Jeddah: Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Saturday discussed bilateral issues, including the Nitaqat law, with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal as the Indian missions there scrambled to help over 55,000 Indian workers leave the kingdom in adherence to its new stringent work policy.

Addressing a joint press conference with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Khurshid thanked the Saudi kingdom for "the concessions that Saudi Arabia announced for expatriate workers to correct their status or return to their country without penal action".

He said Indians are the most preferred community in Saudi Arabia due to their hard work and discipline. "I pointed out the contributions of Indian Diaspora in the economic growth of India and emphasised the importance we attach to the welfare of the Indians abroad," Khurshid said.

The Indian minister's visit comes when the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah and other centres in Dammam and the Eastern Province have issued a second lot of 27,000 Emergency Certificates to enable Indian citizens to leave Saudi Arabia for home due to the Nitaqat policy.

The kingdom last month announced a three-month grace period, which expires July 3, after which they will begin to deport illegal workers.

Under Nitaqat, it is mandatory for local companies to hire one Saudi national for every 10 migrant workers. Over 300,000 firms in Saudi Arabia reportedly do not employ any locals and the Nitaqat policy seeks to deal firmly with this.

The new law also makes it mandatory for foreigners to only work for their legal sponsors, and their spouses can't take up jobs. The expatriates cannot perform any job other than the one mentioned in their job cards - a rule which many Indians were flouting.

There are currently 2.8 million Indian workers in Saudi Arabia.

Before leaving for Jeddah, Khurshid had said over 56,700 Indians are being repatriated from Saudi Arabia in the next one and half months as they have no valid passports and legal permits to stay in the kingdom.

"As of now 56,700 Indian have registered with the Indian Mission for getting exit permit as they have no valid passports or other travel documents," Khurshid Friday told a group of Urdu editors in New Delhi.

The number is expected to grow.

On May 21, Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao met the Saudi Deputy Minister for Interior Ahmed Al Salem during which they discussed the welfare of the Indian workers, including facilities for immigration and 'exit' for Indian nationals.

The Indian embassy has also roped in a large number of Indians as volunteers to man the help desks in various cities of Saudi Arabia, especially for translation and interpretation work.

In his address, Khurshid said India regards Saudi Arabia as one of its most valued strategic partners. He also said he was carrying a personal message from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for King Abdullah.

Both sides held talks on a number of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of common and mutual interest. They reviewed the progress in implementation of the Delhi Declaration and Riyadh Declaration and "expressed satisfaction at the state of our bilateral relationship and discussed ways and means to further strengthen the strategic partnership", he said.

He also expressed satisfaction at the progress in their defence and security relations. "The visit of Defence Minister (Antony) in February last year, the first by an Indian defence minister, and the exchange of other defence delegations have contributed in strengthening our defence and security engagement", he said.

Both sides also discussed the menace of terrorism the world continues to face and agreed to further strengthen their counter-terrorism cooperation. They also discussed regional issues, including Syria.

Kolkata: BCCI president N. Srinivasan, facing uncomfortable questions over his son-in-law's arrest in the spot fixing scam, attended a dinner thrown by former board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya here Saturday, amid speculation that some BCCI members have come together to ensure his exit from Indian cricket's apex body.

Besides Dalmiya and Srinivasan, Indian Premier League Commissioner Rajeev Shukla, board vice president Chitrak Mitra and functionaries of Cricket Association of Bengal were present at the dinner in a South Kolkata five-star hotel.

A veteran board member said Srinivasan's position has become untenable with the sponsors of Indian cricket threatening to withdraw if he continued to head the board.

Indian team sponsors Sahara India chief Subrata Roy has pulled his team Pune Warriors from the IPL and described BCCI's style of functioning undr Srinivasan as "disgusting, irritating and frustrating".

"A person like Srinivasan does not know how to run cricket. Sahara will not sponsor team India as long as N. Srinivasan stays as its chief," Roy was quoted as saying by a TV channel.

IPL sponsors Pepsi has also reportedly informed the Indian board that it would review its association with the league.

"If the fallout of the controversy is the exit of sponsors, then that will be a serious setback for Indian cricket. Srinivasan will have to go, if not today, then after some time. His position has become untenable. But it is upto him whether he will quit on his own or choose to stay," the board member said.

A defiant Srinivasan has, however, ruled out stepping down. "I have not done anything wrong, I have no intention to resign. I cannot be bulldozed into resigning," he told reporters in Mumbai earlier in the day.

Going by the numbers, it seems there is little danger to Srinivasan's continuation in the high office for the moment, despite the purported move by some affiliates to see his ouster.

