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HYDERABAD I SATURDAY 23 I JUNE 2012

Weather
Max : 32.8OC Min: 23OC RH: 59% Rainfall: Nil

NATION
Sangma dares Pranab for debate

Windows
ASTROGUIDE:
Nandana : Uttarayana Tithi: Ashadha Suddha Chaviti till 12.02 am (on Sunday) Star: Aslesha (Full day) Varjyam: 6.41 pm to 8.20 pm Durmuhurtam: 5.47 am to 7.31 am Rahukalam: 9 am to 10.30 am

7 16
MAMATA LOSES SINGUR BATTLE, TO APPROACH SC
RAJIB CHOWDHURI and KAUSHIK PRADHAN | DC
KOLKATA, JUNE 22

SPORTS
Danish Kaneria found guilty of spot-fixing
Vol. 75 No. 174 Established 1938 | 40
PAGES

www.facebook.com/deccannews, www.twitter.com/deccanchronicle, www.deccanchronicle.com

| `2.50

RBI steps in as ` hits 57.30/$

HIJRI CALENDAR
Shabaan 2, 1433 AH

PRAYERS
Fajar: 4.33 am Zohar: 12.28 pm Asar: 4.55 pm Maghrib: 6.59 pm Isha: 8.16 pm

SUNSET Today 6.53 pm SUNRISE Tomorrow 5.54 am MOONRISE Tomorrow 8.48 am MOONSET Today 9.40 pm

Inside CITY: Guv: Develop tech to combat cyber crimes P 6 NATION: MoD clears `17k cr worth defence deals P 7 Counterpoint

HEAD OVER HEELS

Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo executes a bicycle kick as Czech Republics David Limbersky reacts during their Euro 2012 quarterfinal in Warsaw on Thursday. Portugal won 1-0. Report on Page 14 AP

Lead India 2020 link takes a curious turn

N. VAMSI SRINIVAS | DC
HYDERABAD, JUNE 22

Other stories

IKEA PLANS TO INVEST `10,500CR IN INDIA

New Delhi: Amid a slew of rating downgrade by international agencies, Swedish home furnishing major IKEA on Friday approached the government with a proposal to invest 1.5 billion euros (`10,500 crore) to set up 25 stores in the country under single brand retail FDI. The Swedish group manufactures and sells home and office furnishing products. Full report on Page 12

Senior bureaucrat Dr Manmohan Singh and noted industrialist Dr B. Parthasarathy Reddy of Hetero Drugs are out of the CBI dragnet in the illegal investments case of Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Both men occupy top positions in Lead India 2020, a non-government organisation and there is speculation if this had anything to do with their being let off the hook. Dr Singh, according to Lead Indias website, is its secretary-general and Dr Reddy, chairman and managing director of Hetero Drugs, is vice-president. Pertinent questions are being raised as to why the CBI spared the two though their role in the quid pro

In a landmark ruling, the Calcutta High Court on Friday held the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011 unconstitutional and void for lacking the critical element of presidential assent. This setback for the Mamata Banerjee government came as a victory for Tata Motors, which said it would examine the verdict. The 248-page order by a division bench comprising Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Mrinal Kanti Chaudhury not only dealt a blow to the state government but also set aside Justice I.P. Mukerjis earlier order which held the law to be constitutional. The bench, however, put a two-month stay on the execution of its order. The state government is likely to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while leaving the state Assembly for the Writers Buildings said, I dont wish to make any comment on this verdict. However, the government is committed to the return of land to the farmers in Singur. The farmers in Singur will get victory and I believe so.

Rupee sinks to new low

DC CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, JUNE 22

Last 5 days

Alarmed at the unprecedented plunge in the value of the rupee, which touched an all-time low of `57.30 to the dollar on Friday, the finance ministry said that the Reserve Bank of India and the government had initiated steps to arrest the currencys free fall. While the RBI asked public sector oil marketing companies to buy their dollar requirements directly from the State Bank of India to offset some of the impact, the state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) hinted on Friday that they will not reduce petrol prices as planned in the backdrop of global crude prices coming down to a 18-month low. With crude prices in the Indian basket hovering around $90 per barrel, down from $135 in MarchApril, it was believed that the oil companies might cut petrol prices by `2.20-2.30 per litre. However, they have now decided to keep petrol prices unchanged given their losses rising due to

RUPEE
55.96 -3p 55.93 -53p 56.15 -19p

against 1 US dollar

ASHRAF NEW PM OF PAK, SAYS WILL WORK WITH INDIA

SHAFQAT ALI | DC
ISLAMABAD, JUNE 22

56.30 -15p

$
18 19

ALL TIME LOW

-85p 57.30
20 21 22

June 2012
the declining rupee. Finance secretary R.S. Gujral told reporters on Friday, The government (is taking) action... supportive measures to ensure higher foreign exchange inflows... It is conscious of (the situation) and is taking appropriate action. He noted, though, that exchange rates were market-driven, and caused by the volatile international situation.

