US sanctions Dawood Ibrahim's aides | US sanctions Chhota Shakeel and Tiger Memon

Washington: The United States on Tuesday designated underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's two close aides as key drug traffickers and placed sanctions on them aimed at constricting their access to business and financial networks.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Chhota Shakeel and Ibrahim 'Tiger' Memon as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers for their roles as part of 'D Company', a criminal group run by Dawood.

It said Mumbai-born 57-year-old Chhota Shakeel is Dawood's lieutenant who coordinates for D Company with "other organized crime and terror groups."

The department said Memon, 52, is a trusted lieutenant of Dawood and controls D Company's businesses across South Asia and is also wanted by India for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bombings that killed more than 250 people.

"Treasury continues to target the nexus of crime and terrorism in South Asia with today's action against one of the world's most notorious criminal organizations," said OFAC Director Adam Szubin.

Interpol has issued provisional arrest warrants or "red notices" for both Shakeel and Memon.

Dawood was named as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in October 2003, and in June 2006, he was named as a drug trafficker.

Also in June 2006, the Dawood group was named as a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker.

Drug trafficking activities of D Company include the smuggling of heroin and hashish from Afghanistan and Thailand to the United States, Western Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa, the department said.

As a result of today's action, US persons are prohibited from conducting financial or commercial transactions with Chhota Shakeel and Memon, and any assets they may have under US jurisdiction are frozen.

Spot-fixing: BCCI suspends 5 IPL players

New Delhi: Five players, who are allegedly involved in spot-fixing shown by a news channel, have been provisionally suspended by the BCCI.

Abhinav Bali, TP Sudhindra, Mohnish Mishra, Shalabh Srivastava and Amit Yadav are the palyers who have been suspended for 15 days.

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla stated that Ravi Sawani would head the preliminary enquery panel.

A TV channel on Monday had claimed to have done a sting operation wherein cricketers had confessed on hidden camera that they are paid more than their prescribed auction amount.


The channel had further claimed that spot-fixing is not only prevalent in the IPL but also in first class cricket where matches are fixed and women played an important role in match-fixing.


Among the five players pace bowler TP Sudhindra, who is playing this year’s IPL for Deccan Chargers, is the highest wicket-taker in the 2011-12 Ranji season. He plays for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.

Middle-order hard-hitting batsman Mohnish Mishra also plays for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. Though he was with Pune Warriors team in the start of the season, he was later released by the franchise as he was not in their scheme of things. Mohnish started his IPL career with Deccan Chargers.

Shalabh Srivastava, who along with Yuvraj Singh and Md. Kaif won the under-19 world-cup in 2000, plays for Kings XI Punjab. He did not play a single match this season.

Indonesia bans Lady Gaga? | Permit denied for Lady Gaga`s Indonesia show

Jakarta: Pop star Lady Gaga may have to cancel a concert in the Indonesian capital after police declined to give a permit for the show amid protests from Islamic groups.

Islamic organisations have said the 26-year-old singer`s style puts the Muslim country`s morality at risk.

Protesters say they have a particular dislike of what they termed a provocative manner of dress and dance by Lady Gaga that should be considered un-Islamic.

"There is fear of the concert`s consequences, especially from her sexy way of dressing," an unnamed police official told the al-Arabiya news channel.

The June 3 leg of the "Born This Way Ball" tour sold out in around two hours when tickets went on sale in March.

Cholil Ridwan, chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulema -- the country`s highest Islamic authority on morality -- said he had never watched the singer perform and only heard of her "reputation" second-hand, but that the concert intended to destroy Indonesia`s morality.

Madhuri Dixit "Dhak Dhak" Dixit, who turns 45 today

To her fan legions, Madhuri Dixit was and still is the goddess of grace and style. Regarded widely as one of Bollywood's best superstar-actresses, Madhuri broke many-a-heart when she quit Bollywood in 1999. Her comeback movie, 'Aaja Nachle', was a half-hearted attempt, and fell flat at the B.O. In 2011, Madhuri staged a terrific comeback, albeit on the small screen, with the reality show 'Jhalak Dikhla Ja'.