If Srinivasan is to be forced out, the BCCI rules stipulate that a notice signed by at least ten members has to be given to the board secretary who will then convene an emergent general meeting. Srinivasan can be sacked if two-thirds of the members present and vote for his removal.

"All this seems to be a tall ask at this moment," said a board member, as some of Srinivasan's associates seemed to be lobbying hard to ensure his survival.

Meanwhile, Dalmiya held a one-on-one with Shukla at his New Alipore residence. Later, facing questions from the media about the controversy and whether Srinivasan should go, Shukla gave an open-ended reply, saying "everything is under discussion". He did not elaborate.

But Shukla cleared the air about Sunday's final saying it would be held as scheduled.

Following the arrest of Gurunath Meiyappan - Srinivasan's son-in-law and the CSK CEO, there has been a growing clamour for sacking the IPL franchise.

With BCCI terminating two IPL franchises on financial matters, critics have been seeking the cancellation, or at least the suspension of CSK, in the aftermath of the controversy.

Jagdalpur: Senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma was reportedly killed in an ambush by Maoists on the Darbha Ghat section of the Jagdalpur-Sukma Highway in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominant Bastar District on Saturday afternoon.

Media reports said the Union Home Ministry is awaiting details of the incident from the Chhattisgarh Government.

Unconfirmed reports said that apart from Karma, former Congress legislator Uday Mudaliyar and local Congress leader Gopi Madwani were also killed in the ambush.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Vidya Charan Shukla and Sukma Congress legislator Kawasai Lakma were among those injured in the incident.

Chhattisgarh state Congress president Nand Kumar Patel and some members of his family have probably been abducted by the rebels, media reports said.

An official spokesman of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said that he has cancelled his planned Vikas Yatra and was returning to state capital Raipur, where he is expected to preside over a meeting of senior bureaucrats, security and intelligence officials to take stock of the situation arising out of the attack.

Karma's family members only confirmed his death, and added that: "We don't have any more details."

The senior Congress leaders were on their way to Keshloor from Sukma after attending a Parivartan Yatra (Movement for Change) meeting, when at least 150 armed Maoists fired indiscriminately and triggered a powerful blast on their convoy.

"We are awaiting confirmation about these reports. I don't have any details," state Congress media cell in charge Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said.

Additional Director General of Police (Raipur) Mukesh Gupta told ANI that two to three had been injured in the attack and they had been taken promptly to hospital for treatment.

He said the third car in the convoy suffered the most damage in the blast.

He said that a police team has been sent to the spot to assess the situation on the ground.

Confirming that it was an attack by Naxals, Gupta said that full details of the incident would be made available after investigations.

He also said that such attacks are not new for the state, especially when elections are around the corner.

"We are trying to increase security constantly," Gupta said.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Ajit Jogi expressed sadness over the attack, and added that the persons killed or injured were with him two to three hours earlier.

"I am not in a condition to talk. These people were with me two to three hours earlier. Now, they have been shot. Police was not deployed (by the state government) purposely. I hope that tomorrow Chhattisgarh observes a shutdown in protest against this attack. There should be president's rule in the state," Jogi said.

He prayed that reports of Congress leaders being killed or injured in the attack were not true, and hoped that all of them would return safe.

"I hope that everyone comes out safe. I don't have much information. The Central Government should interfere. The State Government is not providing any information," Jogi added.

Senior Congress leader and in charge of the party affairs in Chhattisgarh B.K. Hariprasad confirmed reports of a Naxal attack on the convoy carrying and escorting the state Congress leaders.

"Initial reports say that one of our vice presidents has been killed. We haven't got more information. I cannot confirm what the media is saying. It is a sad incident. A lot of people are missing. I hope they are all safe. Sukma is a sensitive area and there was no security. There has been no government at all in the area for the past nine years. The State Government should have ensured enough security. I don't want to mix any politics in this," said Hariprasad.

New Delhi: After a major Naxal attack on a Congress rally in Chhattisgarh, the Union Home Ministry tonight said it is rushing additional paramilitary forces to help launch a combing operation for release of abducted leaders.

"Home Ministry has sent additional forces to Chhattisgarh to assist the local administration in launching combing operations for rescue of kidnapped persons," Home Ministry sources said adding "the state government has been assured of all help".

The Home Ministry has also sought a report from the state government on today's violence. The MHA officials are in regular touch with state government officials and are monitoring the situation.

While senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma was killed in the attack, another leader VC Shukla is reported to be critical after sustaining three bullet injuries.

