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Suspect in banker’s kidnapping held Chandigarh, July 28 Nihang was one of the three persons who had bodily lifted the banker, Lekhraj, on the direction of the banker’s US-based brother-in-law, Jasbir Singh. Nihang corroborated the story narrated by the driver of the vehicle used in the kidnapping. Nihang told the police that he and his accomplices released the hostage at around 4 am on June 29 when Jasbir Singh directed them to do so. He told the police that he did not know where the other kidnappers were as after the release of Lekhraj, all of them had dispersed to avoid arrest. He, however, told the police that they had been in touch over telephone after releasing of Lekhraj. The police arrested Gurdev Singh from Tanda when an informer told the police that Nihang was in the town. Nihang hails from Chak Quasim village under Dasua police station in Hoshiarpur district. The police had earlier arrested Tarsem who allegedly masterminded the kidnapping from India on behalf of Jasbir Singh and Harjeet Singh, driver of the taxi that
Nihang told the police they had got a few blank papers signed by Lekhraj before releasing him. He also told the police that he did not know anything about the ransom and the purpose of the kidnapping. Nihang told the police that Devinder Singh, alias Pinka, asked him to kidnap Lekhraj. Devinder Singh, an auction clerk in the Punjab Marketing Board, was the person who got the message for kidnapping Lekhraj either from Jasbir Singh or someone related to him. Nihang denied that he knew Tarsem. Devinder Singh’s relatives are abroad and it is suspected that Jasbir Singh contacted them to get Lekhraj kidnapped. |
Boy gives jewellery
to ‘soothsayers’ to save mom Chandigarh, July 28 Lalit Kumar, a class VIII student of the local Motiram School, went home, brought all belongings of his mother and cash stacking it in his school bag and handed these over to the so-called soothsayers who decamped with the booty yesterday afternoon, the police said. According to the police and the victim’s family, Lalit was coming back from his school yesterday when the two youths met him near his house. The youths first asked him if he knew the address of a computer centre in the vicinity, when the child stopped to reply to them, one of the youths engaged Lalit in conversation. Meanwhile, the other youth reached the place near the house of the child in Sector 20 here. The grandmother of the child, Ms Saroj Bala, told the Chandigarh Tribune that while talking to Lalit, the youths kept on staring into the eyes of the child apparently to hypnotise him. The youths then told the child that there was a Yamadoot in jewellery and cash in his house. This Yamadoot would kill his mother, Ms Uma Devi, and another person in the family if any cash or jewellery remained in his house. The cheats told the child if money and jewellery was handed over to them, his mother and another person could be saved. As if hypnotised, the child went home, entered the bedroom of his parents, bolted it from inside and within five minutes dumped all jewellery and cash into his school bag and went back to meet the cheats. He did exactly what he was told to do. He reached the place loaded with belongings of his mother. The two youths again engaged him in conversation and kept on moving towards the Sectors 20 and 30 traffic light point. At this point, the youths asked the child to hand over the bag and not to look back. The child was warned that if he tried to look back, his mother would die. The child did not look back. After some time, he opened his eyes and looked back to see if the persons who had asked him to close his eyes were there or not. By the time Lalit opened his eyes, the cheats had fled along with the belongings of his mother. Lalit came back home and narrated the entire story to his
mother. Lalit’s grandmother said when he got late in reaching home, his father, Mr Balbir Kumar, went to look for him in the school but could not find him there or on the way as he had taken a different route to home. Ms Saroj Bala said when Lalit reached home before giving away his mother’s jewellery, he was asked to eat food before going anywhere else. He told them that he had to urgently meet a friend and would return in five minutes. Lalit also told his mother that he had eaten some food with his friends and was not feeling hungry. Ms Saroj Bala said the cheats had tutored the child to give such answers if any member of the family asked him what was he doing or where was he going. They had also told him to bring the jewellery and cash in his school bag. The child opened the locker of his mother’s almirah and took away the jewellery boxes. A case has been registered at the Sector 19 police station in this connection. The child told his family that the two youths were aged around 25 years. Mr Balbir Kumar has a spare parts shop in Sector 21 here. |
