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December 27, The Central Bereau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitely, Major General (retired) S.P.Murugai and Samata Party leader Gopal Pacherwal. The CBI made the fourth accused Surender Kumar Surekha, an industrialist from Kanpur turn approver in the case. On December 6, 2004, the case was registered against all the four.

The chargesheet was filed against Jaya Jaitely for allegedly taking a bribe from reporters of Tehelka portal posing as representatives of a fictitious UK-based arms firm to influence then Defence Minister George Fernandes.

The chargesheet was filed under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and section nine of the Prevention of corporation Act. During its investigation, the CBI alleged that the reporters of the portal had saught assistance from Jaitly through Murugai and Surekha to obtain orders for equipment from the defence ministry.

At the instance of Jaitly during a meeting, Rs.2 lakh was allegedly handed over to Pacherwal at the official residence of Defence Minister George Fernandes. Surekha was allegdly paid Rs.1 lakh seperately for services rendered by him in faciliating the meeting while payments were allegedly made to Murgai at regular intervals. Mr.Bangaru Lakshman allegedly accepted Rs.1 lakh as bribe. The CBI filed its first chargesheet against former BJP president Nangaru Lakshman on July 18.

December 27, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat met Tamil Nadu chief minister M.Karunanidhi to find an amicable settlement to the Mullaiperiyar dam issue that will protect the interests of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The DMK and CPI(M) are partners in the UPA ruling at the Centre.

Karat met Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence to understand how the Tamil Nadu government views the Mullaiperiyar issue and offer his services for working on a negotiated settlement. Karat said that his party was interested in seeing that there was an amicable solution to the issue.

Mr.Karat told reporters that he hoped both the government would take appropriate steps to resolve the issue keeping in mind the interests of the people of both the states. Emerging out of 45 minute discussion the state PWD minister Durai Murugan, Union Minister A.Raja and CPI(M) central committee member T.K.Rangarajan also participated.

He also told that he was going to meet their leaders in Kerala next month. Mr.Karat said he had also discusssed the Lankan situation, particularly in the North and East where Tamils faced undue hardship. He declined to answer a query on the indefinite fast of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

December 26, A pipeline carrying petroleum products exploded in Nigeria’s largest city of Lagos. At least 200 people were killed. Hundreds of bodies could be seen jumbled and fused together in the raging glames at the blast site. In May, more than 150 people died in a similar explosion in Logos.

Ige Oladimeji, A senior official for the Nigerian Red Cross, said that his workers had documented over 200 and still continuing. He also said that they could only recognise them through the skulls, the bodies weere scattered over the ground

Mr.Oladimeji said that the workers could not get close enough because the fire was burning. Nigerian Red Cross spokesman Umar Mairiga said that the blast shook the neighbourhood after dawn. He said that many people had been injured and 16 bodies had been taken to the morgue. It was not immediately clear what was flowing in the pipe.

Witnesses said people had rushed to the ruptured pipeline to collect fuel when the flames ignited. Nigerians often tap into pipelines carrying refined fuel, scooping up the raw product in buckets or plastic bags. Spilled fuel spreading in pools sometimes ignites, immolating people nearby.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, but corruption, poor management and limited refining capacity often leaves the country short of fuel for vehicles and stoves.