The Maoists also kidnapped PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh after attacking a convoy of Congress leaders in Darba Gati Valley in Jagdalpur district.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight talked to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and asked him if any Central assistance is required by the state in the wake of the Maoist attack on Congress leaders.

UPA Chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi condemned the incident, saying it was an attack on the democratic values.

PMO sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up Raman Singh soon after the Maoist attack. He asked the Chief Minister if more central forces are required urgently by the Chhattisgarh government, the sources said.

The Congress president expressed shock and anguish over the dastardly attack in Chhattisgarh on party workers.

"It is an attack on democratic values which need to be condemned by not only political parties, but society as a whole," Gandhi said in a statement.

Raipur: Striking in a big way, heavily-armed Maoists today shot dead senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma and injured former union minister V C Shukla who is said to be critical having sustained three bullets in an ambush in a dense forest in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur district.

The Maoists also kidnapped PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh after attacking a convoy of Congress leaders in Darba Gati Valley, police said.

A former Congress MLA from Rajnandgaon Udya Mudaliyar was also shot dead and prominent woman tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam, Bastar, wounded by the Maoists who attacked the convoy at around 1730 hours when they were returning from the party's "Parivartan" rally.

There were unconfirmed reports of some policemen and other Congress acitivists being killed in the attack.

Karma, a former Home Minister who was a guiding force behind "Salwa Judum" (anti-Naxal operation by vigilante groups), was surrounded by about 100 to 150 Maoists who peppered his body with bullets.

The Maoists had put up road blocks by felling trees before triggering a landmine blast that hit one of the vehicles in the convoy and opening fire, police sources said.

After carrying out the attack, the ultras set nearby trees on fire.

The Personal Security Officers of the Congress leaders returned the fire but soon ran out of bullets becoming sitting ducks.

The Maoist attack took place in a dense forest near National Highway 202 connecting Chattisgarh with Naxal-hit Bhadrachalam district in adjacent Andhra Pradesh.

Opposition Congress' Parivartan Yatra, comprising senior party leaders, had launched Parivartan Yatra on April 12 in the state where Assembly elections are due by year end.

Chhattisgarh Congress media cell president Shailesh Trivedi said it was matter of investigation whether Naxals were involved in the attack.

He alleged the state's BJP government did not provide adequate security to Congress' Yatra despite opposition from Naxals.

"Naxals have opposed both BJP's Vikas Yatra and Congress' Parivartan Yatra. However, the state government provided security only to BJP's Yatra and not to the one organised by Congress. Had it been provided security, today's incident would not have happened," he said.

Mumbai/New Delhi: Embattled BCCI president N. Srinivasan refused to quit Saturday as his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was sent to police custody till May 29 in connection with the raging spot fixing scam in Indian cricket.

"I have not done anything wrong, I have no intention to resign. I cannot be bulldozed into resigning," a defiant Srinivasan said in Mumbai amid rising demands that he must give up his post in the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Kamal Nath became the first cabinet minister to demand Srinivasan's resignation while Law Minister Kapil Sibal promised a legislation soon to deal with corruption in sports.

Saturday was Day 10 of the Indian Premier League's spot fixing scandal, which began with the arrest three Rajasthan Royals cricketers and has now enveloped both Bollywood and a powerful administrator of the game.

Several bookies have been arrested across the country.

Srinivasan flew into Mumbai from Chennai to meet his son-in-law but left for Kolkata, where his Chennai Super Kings will take on Mumbai Indians in the IPL final Sunday, without seeing him.

"The BCCI will follow its rules," Srinivasan said. "There is no question of my stepping down. If someone wants to replace me, let him get elected. If I have done something wrong, then it is a different matter."

Meiyappan has been linked to Bollywood actor Vindoo Dara Singh, arrested earlier for links with bookies who are accused of manipulating IPL matches using inside information from tainted players and others.

Meiyappan, who had initially refused to surrender until Monday, gave himself up late Friday night to Mumbai Police.

After grilling him for three hours, police said they had recovered four mobiles from him which they needed to investigate to ascertain his role in the spot fixing scam.

Mumbai's Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy said Meiyappan was arrested based on the evidences gathered so far in the probe.

"We have come to the conclusion that there is evidence of his involvement in the offence which we are investigating. We have secured his remand till May 29," he said.

He added that police have recovered certain items from Meiyappan and Vindoo which would aid in the probe.

The duo would also be interrogated together and their voice samples taken to match certain conversations with suspected bookies tapped by the investigators, he said.

Kamal Nath said Srinivasan should go. "It is absolutely untenable for the BCCI chief to continue, he has no credibility left," he said in New Delhi.