Come 2012, she is set to revive her B'wood career with 'Dedh Ishqiya' and 'Gulab Gang'.

2G case: A Raja gets bail, can't visit department of telecommunications (DoT) or Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Former communications minister A. Raja, who has been in jail since February 2011, was Tuesday granted bail in the 2G spectrum allocation case but with the rider that he could neither visit the department of telecommunications (DoT) nor his home state Tamil Nadu.

Raja, the last of the 14 individuals charged in the case still in prison, was given bail by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special judge O.P. Saini.

"Considering the progress of the trial, period of custody of the accused and the fact that all other accused have been released on bail, I am of the opinion that further detention of the accused would not serve any purpose and, for these reasons, I am inclined to grant applicant (Raja) bail," the judge said.

He also directed that Raja could not visit the department of telecommunications or Tamil Nadu without the court's prior permission.

The announcement that Raja, who has been behind bars in the capital's Tihar Jail, was granted bail triggered wild slogan shouting and cheering by his DMK supporters, mainly from Tamil Nadu, who raised slogans in Tamil like: "Raja, vazhga!" (long live Raja!)

The DMK also expressed confidence that he would come out clean. Besides the 14 individuals, three companies were also charged in the case related to 2G spectrum licences allocated during his tenure as communications minister.

"We are happy. Getting bail is part of the legal process. We are confident that Raja will come out clean in the whole episode," DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan told IANS.

Giving details of what had transpired, Raja's counsel told reporters that the judge called Raja towards him and told him: 'Your bail application is allowed.'

'Raja had not moved bail until all other 13 were granted bail,' he added. 'Now all the accused are on bail. The case will go on.'

The counsel pointed out that Raja had got bail despite the CBI's opposition.

The CBI had opposed Raja's bail application, saying he faced charges of accepting bribes of Rs.200 crore, which makes his case different from former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court last week.

Raja, in his bail application, has requested the court to release him on the ground of parity.

The agency said that important prosecution witnesses of department of telecommunications and other private people, especially connected to alleged bribe transaction of Rs.200 crore from DB Group companies to Kalaignar TV, are yet to be examined.

It told the court that if the accused was released on bail at this crucial stage of trial, then he may influence the vital witnesses as some of them belong to Tamil Nadu.

Raja resigned as minister Nov 14, 2010 in the wake of the Comptroller and Auditor General reporting that his 2008 decision to allocate 2G spectrum on a first-come-first-served basis had caused the exchequer a presumptive loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore. The CBI arrested him Feb 2, 2011.

The Supreme Court in February cancelled 122 spectrum licences allocated during Raja's tenure. It also ruled that all natural resources should be allocated through an auction, which the government is now preparing to do in the case of the cancelled licences.

Bikini Sexy Actress sexy wonders of Bollywood

Ready your sunscreens. Put on those (3D) goggles. Here we go...

Bikini was once a forbidden word in Bollywood. Raj Kapoor, the habitual norm-basher that he was, ordered Nargis to get into a two-piece. Nargis, the loyal love bird that she was, gave the nod. And they sang 'Dum Bhar jo Udhar Mooh phere' (Awara, 1951) with gay abandon. Bikini has, ever since, been Bollywood's success mantra.Click on, as we line up Bollywood's latest Bikini wonders.

Introducing Arjun Kapoor.. Debut Deck: Arjun Kapoor

Move over Ranbir, there is a new Kapoor boy in B-Town!

Born into a family of Bollywood greats ranging from actors to producers to filmmakers, this young man took a detour from the usual 'acting' jaunt and ventured into filmmaking instead.

Arjun's interest in filmmaking urged him to quit college and pursue a career in film production like his father, Boney Kapoor. And while making a mark for himself, the youngster also impressed industry seniors with his production skills.

But with his dapper good looks it was only a matter of time before the acting bug took a big chunky bite. His maiden flick 'Ishaqzaade' is set for a May 11 release.

Always a good thing to have fresh talent in Bollywood, this Kapoor newbie not only looks great, but is incredibly promising too!