Inquiry panel to hand over original tehelka tapes to Army Chandigarh, July 28 The commission had directed the prosecution in the case to file an affidavit ensuring the security and safety of tapes during transit and in the custody of the Army. The affidavit was filed by the prosecution today. The tapes were shot through hidden cameras during a string operation carried out operatives of tehelka.com, a news portal. Army Rule 135 says that a military court, which is a judicial forum equivalent to a sessions court, can summon any person as a witness or call for any evidence to be produced before it. "The legal issue to be sorted out was whether the tapes can be handed over by the commission," prosecution counsel Arvind Moudgil said. "Rule 7 of the Commission of Inquiry Act says that a commission, which is a non-judicial fact finding body, cannot dispense with any evidence in its custody. However, Army Rule 135 says that a military court, which is a judicial forum equivalent to a sessions court, can summon any person as a witness or call for any evidence to be produced before it," he said. As many as 16 video tapes, containing a total of 105 hours of footage, area planned to be produced before the GCM trying Col Anil Sahgal in Chandimandir. The tapes are reported to contain footage of top politicians, Defence Ministry bureaucrats and Army officer seeking illegal gratification while dealing with fictitious arms dealers. The tapes were sent to London for forensic examination to establish their authenticity and the report was submitted to the Phukan Commission about a few weeks ago. Associate Director for the Department of Electronic Evidence and Senior Video/Audio and Imaging Expert at the Bureau of Forensic Science, Mr Matthew James Cass, who had undertaken the examination, was deposed before the commission earlier this month. |
JJ Singh ends visit to field formations Chandigarh, July 28 The Army Commander inspected an impressive guard of honour, presented by a contingent of Garhwal Rifles. He was briefed on operational, training and administrative matters by General Sabu and participated in an interactive session with officers, where "improvement of operational preparedness without compromising quality of life, " was discussed. Later, he also addressed officers and ladies of the station. Meanwhile, Mrs Anupama Singh, President, Army Wives Welfare Association (Western Command), was briefed on vocational training, measures instituted to improve the living standards of the families of soldiers and various other welfare measures being undertaken by the Golden Arrow Division. She also visited Asha School and appreciated efforts of the division to bring up special children. |
Sale deed registration to cost more Last month, Chandigarh Tribune had highlighted how unrealistically low Collector's rates were leading to stamp duty evasion. The administration was losing out on several lakh of rupees every day by way of stamp duty as it had not hiked the stamp duty to a realistic market rates. The value is fixed by the administration for various types and sizes of properties and is called the "Collector's rate." The rate of stamp duty is at present pegged at 6 per cent of the sale price of property. Usually the buyer pays stamp duty at the Collector's rate even as the market price is three to four times that rate. With the hike in the Collector's rate more money will come in for the administration. One of the biggest shifts is the categorisation of SCOs and booths on the basis of their locations. Under the new rates announced today, the rates for booths in sectors 17, 22, 34 and 35 will be Rs 45,000 per square yard. For booths in Sectors 7, 8, 9, 26, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 21 it will Rs 36,000 per square yard. The rate for booths in Sectors 23, 24, 32, 37, 38 and all other sectors will be Rs 25,000 per square yard. In Industrial Area Phase I and II the rate is Rs 8,000 per square yard. For coal depots, chakki sites and sites in iron and timber markets the rate is Rs 9,000 per square yard. For motor market,
Mani In Shivalik Enclave, Mani Majra, the rates are Rs 5,000 and Rs 35,000 per square yard for residential and commercial areas, respectively. The rates have also been fixed for villages within the Union Territory. The rate for residential areas with "abadi deh" in Attawa, Badheri, Buterla, Burail and Mani Majra is Rs 30,000 per marla. In other villages it will be Rs 20,000 per marla. For calculating the covered area, less than 10-year-old constructions will be valued at Rs 450 per square foot. Constructions of 10 years or more will be valued at Rs 200 square foot. |
Admn to hike showroom rates Chandigarh, July 28 The rates were fixed at Rs 1.70 crore as the reserve price for the ground floor of the 14 showrooms. The Estate Officer had pointed out that the rate of Rs 1.70 crore was calculated on average price of auctions of year 2002. The fresh price will be increased of about 20 per cent is expected taking the reserve price beyond Rs 2 crore.