Raja Pervez Ashraf was on Friday elected Pakistans new Prime Minister, replacing ousted PM Yousaf Raza Gilani. The Pakistan Peoples Party nominee was declared the new PM after National Assembly members convened. Mr Ashraf got 211 votes in the 342-member House. Addressing the National Assembly following his election, he promised to keep bettering of ties with India as one of his foreign policy priorities. PPP sources said Mr Ashraf is expected to continue with the Cabinet working under Mr Gilani till Tuesday. He faces corruption charges for taking kickbacks in rental power projects and buying properties in London. Page 8: Shahabuddin cries foul over allegations

In this file photo, CBI joint director V.V. Lakshminarayana, centre, and Vasireddy Chandrabala, right, attend a function organised by Lead India 2020.

quo case against Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy is crucial. Lead India 2020 figured prominently in the news on Friday following the YSR Congress exposure of the phone call list of CBI joint director V.V. Lakshminarayana in which it

was found that he made hundreds of calls to one Vasireddy Chandrabala who in turn made calls to the MD of the vernacular daily Andhra Jyothi. Page 6 : Chandrabala says VVL is an old friend

EXCISE POLICIES AID LIQUOR BARONS

Hyderabad: Contrary to the state governments claims of ending syndicate raj in liquor trade, the excise department seems to be facilitating the syndicates to continue their hold on the trade. It put a clause in the tender notification that the successful bidder can later admit any person or persons as a partner. Besides, there is no restriction on people becoming partners in any number of retail outlets. Full report on Page 4

We lost due to disunity: Chiru

DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, JUNE 22

CANT AFFORD FREE EDUCATION, AP TELLS CENTRE

DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, JUNE 22

Market report
GOLD SILVER INDICES EXCHANGE
24 ct (10 gm): `30,075 22 ct (10 gm): `29,940 Bar (1 Kg): `53,720 Retail (1 gm): `53.72 Sensex 16,972.51 pts Nifty 5,146.05 pts US$: `57.30 Euro: `71.60

For the first time, Congress MP Chiranjeevi was critical of the state of affairs in the Congress when he addressed a meeting of party workers at his residence on Friday. They were there for the oath-taking ceremony of Thota Trimurthulu who won the Ramachandrapuram Assembly seat in East Godavari in the recent by-election. Analysing the debacle suffered by the Congress, Mr Chiranjeevi listed disunity and non-cooperation among Congress leaders, and not filling up nominated posts as reasons for the partys failure.

Chiranjeevi The MP was pained at the loss of the Tirupati seat vacated by him, and said that it was lack of cooperation among certain Congress leaders that resulted in the defeat of the Congress candidate M. Venkataramana. Page 4: Coordination behind two wins: Chiru

Scheduled to implement the 25 per cent quota for economically disadvantaged students in private schools under Right to Education Act (RTE) from this academic year, the Department of School Education has passed the ball to the Centre. The department has reasoned that it has no funds to reimburse fees for these students to the schools. According to RTE activists, the government has already diluted the quota by exempting elite schools under CBSE, ICSE, IB curriculum and is now shying away from implementing the quota even in schools affiliated to the state board. Page 3: AP shrugs off RTE liability

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Sania caught up in compromise

K. MOSES | DC
HYDERABAD, JUNE 22

The All India Tennis Associations compromise formula to calm the big boys involved in the boisterous bust-up ahead of the Olympics has handed a cruel deal to Sania Mirza, the lone ranger in Indian womens tennis for years. By pairing Leander Paes with Sania, Aita has ruthlessly dismantled her proven partnership with Mahesh Bhupathi with whom she has won two

Grand Slams, last months French Open being the latest and made her a pawn in the distasteful game. Sanias entry to the Olympics hinges on the wild card, to be announced on June 28 though the World Doubles No. 12 missed direct qualification by two places. But she prefers to play alongside Mahesh, whose backhanddominated game complements her style of play. I have been playing with Mahesh and doing well too. Personally we would like to

play together but it is not in our control, Sania had said after winning the recent French Open. With Leander by the side, We both are forehand court players. To simplify, its like dancing with two right feet. Sanias coach during her formative years and Maheshs father C.G.K. Bhupathi concurs. Its for everyone to see, he told this newspaper on Friday. Page 15: Sania handed raw doubles deal

Team rushes to pacify Leander

Faced with a pullout threat from Leander Paes, the All India Tennis Association has sent one of its selectors to London to pacify the veteran who is miffed at not getting a partner of choice for the mens doubles event at the London Olympics.
Full report on Page 15