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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Wednesday, May 19, 1999 |
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Missing ministers: CBI
probe sought |
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HVPN employees manhandled ROHTAK, May 18 — Some employees of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam were allegedly manhandled and roughed up by residents of Sundana village at the nigam office in Kahner village yesterday. A case has been registered against several persons in this connection, but no arrest has been made so far. Behl case: CBI probe
likely Mill
buying wheat illegally detected Opposition
nervous, says Narpinder HVP
minister flays Bansi Lal Govt |
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| Literacy workshop in Sonepat | |
Court withdrawn from Narnaul |
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Missing ministers: CBI probe
sought CHANDIGARH, May 18 — The troubles for the Bansi Lal Government in Haryana increased today when a senior minister belonging to the ruling HVP, Mr Jagan Nath, demanding a CBI inquiry and judicial intervention into the alleged disappearance of three ministers and one MLA belonging to a particular community. Mr Jagan Nath, who holds the Agriculture portfolio, had yesterday defended the action of the Leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, in criticising the sacking of five HVP ministers by the Chief Minister. The BJP is the alliance partner in the state government. The HVP had termed the action of Mr Sharma as "an interference in the internal matters of the HVP." In a telephonic talk with TNS, Mr Jagan Nath said nobody, even the families and the personal staff of the "missing" ministers, and the MLA, were aware of their whereabouts. The ministers who are "missing" are Mr Jagdish Nayar, Mr Ram Sarup Rama and Mrs Kanta Devi. The "missing" MLA is Mr Ram Bhaj, who is also the chairman of the Haryana State Small Industries and Export Corporation. They all are members of the Scheduled Castes. Mr Jagan Nath said as the names of the "missing" ministers and MLA figured prominently in the recent bid to topple the Bansi Lal Government, it could be presumed that they had been "kidnapped" and "being kept in illegal custody and wrongful confinement" by the powers that be. He said as all the "missing" persons belonged to his community, it was his moral duty to speak for them and their families. What had pained him the most was the attitude of the top brass of the HVP in expressing lack of confidence in the Dalit legislators. He said members of the other communities too had participated in the dissident activities but they had not been "kidnapped" like their Dalit brethren. Mr Jagan Nath said since the state agencies were apparently involved in the "disappearance" of the four Dalit HVP legislators, an enquiry should be conducted by the CBI to know their whereabouts. The senior HVP minister said he would urge the judiciary to suo motu take up the case of the "disappearance" of the Dalit legislators and issue a writ of habeas corpus against the appropriate authorities so that the "kidnapped" legislators could be released from "illegal custody". Meanwhile, a Congress
MLA, Capt Ajay Singh, has demanded a judicial enquiry
into the allegations levelled by the BJP leader, Mr Ram
Bilas Sharma, regarding the surveillance of the ministers
and ruling alliance MLAs and tapping of their phones. |
Hooda, Sat Mahajan quit posts CHANDIGARH, May 18 — In an unprecedented move to show their solidarity with the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, office-bearers of the Haryana Congress led by its president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today submitted their resignations from the party posts to her. It was Mr Hooda who took the lead and sent in his resignation, stating that her decision to resign from the Congress presidentship was too harsh for the real Congressmen who were solidly behind her. He said the country needed Mrs Gandhi at this juncture of its history and the Congress without her "is unthinkable, unimaginable and unviable". Urging her to reconsider her decision, Mr Hooda said if she remained firm on her decision to quit, he should also be permitted to relinquish his office. As soon as news about Mr Hooda's resignation reached the party headquarters here the other office-bearers of the party, including for vice-presidents, five general secretaries, the treasurer, five joint secretaries besides organising secretaries, also submitted their resignations to Mr Hooda. According to the general secretary of the party, Dr Ram Prakash, presidents of all the district congress committees and the chairmen of the PCC cells have also resigned. An emergency meeting of the Congress Legislature Party held here today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Leader, Mrs Kartar Devi, criticised the three CWC members — Mr Sharad Pawar, Mr P.A. Sangma and Mr Tariq Anwar — for raising the issue of the birth place of Mrs Gandhi. A former president of