Srinivasan insisted that "vested interests" did not want him to head the BCCI, the country's richest sports body. "It will be convenient for people to not have me here. Media has gone overboard against me."

Kapil Sibal said the government will soon bring a stand-alone legislation to deal with corruption and malpractices in sports.

"We have decided to enact legislation to deal with unfair practices in sports," he told the media.

"There is no offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as of now for unfair practice in sports, so you can't punish anyone," Sibal said, adding the government had sought Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati's opinion.

"The draft of the new law will be ready in three-four days.

"Though we can amend the IPC and incorporate a new offence dealing with dishonest practice in sports, it would be much better to have a stand-alone legislation.

"We cannot let down millions of fans out there for whom cricket is a passion. The new law will not apply to cricket alone but all sports in which such unfair practices are used for changing the outcome of the game in a particular event.

"We would like the law to be as broad as possible, to deal with all kind of unfair practices and in the new age of technology, you can use various means," he said.

New Delhi: Penal provisions on rape have been misused by some women who develop consensual physical relationship with their lovers and after the breakup file false rape cases to force them to marry them, the Delhi High Court has said.

Justice Kailash Gambhir said rape law was often misused by women as weapon for "vengeance and vendetta" to harass and blackmail their male friends by filing false cases to extort money and to force them to marry them.

"Many of the cases are being reported by those women who have consensual physical relationship with a man but when the relationship breaks due to one reason or the other, the women use the law as a weapon for vengeance and personal vendetta to extort money and sometimes even to force the boy to get married to them," the court said in a recent order.

"Out of anger and frustration, they tend to convert such consensual sex as an incident of rape, defeating the very purpose of the provision," Justice Gambhir said, while hearing a case related to a woman's complaint against her lover in Rani Bagh area July 13, 2012.

The rape complaint was filed against Rohit Chauhan, who was allegedly in a relationship with the woman for three years.

The court said that in many cases the woman first agrees to have consensual sex but she files a rape case against her boyfriend when the relationship breaks up in order to "force him to get married, making not only mockery of the marriage but also inflate the statistics of rape cases".

A trial court must cautiously examine the intentions of a complainant girl to find out whether the rape allegation was genuine or had malafide motives.

"There is a clear demarcation between rape and consensual sex and in cases where such controversies are involved, the court must very cautiously examine the intentions of both the individuals involved and to check if even the girl, on the other hand, is genuine or had malafide motives."

"Cases like these not only make a mockery of the sacred institution of marriage but also inflate the statistics of rape cases which further deprecates our own society," the court said.

Raipur: Carrying out a major attack, Naxals today targeted a convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur district killing the party's senior leader Mahendra Karma and injuring former union minister V C Shukla.

The Maoists also kidnapped PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son after attacking the Congress leaders at Darba Gati Valley in Jagdalpur district , police said.

A former Congress MLA Udya Mudaliyar was also shot dead by the Maoists who attacked the convoy at around 1730 hours when they were returning from a "Parivartan" rally.

Karma, a former Home Minister of the state who was a guiding force behind "Salwa Judum" (anti-Naxal operation by vigilante groups), was killed when a large number of Maoists opened fire on the rally. The burst of gunfire was preceded by a blast.

Shukla was reported to be at Darba Ghati police station and the nature of his injuries could not be ascertained immediately. 

Jagdalpur: Senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma was killed in an attack by Maoists in Jagdalpur district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday.

Another senior leader and former Union Minister V.C. Shukla was injured in the attack.

Acoording to police sources Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son were kidnapped by Maoists.

The ultras opened fire at the party's Parivartan Yatra near the forested Geedam Ghati area on way to Jagdalpur, police said. 

The ultras opened fire on the 'Yatra' when it reached near forested Geedam Ghati area on way to Jagdalpur, injuring local worker Gopi Vadhwani, they said.

Senior leaders, including state unit Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, former Union minister Vidyacharan Shukla and others, were part of the Yatra when it was attacked, according to a senior police official.

Chhattisgarh Congress media cell president Shailesh Trivedi said it was matter of investigation whether Naxals were involved in the attack.

He alleged that ruling BJP government did not provide adequate security to the Congress' Yatra despite opposition from Naxals.

"Naxals have opposed both BJP's Vikas Yatra and Congress' Parivartan Yatra. However, the state government provided security only to BJP's Yatra and not to the one organised by Congress. Had it been provided security, today's incident would not have happened," he said.

Trivedi said he was trying to contact the party leaders who were part of the Yatra but was unable to do so as the incident occurred in forested area.

Congress had launched Parivartan Yatra on April 12 in the state where Assembly elections are due by year end.