— TNS |
Panic in Sector 22 as gun
goes off, 2 hurt Chandigarh, July 28 Satish Kumar and Sucha Singh, a peon of the Punjab Irrigation Department, were hit by the pellets of a .12 bore gun which went off accidentally when Harmeet Singh, who was carrying the weapon, got down from a vehicle. According to the police, the barrel of the gun hit the ground and its trigger was pulled accidentally. Harmeet Singh had his finger on the trigger when the barrel of the gun hit the ground. The incident took place in front of the SCOs 2455 and 2456 near the Chawla chicken shop. The police said the bullet first hit the road and its pellets flew around hitting Satish Kumar and Sucha Singh. It could have been more dangerous had the bullet not hit
Satish Kumar and Sucha Singh received injuries in their legs. Sucha Singh is likely to be operated upon at the General Hospital here as the pellets hit his knee. Satish Kumar, who was injured in his ankle, took first aid at some private hospital and later approached the police. Harmeet Singh, a security guard with the Computer Maintenance Services (CMS), had come to collect cash along with Anish Kumar and Vijay Kumar. Satish Kumar works with D. S. Marketing, in the basement of one of the SCOs. Harmeet Singh has been arrested as he had not locked the trigger of his gun. |
Caste system historic injustice: Meira Kumar Chandigarh, July 28 Inaugurating a seminar on the theme ‘Babu Jagjivan Ram – the campaigner of social justice’ organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Samata Andolan at Himachal Bhavan, here today, the minister said slavery and caste system were two historic injustices. She added that caste system was the fine-tuned version of slavery. Ms Kumar said that Babu Jagjivan Ram, throughout his life, fought for empowerment of the oppressed classes. Presiding over the function, the Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory Chandigarh, Justice O.P. Verma, said social democracy as envisioned by Babu Jagjivan Ram could put India on the fast track of development. He said we must work collectively to usher in an era where each citizen of the country enjoy social, economic and political equality. He added that with one-fourth population of the country not enjoying the benefits of social democracy, India might not achieve the target of becoming a developed country. On this occasion, other speakers spoke about the contribution of Babu Jagjivan Ram in the Indian polity. Earlier in the day, the minister chaired a meeting of officials at the UT guest house, where she reviewed various schemes of the Social Welfare Department. The minister sought information about scholarships being offered to students, the status of reservations in government jobs and the beneficiaries under the National Disability Act. The meeting was attended by the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Mr M.P. Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar and members of the UT Wakf Board. On her arrival, she was received at the railway station by leaders of the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee, led by its president, Mr B.B. Bahl. Others present included Mr Chander Mukhi Sharma, Mr Sunil Parti, Mr Surinder Bhatia, Councillors Kuldip Singh and Balraj Singh. |
Meira to review progress of schemes Chandigarh, July 28 According to Punjab Minister of State for Welfare of SCs & BCs, Social Security and Development of Women and Children, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, underlying theme of the meeting was to ensure that the fruits of welfare schemes for the lower strata of the society percolated to the grass roots. Mr R.L. Kalsia, Secretary, Social Security and Women and Children Development and Welfare, said that the progress of the schemes relating to the disabled persons, drug abuse, children and old persons would be reviewed in the meeting. |
Truckers protest against beating of drivers Dera Bassi, July 28 Member of the Bassi Mubarikpur Truck Operators Union, the Welcome Canters Union and the Three-Wheelers Union joined the agitators this morning and protested against the highhandedness of the department employees. In a three-hour dharna, the protesters raised slogans and demanded action against the officials for allegedly beating up and forcing truck drivers to remain in their vehicles till the morning. The agitators alleged that three truck drivers and their helpers heading towards Dera Bassi were thrashed by five employees of the department at the toll plaza late last night. