The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

COURTS

HIGH COURT
College ex-head gets jail for contempt
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 7
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today held Dr R.P. Singh, the then Principal of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College at Ludhiana, and Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, the then vice-chairman of the managing committee, guilty of committing contemptuous act and sentenced them to simple imprisonment for one month.

Delivering the verdict, Ms Justice Bakshish Kaur of the High Court also imposed a fine of Rs 2000. In default, the two were directed to undergo imprisonment for another 10 days. The orders will become operational after three months.

Seeking the initiation of contempt proceedings, Charan Singh, an employee, had earlier submitted that the respondents had violated an undertaking given to the court that he would be duly considered as and when vacancy for the next higher post arose.

After going through the documents, the Judge observed: “Keeping in view the fact and circumstances of the case, I am of the considered view that it is clear case of contemptuous conduct on part of Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and Dr R.P. Singh.... They are held guilty for the contemptuous act”.

CBI probe into wife’s disappearance

The mystery shrouding the disappearance of a 22-year-old housewife two months after her marriage trudged towards a solution today with Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the High Court ordered a CBI probe into the case.

Seeking investigating by the premier investigating agency, the housewife’s father Jaspal Singh had earlier submitted that his daughter was being harassed by her in-laws for bringing little dowry.

After going through the record and hearing the arguments in the case, Mr Justice Jain directed CBI’s Superintendent of Police to depute an experienced officer “who shall make all efforts to trace the girl”. Directing the completion of the probe within three months, the Judge also directed Bathinda’s Senior Superintendent of Police to hand over all the relevant documents to the CBI’s SP for necessary action.

The Judge observed: “Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of this case, especially the fact that a young girl disappeared less than two months after her marriage, even though almost four years have lapsed and her whereabouts are still unknown, and that the local police has submitted an untraced report, in my opinion, it is a fit case where the investigation should be transferred from the local police to the CBI”.

Notice to cops on unclaimed vehicles

Taking serious note of a report published in a regional daily claiming that the Punjab police officials were using without authorisation unclaimed vehicles taken into custody by them, Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the High Court today directed the issuance of notice to Punjab’s Advocate-General. The case will now come up for hearing on December 12 for consideration.

Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Jain observed: “A news report has been published from Bathinda to the effect that Punjab police officers were using vehicles taken into custody without authorisation. It has been further reported that instead of depositing the vehicles in malkhanas and locating the owners of these vehicles, the police officers were using the vehicles even though on paper they were showing that the vehicles had been deposited in malkhanas”.

The Judge concluded: “If certain vehicles recovered by the Punjab police are lying unclaimed, under the provisions of the Police Act it is the duty of the police officers to intimate the District Magistrate for the issuance of a proclamation requiring any person who claims to be the owner to appear and establish his right within six months and if no one claimed the property, to take necessary steps to sell the same and deposit the proceeds in the government treasury.... In my opinion, the matter requires consideration by this Court, in exercise of its inherent powers under Section 482 of the CrPC. The office is directed to treat this petition as a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC”.

Octroi file to be produced

In an undertaking before a Division Bench of the High Court, counsel for the state of Punjab today stated that the file relating to the consideration of the octroi issue by the Council of Ministers would be produced in court.

After going through the undertaking, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Jawahal Lal Gupta and Mr Justice J.S. Narang, ordered that the undertaking shall be binding on the state of Punjab. The case will now come up for further hearing on December 18.

Librarians’ plea allowed

Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the High Court allowed a petition, filed by librarians working in Punjab colleges, seeking the grant of revised pay scales.

In their petition, Veena Sharma and other petitioners had earlier sought directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents for granting pay scale of Rs 700-1200 with effect from January 1, 1973, and pay scale of Rs 700-1600 with effect from April 1, 1980, along with 18 per cent interest.

After going through the record and hearing arguments, Mr Justice Gill observed that counsel for the petitioner had drawn his attention to a bunch of petitions decided on August 26, 1984 directing the respondent government to give the revised pay scale of Rs 700-1200 to the petitioners with effect from January 1, 1973 and Rs 700-1600 with effect from April 1, 1980. The Judge added: “I have gone through the judgement and find that the present petitioners are similarly situated. In view of this position, this writ petition is allowed in terms of the decision passed in the earlier petition”.

DISTRICT COURT
6-month RI for shopkeeper
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 7
A city resident, Tara Chand, was sentenced to six-month rigorous imprisonment under the Food Adulteration Act by a local court today . The accused was also fined Rs 1000 by the court.

It was alleged that the Food Inspector had inspected the shop of the accused in Panjab University on September 4, 1997 and purchased 2 kg of Kalonji as a sample. The sample was sent for analysis. As per the analysist the sample was found to be unfit for human consumption

Acquitted: Three accused allegedly involved in a rape of a minor girl were acquitted by a local court. The three, Amit Narag, Davinder Bisht, Prithi, were acquitted as the victim in the case failed to identify the accused.

