TOP CEO ON THE DOCK....

Two and a half years after Pratibha Murthy - an employee of a BPO company - was killed in Bangalore by the driver of the car taking her home after work, the Supreme Court has given the go ahead for criminal proceedings against Som Mittal, the then Managing Director of the company Hewlett Packard where Pratibha was working.

Pratibha Murthy was raped and murdered by the company driver in 2005 in Bangalore and Mittal was accused of negligence, leading to the rape and death of the BPO employee. Police had accused HP of violating the 2002 order of Karnataka Government that directed companies, employing women in night shifts, to provide security for them during their travel home.

Som Mittal is the former MD of BPO Branch of HP and is the currently the President of NASSCOM.

The Supreme Court's ruling has stated that, the managers and administration are also liable to ensure the safety of women employees especially during night shifts. The three judges from the SC bench have also stated that the latest ruling is not a direction but an obersavation.

Pratibha's parents, who spent the past two years in and out of courts seeking justice, are taking some comfort from the Supreme Court order on Wednesday (Feb 20), which found that Mittal should be held responsible for negligence. Pratibha's uncle S Srinivasa said, "A man who heads any institution is always responsible, whether he's in the institution or outside the institution, negligence is negligence. It's associated with them, it's caused by them." Pawan Shetty, Pratibha's husband voiced his take and said that it is the best thing that has ever happened and hopes that the companies do not lapse in their employees' welfare, security and safety.

The General Secretary of IT Union - Karthik Shekhar - has meanwhile made it clear that the company violated the amended act of Karnataka's Shops and Establishment Act for which it deserved to be pulled up by the Supreme Court.

He added that employees are the knowledge capital of the company and their protection should be of high priority. He also believes that over the past two years nothing has changed with regard to the attitude of corporate companies. Shekhar also felt that even if Som Mittal is fined, the amount would likely not be phenomenal. He has been trying to get in touch with Mr Mittal ever since the tragic incident, but says there has been no response at all from his end.

However, HP has issued a statement on SC's observation on the case and have said that since the matter is sub judice the company would not like to comment on the same. Meanwhile, neither Som Mittal nor HP has been pronounced guilty on any court.

WAR OF SURVIVAL........Its IPL Or ICL..........????

(Vs)






Now that the IPL has kicked into high gear, what happens to the rebel Indian Cricket League?

The ICL plans to organise its next big tournament in March but can they survive the assault from the brutal monetary advantage that the IPL enjoys? The signs aren't too good.

The Chennai Superstars celebrated victory in the inaugural edition of the Indian Cricket League. The Essel Group's rebel league has even bigger plans this season. But can they succeed?

While the ICL attracted a reasonable amount of interest from advertisers, with the launch of the IPL that scenario may just change. After all, advertising budgets aren't likely to go through the roof and there is only so much money to spend.

Even the players who have signed up for the ICL face an uncertain future. Banned from playing in their own domestic tournaments, some like the Pakistan players who played in the league have decided to take their case to court. But PCB Chief Nasim Ashraf has warned the things will only get tougher for the ICL from now on.

"They must find a solution with the ICC if they want their league to work and survive. Even the Indian Premier League was only launched properly after the BCCI first discussed and worked out things with the ICC and member boards. Anyone who wants to do something for the betterment of cricket must do it through the ICC," Ashraf has said.

But the ICC seems to be in no mood to soften its stand on the ICL.

"Yes, the member countries have affirmed their opposition to the Indian Cricket League, an unofficial cricket league. They have resolved that they will not release any of their players to play in the Indian Cricket League," ICC's Chief Executive Malcolm Speed says.

ANY WAY GAME OF CRICKET SHOULD WIN AT LAST................!!!

TATA MOTORS' AIR CAR.........!!

Tata Motors Ltd has confirmed that it is collaborating to develop an air-powered car with French inventors.Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant told that his group last year signed an agreement with MDI, a private French company developing cars driven by compressed air.
"It's a very exciting concept, this way of running a car. We hope something will come out of it," Kant said.
He confirmed Tata Motors had the technology rights for India and was "studying whether it can be used".
Tata was looking at applying the technology for both mobile and stationary uses, he added.
Reports last week said Tata was looking at the feasibility of applying the technology to power generation. According to MDI, which is based near Nice, compressed air technology can be applied to emergency generators.
Guy Negre, the French engineer who is working on the invention, was quoted saying last week his five-seater OneCat, with zero emissions in cities, will be marketed within a year.
"The first buyers of the air car will be people who care about the environment," Negre said, adding: "It also has to be economical."
However, Kant stated that the group had "not yet announced when we will have a car".
A representative of the French company said Tata had bought rights to its engine, but not its car concept.
The paper said the car would be run by compressed air tanks at speeds below 50 km per hour, and by petrol, diesel or another fuel at high speeds.