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Mr Raghubir Singh, driver of a truck (HR-37-6752), alleged that certain persons stopped him near the toll plaza, demanded documents of the vehicle, dragged him out and gave him a sound beating. Similar were the woes of Mr Kirpal Singh, driver of a truck (PB-04-2576) and his helper Harmeet Singh. They alleged that the Excise and Taxation Department employees took them to an isolated place adjacent to a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit nearby and directed them to remain in the vehicle till the morning. The vehicles were taken to BTI Electrogears Private Limited, an industrial unit at Focal Point, from where goods were loaded in vehicles, the drivers claimed. Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Mr Raghubir Singh managed to reach the truck union office and narrated the incident to truckers there. Mr Avatar Singh and Mr Rajinder Singh, president and
chairman, respectively, of the Welcome Canters Union, and others assembled and staged a dharna against the behaviour of the officials. They criticised the officials for the act. Mr Yudhvir Singh, a superintendent of the department, who was present on the spot along with Mr Som Chand, a havaldar, and three other officials refused to comment. Both parties assembled at the Mubarikpur police post for a compromise this evening. |
SDM
(South), father pay fine for evading stamp duty Chandigarh, July 28 The property was purchased jointly by Ms Kataria and her father, former MP and former president of the Punjab Congress. The fine was paid up by the family last week but papers to accept the fine were put before senior officials today. The two-kanal house had some constructed area which was not revealed in the sale deed. The Administration inquired into the matter and imposed a fine on Ms Kataria and her father. |
Shops remain open after 6 pm Mohali, July 28 During a round of various markets in the town after 6.30 pm, it was found that the market in Phase II and the rehri market in Phase IV were functioning in the usual way. Some shops were found to be open even in phases V, III-B2 and VII. Shop inspector Mewa Singh was seen taking a round of the markets and noting down the numbers of the shops that were open in defiance of the government orders. He told shopkeepers that a list of the shops found open was being prepared, which would be sent to higher authorities for action. Certain shopkeepers said there was some confusion about orders that were to be implemented. They said the Punjab State Electricity Board officials had told shopkeepers that no power was to be used after 6 pm, though commercial establishments could be run by making alternative arrangements. On the other hand, the shop inspector had given directions to close shops after the stipulated time. Mr Sham Bansal, president of the Mohali Vyapar Mandal, while condemning government orders, said at a press conference here today that the power crisis had existed in the past also, but such orders had never been issued. Mr Suresh Goel, general secretary, said government could suspend power supply to commercial areas after 6 pm and let shopkeepers make their own arrangements to run their shops. Total closure amounted to injustice to the trading community, he added. |
Complaint against bravery awards’ name filed Chandigarh, July 28 Mr Hemant Ramtirth Goswami, Chairperson of the society, today said presentation and institution of such awards and prizes was illegal after the implementation of “The Cigarette and Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.” Mr Goswami quoted Section 5 of the act which reads: “No person, shall, under a contract or otherwise promote or agree to promote the use or consumption of cigarettes or any other tobacco product; or any trade mark or brand name of cigarettes or any other tobacco product in exchange for a sponsorship, gift, prize or scholarship given or agreed to be given by another person.” “In the complaint to the police, we have specifically asked for action, under the law, against the company, its officials involved in the attempt to promote their brand under the guise of “Bravery Award” and also the panel of judges who, according to the statement in a leading newspaper by the company official, have agreed to participate in the event”, said Mr Satish Kumar Bhatti, Legal Secretary of the “Action Group Against Tobacco” wing of the Burning Brain Society”. Ms Jyoti Joshi, a volunteer of the society said if the claim of the company official that eminent personalities, including police officers, retired judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court, renowned social workers and media personalities, had agreed to be a part of the event as judges was true, it was shameful. |