It was alleged that the accused raped a 15-year-old maid servant living in Sector 44-B. It was alleged that the victim was raped by three students staying as paying guests in the neighbourhood. Later the girl was admitted in the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital. The case against the accused was registered under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code in Sector 34.

Beant case: The UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S Bhalla, today adjourned the Beant Singh assassination case till December 18.

The case was adjourned as the Central Bureau of Investigation need more time to produce the witness before the court.

Dry-cleaner fined Rs 5,000
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, December 7
Dry-cleaners must take care while spoiling the suit of any lady as they can be fined for their act. This is exactly what has happened to Krishna Dry-Cleaners of Sector-47, who have been directed to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 for spoiling the suit of a lady today by the UT Consumer Court.

The complainant, Mr Balbir Singh, had handed over a dupatta and one ladies suit (three pieces) to the dry-cleaners for dry cleaning on June 10, 1999. The complainant said he went to collect his clothes on June 14, 1999, and found that only dupatta was ready while the suit had been spoiled. The complainant refused to take the delivery.

He alleged that the Krishna Dyers and Dry-Cleaners assured him to compensate for the loss caused due to it but after postponing the matter for some time, the dry-cleaners ultimately refused. He filed a complaint before the consumer court and prayed for a direction to the defendant to pay Rs 7,500 for the suit, Rs 15,500 as compensation for harassment and costs incurred on the case. The complainant also stated that the suit was made of silk and had embroidery on it.

The defendant stated before the court that the allegations made in the complaint were wrong. And that no article was lying with it and the job assigned to it was duly performed.

The court observe that the complainant had supported his case by producing receipt issued on April 15, 1999, indicating the purchase of the suit for Rs 75,00. It was handed over to the Krishna Dyers and Dry-Cleaners after two months of the purchase. The proprietors of the shop said the cash receipt of April 15, 1999, was fabricated and there was nothing to substantiate his version. Similarly, the cash memo was of a shop from Jalandhar City, while the complainant was residing in Chandigarh.

The Consumer Court allowed the complaint moved by the complainant and a consolidated sum of Rs 5,000 was imposed on the Krishna Dyers and Dry-Cleaners towards the costs of the case and the value of damaged suit. The Krishna Dyers and Dry-Cleaners was also directed to pay the amount to the complainant within one month of the receipt of copy of the order.

CULTURE

Hollywood has noticed Urmila

Urmila Matondkar seems to be as unfazed as ever. The many rumours that her godfather Ram Gopal Verma is now developing a strange liking for the Nepalese beauty, Manisha Koirala, is not bothering her much.

Perhaps the starry-eyed Urmila is convinced about her growth as an actress and she knows that she will now be able to take off any film. She has lately been talked about in Hollywood, especially after her ‘China Gate’ song ‘Chhama Chhama’ was picked up for a dance sequence in the big budget Hollywood film ‘Moulin Rouge’. The song features very prominently in this film which stars the Australian heroine Nicole Kidman.

Not to miss mentioning the depth of her performances in some very offbeat films like ‘Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya’, ‘Kaun’ and many more. The greatest hit in Urmila’s kitty, however, is ‘Satya’, which had her in the best form possible. With that film this Marathi lass was able to mull her critics who had labelled her as a mere sex symbol.

News has it that Urmila has many films lined up with Govinda, apart from some serious roles. It is yet to be seen, however, as to who will star in the next Ram Gopal Verma production — Urmila or Manisha.

Wedded to theatre

For the slum kids of Janata Colony in Sector 25, Zulfiqar Khan is not just a name. He is their mentor in all practical purposes. A theatre artist of repute, Zulfiqar took upon himself the task of empowering slum kids in 1992. What followed was a dream come true for the children, who learnt the meaning of life through the medium of street theatre which Zulfiqar taught them. In 1994, DD team came to the city and shot half-an-hour documentary on the children and their street plays. The documentary is relayed even today.

Zulfiqar’s technique has worked so well that he has been roped in by the Women and Child Welfare Department, Haryana, and the Forest Department, Haryana, to conduct theatre workshops on social issues in villages. Zulfiqar has just returned after producing 40 plays with villagers of Narnaul, Rewari, Luharu, Karina, Ambala and Sirsa. “Theatre workshops are the best medium to create social awareness. We worked with women of villages and helped them realise the importance of literacy, population control, dowry control through plays. “

With a strong theatre background (Zulfiqar has acted with Pankaj Kapoor in Mohan Das MA LIB, Philips Top 10, in three episodes of ‘Aahat’ on Sony, apart from a role in Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Ye Hai Bombay Meri Jaan’), Zulfiqar has been using the medium of effectively to promote social cause. His priority, however, is to help slum kids become financially independent. Aashaiana, the school he founded for them in Sector 24, is gaining tremendous ground.