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April 22, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Accused move freely due to tardy police probe Ludhiana, April 21 Even though the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Jagraon police on January 7 to put up challans against the accused within three months, the police is yet to do so. Interestingly, influential political leaders in the sub-division , who have allegedly been protecting the accused for the past over five years, continue to do so, and even succeeded in taking away two of the accused, who were summoned for questioning by the police, two days ago. Mr Mohinder Singh, an advocate who had exposed the fraud, alleged to Ludhiana Tribune that the police had helped the accused persons five years ago, when on his complaint a case was registered and had done the investigation in such a way to help the accused in getting it quashed. ‘‘Now, with the intervention of the High Court, he had got a time-bound action in the case, the police has not done anything so far’’. The advocate said the police inaction in the case amounts to contempt of court, as over three months had passed since the court issued the orders. The Jagraon Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, however, strongly defended the police investigation, saying that such things take time. Countering the contempt of court allegation, he said the three-month period starts from the date of the receipt of court orders by the police. He maintained that there was no political interference. The advocate countered the claim, stating that three months started from the pronouncement of the judgment as the copy is received immediately by the Advocate-General of the State. According to the case file, the fraud was a unique and interesting one. It also became one of the reasons for the government to start fixing pictures of the persons concerned in a land deal on the registration copies. The case also sparked off a legal argument that if a party commits an offence and the victim party compromises later, can the state still pursue the case, as the offence is committed against the State also. The orders of the High Court upheld the view of the State. The case file states that one Chandi Ram Arora owned about 8 acres of agricultural land besides 600 yards of commercial property in Bhumal and Sidhwan bet villages. The estimated value of property was over Rs 50 lakh in 1994. The owner had willed the entire property in the name of his two daughters and three sons. The family had migrated to Mumbai On October 12, one Kapoor Singh of Gorsian village along with 13 other persons allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy hatched by a Congress leader to prepare a false power of attorney. The power of attorney made in the name of the owners, including two women Shakuntla Rani and Bhagwati Devi and
carrying their signatures, made Kapoor Singh the sole owner of the property. The two women had died in 1978 and 1985, respectively . It was just impossible for them to give power of attorney several years after their death. The legal process and mutation was done in Ludhiana and not in Jagraon to escape the leaking of the act. The new owner of the property then sold it off to three persons identified as Satish Kumar, Ishar Singh and Hari Singh within few weeks of the power of attorney. Arjun Singh Nambardar and Raj Kumar Patwari allegedly helped them. Other persons acting as deed writers, witnesses or co-conspirators were later identified as Ajay Kumar, Raman Kumar, Bara Singh, Lachman Singh, Ram Singh, Gurcharan Singh and Harbans Singh. All these persons were related to each other by blood relation or business partnership. The actual owners, that is the surviving sons, somehow got wind of the conspiracy and approached the police in 1994 but no case was registered against them. Meanwhile, advocate Mohinder Singh also learnt about the scandal and exposed it. It was only after the change in government that the police registered a case. However, political pressure again interfered and the police reported to the court that the complainant, that is the advocate, was not co-operating and the case should be closed. The advocate fought the police contention for five years and finally got an order in his favour.
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Financial firm accused of cheating Ludhiana, April 21 He stated that he had applied for the loan through M/S Zeal Finance Services. Though he was informed through a letter by Ms Satinder Kaur, Head Customers Service, ICICI PFS, dated April 9, 2002, that the loan has been sanctioned, and he would have to deposit eight equated monthly instalments worth Rs 5,564 each from May 7. However, four instalments had been taken in advance. Mr Bedi, in a letter written to the Chairman, ICICI Money Manager Account, Mumbai, claimed that he had applied for the loan through Mr Vishal Sachdeva, marketing executive of Zeal Financial Services. He was charged Rs 2,000 as processing fee for the loan and an inquiry was conducted by a private agency nominated by the company to determine his financial capacity to repay the loan. After the completion of the inquiry, he was informed that the loan had been sanctioned. He alleged that Mr Sachdeva asked him to purchase the computer from a particular firm, but he wanted to purchase the computer from an authorised dealer of choice to avail the discount. In the letter he said: “Mr Vishal told me that either I would have to purchase the computer from his recommended firm, which would pay him a commission of Rs 3,000 or I would have to pay Rs 2,000 to get the draft of the sanctioned loan amount.” Mr Sachdeva, when contacted, refuted the allegations. He said: “After getting a draft of the loan amount I came to know that Mr Bedi had not disclosed full facts about a dispute between him and a branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce over the payment of a loan. He has reportedly defaulted in this case, so I have recommended to the company not to sanction the loan amount and his post-dated cheques would be returned in the next few days.” However, Mr Bedi denied Mr Sachdeva’s allegations. |