the Haryana Congress, Mr Birender Singh; the president of
the Haryana Krishak Samaj, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala;
the chairman of the Minorities Cell of the Haryana
Congress, Mr Jagdeep Singh Cheema; have also criticised
the three CWC members for causing irreparable damage to
the Congress and urged Mrs Gandhi to withdraw her
resignation. |
Cashier booked for cheating,
fraud KURUKSHETRA, May 18 — The police here yesterday registered a case against Mahabir Singh, a cashier (nazar) of the local Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner's office (tax), under sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC for allegedly committing fraud of Rs 11.07 lakh by withdrawing monthly salary for more fake office employees than existing ones. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.N. Roy yesterday evening said that the cashier had been withdrawing the fake paybills of some fake employees by signing fake signatures for the past some years and had been keeping that withdrawn extra salary with him in such a manner that none could sense it. He had been showing deduction of fake group insurance and provident fund, also by mentioning fake group insurance and provident fund scheme numbers on the fake paybills for getting the fake paybills passed from the treasury, Mr Roy added. Mr Roy said that this fraud was unearthed when an inquiry was marked by the Accountant-General, Haryana on April 21 last, informing Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (tax), Kurukshetra that the group insurance and provident fund account numbers of some employees were not being tallied. The accused already confessed submitting an affidavit in this regard before April 26 when the head office sent Mr Subhash Gupta, a Section Officer for an enquiry into this case, he added. The Deputy Commissioner said that Mr Subhash Gupta in his inquiry, pointed out detection of a fraud of Rs 3.28 lakh committed during past three months. Following this, the accused deposited this amount with the office on April 26. But on April 30, Mr Gupta, in the continuation of his enquiry report, detected that Rs 7.79 lakh were withdrawn by submitting fake paybills during last two years, he added. Mr Roy added that the
Excise and Taxation Commissioner had appointed Mr Malkeet
Singh Chief Accounts Officer as an inquiry officer for a
regular inquiry into this case. He said that the alleged
accused was placed under suspension on May 4 last and was
transferred to Jagadhri. After this, on May 14 last, the
cashier (nazar) deposited Rs 4 lakh with the treasury, he
added. |
HVPN employees manhandled ROHTAK, May 18 — Some employees of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) were allegedly manhandled and roughed up by residents of Sundana village at the nigam office in Kahner village yesterday. A case has been registered against several persons in this connection, but no arrest has been made so far. According to information, about 50 persons belonging to Sundana village came in two tractor-trailers to the substation at 8.30 p.m. yesterday when the powermen were reportedly engaged in some repair work. The power supply to the village had been switched off at that time. The villagers were furious over this and demanded the immediate restoration of the supply to the village. The employees reportedly said the supply would be restored after some repairs, but the villagers refused to accept the reply and blamed them for the inconvenience. Alleging corruption in the department they asked the employees to restore the supply which they claimed to have been put switched off deliberately. This resulted in some heated exchanges and ended in the roughing up of the employees. The Haryana State
Electricity Board Workers Union's district unit has
claimed that at least two employees were beaten up and
they sustained some injuries also. The President of the
union, Mr Narender Malik, has condemned the incident and
have demanded the arrest of the culprits. The union has
threatened to cut off the supply to the village if no
action was taken against the accused. |
Behl case: CBI probe likely FARIDABAD, May 18 — The Haryana Government is likely to ask the Union Home Ministry to order an enquiry by the CBI into the alleged fraud committed by Sunil Behl, the "self-styled" senior vice-president of the World Bank. Stating this here today official sources told TNS that the district administration had already decided to make a recommendation in this connection to the state government. It is learnt that Behl had taken huge sums of money from a number of export houses on the pretext of getting World Bank loans for them. The police had arrested Behl and his wife on Saturday last after a team of central and state government officials raided his house situated in Sector 16-A. Huge assets of immovable and movable property were stated to have been recovered from his residence by the investigating agencies. The raid was conducted by the administration after two months of planning and investigation after the World Bank's letter stating that Behl had no connection with the UN body was received. The couple is in police remand till May 21 and the raid on the residential and office premises of Behl is still continuing. Official sources said jewellery, precious stones and diamonds worth Rs 25 lakh and Rs 2.50 lakh in cash had been seized. Behl is also stated to have purchased "a farm house for Rs 25 lakh which he had not shown in the income tax return". He had also constructed a house costing Rs 75 lakh. Behl had also shown his annual income as " Rs 2.50 lakh in the return which was actually Rs 28 lakh", they said. The sources said he had