Protest against move to unbundle PSEB Mohali, July 28 Various union leaders said if the government tried to unbundle the power board to set up corporations and then go in for privatisation, the employees would resort to agitations. They said employees should be ready to go on a lightning strike in case the government announced a one-sided decision in this regard. The protesters said the Punjab Government was making all efforts to unbundle the PSEB for setting up corporations as no changes had so far been brought about in the Power Act, 2003. They said if the board was divided into corporations, the future of thousands of employees would be put on stake. It would adversely affect the generation of power and consumers would get power at higher rates, they added. They said such an experiment had been tried in Haryana, Orissa, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, which had proved to be a failure. Mr Ranjit Singh, president of the state unit of the Technical Services Union, said four micro-hydel projects located at Dhodhar, Nadampur, Thuhi and Rohiti had been given in private hands and a number of employees working at these projects had been declared surplus. Moreover, power, which was being generated at a cost of Rs 1.13 per unit at present, would be purchased at a cost of Rs 2.35 per unit from private parties in case the government went in for privatisation, he added. The union leaders said the board had failed to implement a number of conditions that had been laid during an agreement on July 7, 2003, with the joint forum. They demanded that workcharge employees should be regularised. |
Tribune Impact Chandigarh, July 28 The MC Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh, issued notices to 40 shopkeepers of Sector 22 for indulging in “surrogate advertising” and asked them to remove the hoardings by August 2. Chandigarh Tribune had highlighted this issue on July 25. Restaurants, fast food joints, stationery shops and chemists, which are not even in the trade of mobile telephony, had put up huge hoardings of mobile companies as the “ ad war” hotted up. The companies had rented out the roofs of shops located near traffic lights. However, shops which are in the business of mobile communications will be spared from the action. |
SAD (A) wing supports CM on SYL Chandigarh, July 28 This was stated by Mr Satnam Singh and Mr Jagir Singh Bhasmara, president and press secretary of the Kisan wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), in a press note issued here today. The leaders said that the state would not have had to face water problem and power shortage if the issue had been dealt with earlier by former chief ministers. |
Dairy training course ends Chandigarh, July 28 |
Man dies of sleeping pill overdose Chandigarh, July
28 According to the police, Pawan Kumar was habituated to taking sleeping pills and today he took an overdose of these pills, resulting in his death. He was brought to the Sector 16 General Hospital where he died.
— TNS |
Readers write A piece of land adjacent to Congress Bhavan in Sector 15 needs to be cleared of wild growth. The site looks almost like a jungle. Those living in a row of houses which touches the boundary wall of the land have been put to inconvenience due to foul smell and mosquitoes in the area. The officials concerned should get the area cleared so that the residents can live comfortably. Gurmeet Anand Bounced cheques In India the law relating to negotiable instruments is somewhat
lax. People issue cheques but many a time these are dishonoured .The offenders usually go unpunished mainly because lengthy legal proceedings deter the affected persons from going to
court. As a result bounced cheques become merely pieces of waste paper. The law in this regard needs to be made stringent so that the guilty are brought to book and punished by the disposal of court cases within six months. S.S.Arora Insanitary conditions I would like to draw your attention to the insanitary conditions in Shivalik Enclave, NAC, Mani Majra. Certain roads need immediate repair. The nullah to the north-east side of the locality is being used for garbage disposal. No authority seems to have been entrusted with the responsibility of cleaning the nullah. It gets cleared to some extent when it rains. The nullah is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. Dustbins on the road between the commercial establishments and the main road leading to Kalka are not cleaned regularly and emit a foul smell. These problems need to be tackled on priority. Piyara Lal Gupta Keep dogs away from parks The Chandigarh Administration did good work by setting up parks in sectors where there were housing complexes. A park is situated amidst a few housing society