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Tussle between SAD, BJP in the offing Ludhiana, April 21 According to the district president of the SAD, Mr Avtar Singh Makkar, the party has identified 10 wards in extra, over the number it contested in the last elections, which it feels it can win. In the last elections, the two parties had contested 35 seats each in the house of 70. Mr Makkar claimed that the assessment and the demand for 10 more wards was made only after a survey, which revealed that the SAD was in a better position than the BJP in these wards. In the last elections, the BJP had lost from all these wards. He observed, that the SAD candidates can win most of these seats. Asked why the SAD should not work for the BJP candidates in these wards, since these already remain with them, Mr Makkar said there were various issues which make the winning prospects better for a party over the other, notwithstanding the fact that both are in alliance. However, Mr Makkar also clarified that the issue of seat distribution will be decided by senior party leaders as a five-member committee, headed by the SAD Secretary-General and the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, had already been constituted by the party for the purpose. On the other hand, a senior BJP leader and former Deputy Speaker in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Mr Satpal Gosain, observed that the local leaders of any party — whether the BJP or the SAD — have no locus standi to make public announcements on the issue. He pointed out that these issues are to be discussed at the higher level lest it should create confusion and convey wrong impressions about the alliance. Mr Gosain said the alliance was working cordially and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved in a friendly manner. |
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Ram Navami celebrations Ludhiana, April 21 Braving a scorching afternoon sun, devotees reached the Shiva temple near Manju cinema, the starting point of the shobha yatra, in large numbers. Apart from a large number of school children, about 135 vehicles, including tractor-trailers and tempos, carrying devotees from about 50 temples of the city, took part in the shobha yatra. The yatra passed through the Industrial Area, Partap chowk, Sangeet cinema road, Bhagwan Nagar chowk, Janta Nagar, Campa Cola chowk and Vishwakarma chowk, before culminating at the starting point later in the evening. The shobha yatra was flagged off by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, a former Punjab minister. Among others who were present on the occasion were Mr Om Parkash Bhardwaj, Mr Sita Ram Malik, Mr Vasudev Kashyap, Mr Balwinder Singh, Mr Satnam Singh, Mr Taranjit Singh and Mr Kewal Gupta. FATEHGARH SAHIB: Ram Navami was celebrated with enthusiasm and fervor in all towns of the district. The main function was organised at Sanatan Dharam Mandir, Sirhind, where, Swami Mukta Nand Giri of Kailash Ashram, Rishikesh, performed the ‘bhog’ ceremony of Ramayana path. |
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Grandparents’ day out
Ludhiana, April 21 The aim of the organisation is to reach out to poor and destitute old people. According to the estimate of HelpAge, there are 7 crore and 70 million people above the age of 60. Most of the people in this age-group have no regular means of income. They have no pension and no aid from anybody. HelpAge India by undertaking "walkathons" and other programmes raises funds for their welfare. HelpAge India has started a programme called ‘Adopt a Gran’. Through the agency, people adopt a grandparent and volunteer to pay Rs 400 a month. To take care of elderly in rural areas, 50 mobile medical units reach villages with qualified doctors to help ailing people. The function in the school was held to help collect funds for the organisation, said the Principal of the school, Mr Duggal. The school had arranged fun games for them, including ‘Ek Minute’ games and inflating of balloons etc.
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561 widows get ration Ludhiana, April 21 He was speaking at the monthly widow-relief distribution programme of the Gyan Sthal Mandir Sabha, here today. Mr R.L. Kalsia, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, and Ms Sudesh Chopra, a trustee of the Hind Samachar Trust, also addressed the gathering. As many as 561 widows were given relief in the form of ration and other items of daily use. Bags and books were also distributed among 537 students. |
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Reservation in corporations sought Ludhiana, April 21 According to a press note, the delegation pointed out to the ministers that the SCs and the BCs were not getting due reservation in the local bodies. The delegation pointed out that against 70 seats in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation only eight were reserved for the SCs, which is far less than what is due. |
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Preet Sahitya Sadan
holds seminar Ludhiana, April 21 Dr Kulwinder Minhas admired the poet’s sensitivity. |
Police records victim’s
statement Ludhiana, April 21 The victim gave the statement to the police nearly 36 hours after he received three bullets fired by two unidentified assailants outside a railway colony. He said he was vying for the coveted post of the Vice-President of the All-India Railway Employees Union and was facing threat from some rivals. The victim, however, failed to identify the two attackers saying that he had never seen them before but could recognise them if he met them again. It also came to light for the first time that the assailants had actually come on two vehicles — a motor cycle and a scooter — and not one as was being said earlier by the police. The police also registered a case of attempt to murder against two persons. The FIR did not mention the name of any political rival. Meanwhile, the Uttariya Railway Mazdoor Union today staged a rally-cum-dharna at the railway station for the second consecutive day demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. They also demanded police security to their leaders. A high-level delegation of Railway unionists also visited the city last evening and held discussions with the local leaders. They also met with police officials and apprised them of the union rivalry. The police had also recovered an abandoned motor cycle last late evening. The vehicle is suspected to have been used in the crime.
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Youth sets himself on fire Ludhiana, April 21 According to information, Ganesh Kumar had a tiff with his father, Mr Sheetla Parshad, at around 3.30 p.m, after which the latter left for some work. In the meantime, Ganesh closed the door of the house and set himself on fire. Killed in accident:
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