, his account, officials here believe, will certainly open a debate when the trial against him begins in the Chicagocourt on May 16.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-case-Will-India-become-party-to-lawsuit-in-US-against-ISI/articleshow/7985712.cms

Lanco’s foray into Solar Business

Lanco Solar is a global developer with presence in United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, USA & Canada. 

Lanco Solar is a global Engineering, Procurement and Construction Company to deliver EPC solutions 

Lanco Solar is establishing integrated manufacturing facility to produce 300 MW Photovoltaic modules per annum 

Lanco Solar Holdings, Singapore, a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Ltd. has unveiled its solar plans. It is implementing a fully integrated business strategy as a Developer of Solar Farms, EPC contractor and also integrated manufacturer of solar PV modules. Lanco Solar is present in both solar PV and Solar Thermal technologies.

Under various policies of both state and central governments, Lanco Solar has already signed power purchase agreements to the extent of 140 MW and aims to develop 200-300 MW of solar power over the next 2 years. Lanco Solar also offers turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services to other solar power developers and are looking to build 300-500 MW of solar thermal and solar PV plants over the next couple of years. Lanco Solar has also secured contracts for establishing solar power generation projects to be built on Parliament house and Science City in Punjab.

Lanco Solar has established a global presence across United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, USA & Canada. Lanco Solar is developing Solar Power Plants & providing turnkey EPC services in these countries. The first few projects in Europe are expected to be commissioned by April 2011.

As part of its integrated business strategy, Lanco is setting up India's first integrated Solar PV manufacturing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Rajnandgaon district of Chhatisgarh. In an event which was marked with presence of distinguished gathering. Hon. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh laid the foundation stone for the SEZ project while Dr Farooq Abdullah, Hon. Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy was the Guest of Honour for the event. The SEZ project is being developed in phases and will have integrated facilities for manufacture of Polysilicon , Ingots, wafers, PV Cells and PV modules with capacities of 250 MW/year equivalent. First phase of the project with an investment of Rs.1370 crores, consisting of Polysilicon, Ingots & Wafers, will be fully operational by year 2012. The state-of-the-art project is the first such integrated solar photovoltaic facility coming up in India, putting the country and the State of Chhattisgarh in the global map of polysilicon production bases.

The high-technology processes involved in the project are similar to that of semiconductor industry The facility is being designed to produce polysilicon of very high purity (micro-electronic grade) and will be set up using technology from Germany and USA.

The SEZ project would provide major boost to the local employment creation and small and medium scale ancillary industries in and around the area. It will create direct and indirect employment for 8,000 people. The project will enhance local entrepreneurship in many fields such as aluminum frame manufacturing, chemical process industries, electrical and electronic industries and construction industry. Small and Medium enterprises such as cutting tools, graphite machining, glass manufacturing, quartz crucible production,panel and switchgear repairing, PLC and robotics-cum-automation servicing, pallets and plastic packaging industry and ash bricks for servicing and maintenance would additionally provide job opportunities for a large number of people in and around the area.

The project would provide the critical backward integration for the solar projects undertaken by the company. Lancohas signed power purchase agreements with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) for development of a 5MW solar PV project and a 100MW solar Thermal project in the state of Rajasthan under the first phase of the National Solar Mission. In addition, it has signed up with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) for development of a 35 MW Solar PV project in the state of Gujarat. The company has already commissioned a 5 MW solar PV project in Gujarat using its in-house EPC capabilities, while another 5 MW is under development.

Speaking on the occasion, Hon. Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, said, "One of the main objectives of National solar mission is to take a global leadership role in solar manufacturing across the value chain, including setting up of manufacturing capacities for poly silicon. I am happy that this integrated project is the first step in this direction."

Speaking on the occasion, Hon. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, said, "In view of the nations determined foray into renewable energy, this project would play a critical role as integrated manufacturer of equipment for solar industry and also help the state in being at the forefront of clean energy revolution promoting non-polluting industries. The SEZ would help the state in creating thousands of employment opportunities in the region and boost small and medium scale entrepreneurship in the state."

Present at the occasion, Mr. L Madhusudhan Rao, Chairman, LITL, said, "Lanco Infratech has been developing a number of solar projects and has been at the forefront in its commitment to develop and promote renewable energy in India. India's 1st Solar PV manufacturing SEZ would provide components not only for Lanco projects but for the whole industry. It would also help the country in developing critical technologies in the solar energy sector and prove as a stepping stone for future of solar power in India."

Source: Lanco’s foray into Solar Business

790 tourists gets visa on arrival in January - General news

New Delhi:A total of 790 tourists from eight countries availed the facility of tourist visa on arrival during January, officials said.

The highest number of visas on arrival were issued to New Zealand citizens (242) followed by Finland (156), Japan (155), Singapore (125), Philippines (98), Luxembourg (6), Cambodia (4), and Vietnam (4).

The maximum number of visas on arrival were issued at Delhi airport (406), followed by Mumbai (214), Chennai (137) and Kolkata (33).

The central government has extended the visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists from Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos from January this year.

The scheme was launched last year for tourists from Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore as a measure to attract more foreign tourists to India.

Source: 790 tourists gets visa on arrival in January - General news