complexes, including Pushpac, in Sector 49. The park is beautiful and people love to stroll in it in the morning and evening. In the morning yoga classes are held and people benefit from these. I get upset when I see some residents of the complexes bringing their dogs to the park. The dogs not only scare children and others but also create unhygienic conditions in the area. I urge such residents to keep their animals away from the park. The administration should also prohibit owners from bringing their dogs to parks. Ujagar Singh |
Married woman dies of poisoning Chandigarh, July 28 The father of the woman, Mr Ram Bhagwan, and her brother-in-law Sitaram alleged that Naina had been administered poison. She was hospitalised last night. The police registered a case under Sections 304-B (dowry death) and 34 (common crime) of the IPC. Naina was married to an electrician with HUDA, Ashok Kumar. Her father said he met her last evening at her house in the Morigate locality of Mani Majra. When he was leaving for Sonepat, Naina told him that she would not survive because she was allegedly facing harassment for dowry. Mr Bhagwan told Chandigarh Tribune that when he reached Sonepat, there was a big crowd gathered at his house. He was informed that his daughter had died after consuming poison. Mr Ram Bhagwan and Mr Sita Ram came back to Chandigarh. The body was sent for postmortem examination. According to the police, the woman seemed to have consumed poison. No arrest had yet been made in the case. |
Cash, jewellery stolen from house Mohali, July 28 The theft took place when there was no one in the house. The thieves decamped with about 15 tola of gold and Rs 45,000. According to information available, Ms Surinder Kaur, owner of the house, left around 4.30 pm along with some relatives for a gurdwara at Sohana village. She came back around 5.15 pm and found that the door was bolted from inside. The thieves had entered the building by breaking a metal grill fixed on one of the windows. They then broke open an almirah, in which the jewellery and cash had been kept. The matter had been brought to the notice of the police. |
SDE crushed to death Chandigarh, July 28 Surjit Mulim was coming on a scooter from his residence in Sector 2, Panchkula, when the bus hit his scooter. Surjit (52) was taken to the GMCH where he was declared dead. The driver of the bus, Karnail Singh, has been arrested and booked under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the IPC. |
City resident wins trip
to UK Chandigarh, July 28 A thrilled Shiv Kumar, who is a businessman, said: “I just can’t believe it. I have been a cricket fan all my life and grew up idolising my cricket heroes. I never thought I will ever get an opportunity to watch a match in England”. Shiv Kumar is one of the 50 winners from around the country who get an all-expense paid trip to watch a match. According to Mr Rajeev Bakshi, Chairman, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd, "Brand Pepsi enjoys dominant salience with cricket in the country thanks to its decade-long, innovative association with the game. We are looking forward to another huge opportunity to engage with our consumers during the ICC Champions Trophy, England. Pepsi's “Toss Ka Boss” adds scale to cricketing excitement and provides fans with an opportunity to be at the centre of an international cricketing event." |
Market Pulse Chandigarh, July 28 VLCC anniversary The VLCC centre at Sector 9 here began its week-long anniversary celebrations on Wednesday. A cake was cut on the occasion.
Good look fest A three day “The Great Good Look Festival” by Hairstyling and Skin Care Centre, Sylvie, will begin on July 30. During the festival, customers can win a chance to have a complimentary meal and interaction with cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh.
Award presented Broadway Foods Limited, manufacturers of Royal Cook brand of tea, namkeen, atta, soya and spices, has bagged the Jewel of India Trophy and the National Excellence Award at a function organised by the International Business Council in association with the IIEM in New Delhi. The Jewel of India Trophy and the National Excellence Award was presented to the managing director of the company, Mr K.S. Bhardwaj, by the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Krishna Murthy, and a former Governor, Dr Satya Narayan Reddy.
SAP technology SAP India, a business software solutions provider, has decided to further intensify its drive against unauthorised institutes that claim to impart training on SAP technologies. The company has decided to take severe legal action against such unauthorised institutes. |
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