News in brief from across Gujarat

Gandhinagar: Narmada water will not be allowed to used for irrigation purpose from midnight today for summer season. With this, all minor, sub minor and distributary branches of Narmada canal will be closed. State Reserve Police(SRP) protection will be increased at main canal of Narmda for prevention of illegal water lifting. The State government had made announcement as early as in last January that the government would not be able to spare Narmada water for summer crops, as its first priority is sufficient drinking water supply. As irrigation supply of Narmada water is ending today, outflow from Narmada dam is going to be reduced.

– Supreme Court has asked Gujarat Magistrate Court not to initiate criminal defamation proceedings against the journalist of news portal ‘The Wire’ till April 12. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra granted partial relief to a journalist till April 12 in the case against The Wire for publishing a story on Jay Amit Shah’s company. The CJI Bench observed that ‘Press should be more responsible before publishing’. CJI Dipak Misra in his strong remarks against reporting of news by electronic media further said “Can anyone report anything they feel like. Many times what they report amounts to contempt of court”. Supreme Court issued notice in appeal by Rohini Singh and The Wire in appeal against Gujarat High Court order; refused stay of defamation proceedings. Supreme Court, however, said parties can approach lower court and intimate it of its SC order whereupon the lower court “may not proceed” with the defamation proceedings.

– ATS and Ahmedabad city crime branch joined Surat city police in investigation of Rs 20 crore diamond loot in Katargam area of Surat last evening. City police commissioner today visited the spot of crime. The incident took place at Katargam Safe Deposit Walt Pvt Ltd where Glowstar company staff had come to deposit the diamonds. Police is questioning suspicious staff members of Glowstar. Police is also scanning CCTV footage of citywide camera network.

– A boy studding in standard 12th in Bharuch was killed by a stray bull in Bharuch town of Central Gujarat. This is third incident in recent time. Earlier a bull had attacked a woman and had also injured a lawyer. A bull was captured after three-four hours of hard work by local administration.

– It is learnt that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has called three suspended MLAs of Gujarat assembly to Delhi. Three MLAs Der, Dudhat and Thakor were suspended for their violent behavior that has been captured in camera.

– Congress MLAs today staged mute protest in the assembly against suspension of three party MLAs yesterday. The Congress MLAs didn’t speak and observed silence during question hour. Meanwhile a meeting between State BJP president Jitu Vaghani who is also Bhavnagar MLA and deputy leader of opposition Shailesh Parmar was held.

– Today is the last day of withdrawal of nomination forms for four-seat Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat. There are seven candidates in fray as of today. One of seven is dummy candidate and therefore set to withdraw his nomination. Congress has fielded two candidates officially and one as independent for two winnable seats. BJP has fielded three party candidates for two winnable seats. If Congress’s independent candidate and BJP’s third candidate withdraw their forms, the election of four seats of Rajya Sabha will be declared concluded unopposed. Otherwise, polling will take place on March 23.

– Superintendent of Police(SP) of Banaskantha district in North Gujarat has filed defamation complaint against Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor for his offending remarks against him. Thakor had during the district panchayat poll campaign described himself as father of

DeshGujarat