floated a company, Architects, Developers and Builders
(ADB). The abbreviations gave the impression that it was
the Asian Development Bank. |
Mill buying wheat illegally
detected ROHTAK, May 18 — The District Food and Supply authorities have detected a flour mill engaged in illegal purchase of wheat and sale of flour in the market in the district. According to official sources the authorities made a raid on this mill situated near Kiloi village yesterday and seized 60 bags of flour (Atta) and 15 quintals of wheat from the mill premises. The mill owned by Ram Niwas a resident of the same place had been engaged in direct purchase of wheat from farmers and supply of flour to consumers (market) bypassing all rules and regulations. According to the District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC), Mr Virender Singh, the flour mill or the accused had been evading sales tax, market fee and the rural development fee in the purchase of wheat. He said the accused had been purchasing the wheat at the rate of Rs 550 per quintal from farmers while it was available at a rate of Rs 650 a quintal if purchased through proper channel (mandi). He said the mill had no stock register and no attestation of the stock by authorities concerned. Stock seized from the mill is reported to be valued around Rs 60,000 while the cost shown in the register of the mill had been Rs 33,000. A case under Sections 7,10,55 of the Essential Commodities Act has been registered. Also the district
authorities conducted a surprise checking of the
cooperative store here after complaints of discrepancies
were received. It is learnt that the Deputy Commissioner
has deputed two pharmacists in the store with a view to
keeping a check on billing and other record of the store. |
Opposition nervous, says Narpinder CHANDIGARH, May 18 — The president of the youth wing of the Haryana Vikas Party, Mr Narpinder Singh, today charged the Opposition parties with creating a situation of uncertainty in the state by propagating that the HVP-BJP Government would be dislodged soon. Mr Narpinder Singh, who is also the chairman of the Haryana State Land Development Bank, said that in fact the Opposition parties were feeling nervous because the date, June 30, by which round-the-clock power would be available to the people was drawing near and they would have nothing to criticise thereafter. He said the Opposition parties would not succeed in their nefarious designs. The people of the state were witness to the development which Mr Bansi Lal had ushered in whenever he held the reins of the administration in the state. That was the main reason why the people of the state reposed their faith in him and he became the Chief Minister for the fourth time. Mr Narpinder Singh, who represents the Badra Assembly constituency, said that the interests of the state were safe in the hands of Mr Bansi Lal and the present government would complete its full term of five years. The government had fulfilled most of the promises and the remaining would be fulfilled soon. He said that "certain opportunists" in the party were trying to weaken the government by playing into the hands of the Opposition, but they would not succeed. Meanwhile the general
secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, Mr Rajeev Jain, has
termed the allegations levelled by the Education
Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, against the functioning of
the government as "baseless and concocted". |
HVP minister flays Bansi Lal
Govt GURGAON, May 18 — Another Haryana minister has raised the banner of revolt against the Bansi Lal Government. The Minister of State for Fisheries and Wakaf, Mr Azad Mohammad, told this reporter on the telephone tonight that during Mr Bansi Lal's three-year-rule, the state had lagged behind in development. Mr Mohammad, who was elected on Samata Party ticket and later joined the HVP, said he had broken off with Mr Om Prakash Chautala so that by joining hands with the government he could ensure the development of the Mewat region. However, during the past three years the Bansi Lal Government had ignored the region and no development work was initiated there. The HVP minister alleged
that Chief Minister had acted like a dictator by
dismissing two ministers. Condemning the action of Mr
Bansi Lal, the minister said it was on the MLAs' support
a person could be elected as the Chief Minister. |
