SUPREME COURT VERDICT ON CORUPTION CHARGE AGAINST KHUM BAHADUR KHADKA TUESDAY Kathmandu, 14 Aug.: Supreme court is scheduled to give its ruling on a CIAA corruption charge against Khum Bahadur Khadka Tuesday. Khadka is a senior NC leader and former home minister. Nnnn JUDICIAL REMAND OF ACHARYA BALKRISHNA, A TRUSTED AIDE OF YOGA GURU RAMDEV , EXTENDED Yoga Kathmandu, 14 Aug.: A court in Dehradun, Uttarakhanda, on Monday allowed local law enforcement agencies to extend Acharya Balkrishna's judicial custody by another two weeks, Mahesh Acharya writes in The Kathmandu Post from New Delhi. The court ordered the authorities concerned to present Balkrishna before it on August 27. This is the second time Balkrishna's custody has been extended by the court. Balkrisha, a close aide of Indian yogguru Swami Ramdev, has been in the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) custody since July 21. The CBI arrested Balkrishna from his ashram in Haridwar, accusing him of using forged documents to obtain an Indian passport. Balkrishna and his followers, however, rebutted the accusations claiming that the arrest is "a conspiracy of the central government to weaken Ramdev's campaign against corruption and black money." (Note: The Acharya is of Nepali descent and his judicial remand was extended the same day Guru Ramdev was arrested in New Delhi while going on anti-government protest to fight official corruption. Some believe the charge against Balkrishna was framed.) Nnnn CPN MAOIST PANCHTHAR DONATION DRIVE TERRORISES OFFICES Kathmandu, 14 Aug.: Employees of government offices and other organisations in the district are a terrified lot as CPN-Maoist has started a donation drive, The Kathmandu Post writes.. It has been learnt that the party wrote letters to various offices, including the District Drinking Water Office, District Irrigation Office, District Forest Office, District Development Committee, District Agricultural Development Office and the Rural Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Sector Development Programme (RRRSDP), in the district to cough up amount ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 300,000 within a week. The Maoists said the donation drive aimed at preparing for a movement for national sovereignty and ensuring people's federal republic through a new constitution. RRRSDP Engineer Bhanu Baral said the Maoists had been pressing his office to cough up donation ever since the office received their letter 20 days ago. "We cannot donate money illegally. So, we've informed the local administration and other authorities concerned about the donation drive,” he said. CPN-Maoist District Secretary Laxmi Prasad Neupane said they asked for donation to raise the issues of nationalism and remaining tasks of the 'people's revolt'. nnnn