Literacy workshop in Sonepat SONEPAT, May 18 — Sonepat seems to be heading towards a silent revolution in the field of literacy following a programme launched by the state government in coordination with the central government. This was stated by Mr P.K. Mahapatra, Deputy Commissioner-cum-president of the District Literacy Mission while inaugurating a two-day post-literacy programme workshop organised jointly by the Zila Saksharta Samiti and the State Resources Centre, Rohtak, here today. A large number of social volunteers, specialists, senior functionaries, trainees and eminent educationists took part in it. The Deputy Commissioner said the Government, had allocated Rs 27.87 lakh for the scheme in the district. The first instalment of Rs 9.29 lakh had already been released in the first phase of this scheme. He disclosed that a two-thirds grant was given by the National Literacy Mission while the remaining one-thirds was borne by the state government. The government, he said was keen on eradicating illiteracy. The Deputy Commissioner
disclosed that atleast 1 lakh illiterates had been
identified in the district. Of these, 85,000 had been
enrolled by the Zila Saksharta Samiti. |
Court withdrawn from Narnaul NARNAUL, May 18 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has withdrawn a court of Additional Sessions Judge here and Mr R.K. Kashyap, Additional Sessions Judge, has been transferred to Rohtak, who had relinquished the charge yesterday. Presently, only the Additional Sessions Judges court is working here. The court of Mr M.L. Gulati, Civil Judge, Senior Division, here was withdrawn about two months back, as a result litigants of the area were facing great inconvenience. Litigants demanded that besides the court of Civil Judge Senior Division, at Narnaul, one more court of Civil Judge should be provided without any delay. One more court of the
Additional Sessions Judge (under Sessions Division,
Narnaul) at Rewari has also been created. Mr Dharamveer
Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, Faridabad, has been
posted there. |
CM asked to seek trust vote
SONEPAT, May 18 — Reacting to the differences within Haryana ruling alliance and the infighting amongst, the Haryana Vikas Party legislators, a former MP and President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Dharampal Singh Malik, today urged the Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, to act impartially and asked the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal to summon a special session of the Assembly and prove his majority in the House. Talking to mediapersons, he said the Governor should follow a precedent set by the President of India when the latter had asked the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to seek a vote of confidence in the House after the withdrawal of the support by the AIMDMK. He claimed that the
Bansi Lal Government had lost its majority following a
serious threat to it from HVP dissidents. The senior BJP
leader and the State Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas
Sharma is one of the dissidents, and it showed that the
fall of the government was imminent. |
Couple held for murder FATEHABAD, May 18 — A youth of Inda Chhui village in the district was found murdered yesterday. The police has arrested a couple in this connection. According to reports, Gurpreet Singh had gone to a nearby "dhani" to watch a video film but did not return. His body was found from a field. His father, Mr Surjeet Singh, lodged an FIR. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Rajbir Deswal, said the police arrested Dalip Singh and his wife, Birmati, in this connection. On the fateful day, Dalip Singh coerced his wife to call Gurpreet to their house. When Gurpreet came, Dalip and his wife him with a rope. They later threw the body in a field. A case under Sections
302, 201 and 34 of the IPC has been registered. |
One sentenced to life FARIDABAD, May 18 — Mr P.L. Goyal, Additional District and Sessions Judge, yesterday sentenced Dhan Singh of Palwal to life imprisonment for causing fatal injuries to Shiv Ram. The remaining accused in the case Rajkali, Jai Kishen, Jagdish, Khem Chand, Jai Bhagwan, Devender, Raj Bala, Jai Prakash and Balram were given two years' rigorous imprisonment. According to prosecution
all 10 accused injured Shiv Ram, his wife Omkali and
daughter Bimla with lathis and iron rods in July 15,
1997, following a property dispute. However Shiv Ram
succumbed to his injuries seven days later. |
10-yr
jail for
3 smugglers SIRSA, May 18 — Three poppy husk smugglers were sentenced to 10-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each was imposed on them in the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr A.K. Bimal, here today. According to the police
sources Jagraj of Mohalla Thehar, Sirsa, Karnail Singh of
Barnala road, Sirsa, Harbhajan Singh of Rori and Surinder
Singh of Sirdulgarh were booked under Sections 15, 16, 61
and 35 of the Anti-drug Act on March 6, 95, for smuggling
3600 kg. Fourth accused Surender Singh had expired four
years back. |
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