 |
|
SSSB scam: more than one hand worked on answersheets Virbhadra has narrow escape as stage collapses BJP seeks probe into medical equipment
purchase Paonta MC Chairman removed Polytechnic students granted relaxation |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
DCs told to ensure water, fodder supply Blood bank in charge dead 12 held, 2361 bottles of liquor seized
|
|
SSSB scam: more than one hand worked on answersheets Shimla, April 2 The important breakthrough has been achieved with the help of experts who examined the record pertaining to the selection of trained graduate teachers. The department had sent 23 such “suspect” answersheets to the Government Examiner, Questioned Documents (GEQD), a specialised Central government agency, with the query whether or not these had been solved by more than one person. The report confirmed that most of the answersheets had been solved by more than one person, using different pens. While the records pertaining to the selections made during 2000-03 had been destroyed under the rules framed by the board, the one pertaining to the recruitment of 546 trained graduate teachers survived as the process could not be completed due to assembly elections. According to sources in the department the breakthrough will help establish that the answersheets of the candidates who allegedly paid money or were recommended by “political bosses” left most of the questions unanswered, which were subsequently solved by someone else to ensure selection. This is the second major breakthrough in the scam after the deleted data was retrieved by the Central Forensic Laboratory, Hyderabad, from the hard disks of the computers of former Chief Minster P.K.Dhumal’s office. The data included details of 2,416 candidates allegedly recommended for selection to various posts. The Congress government ordered a probe into the scam the day it assumed office. Alleged middleman Nischal Chaddha, who was arrested during the course of investigations, had given a clue regarding monetary transactions in the selection process. Meanwhile, Mr Justice M.R. Verma of the Himachal Pradesh High Court today dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former Chairman of the Subordinate Services Selection Board Surinder Mohan Katwal. According to the
prosecution, Mr Katwal had changed the marks of certain candidates to give undue benefit to them. It was alleged that the marks of Rakesh Kumar Chabra, who figured at bottom of the merit list, were increased from seven to 13 in an interview. In another instance, the marks of one Uttam Singh Dod were allegedly decreased from 138 to 132 in the written test and he was wrongly denied selection; in his place, Sudhir Chand was recommended for selection. Also, one Vir Singh was awarded seven marks more than his actual credit and finally recommended for selection, alleged the
prosecution. A case under Sections 420, 468, 471, 120-B, read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, was registered at the police station, Enforcement, North Zone, Dharamsala. |
|
Virbhadra has narrow escape as stage collapses Hamirpur, April 2 The Chief Minister was at Nara village in connection with the election rally of the party. However, no one was injured in this incident. There was commotion at the rally when the stage collapsed with a thud. However, the alert security personnel of the Chief Minister and former MLA, Bishen Dutt Lakhanpal, immediately came forward and saved the Chief Minister from falling. However, Anita Verma, local MLA, fell. Mr Virbhadra Singh today launched a frontal attack on the BJP-led NDA government at Centre for ignoring the interests of Himachal Pradesh at the cost of Punjab and Haryana. The Central Government had taken no action to solve the tangle of grant of free power to the state as per the Punjab re-organisation Act, he said. Addressing election rallies in favour of Congress candidate, Ram Lal Thakur for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat at Pahloo village, Nara and Nalti today, he charged the Central Government of treating Himachal Pradesh like a stepson. “The people of Himachal Pradesh had made supreme sacrifices for the nation on all fronts but the way the Central Government was treating them was rather shameful and shocking,” he said. The Chief Minister charged the state leadership of the BJP for indulging in corruption and added that corruption was rampant during the regime of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. He asked Mr Dhumal to come forward and extend a helping hand to the state government if he (Dhumal) was a true democrat. He favoured the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya but added that it was not possible under the BJP regime. He said he too was a devout Hindu and had full faith in Indian religion. However, the BJP had made Lord Rama their election agent. The Chief Minister blasted the VHP leaders for collecting several hundred crores in rupees from the people of India and abroad for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya “but that temple was nowhere visible”, he said. He demanded a complete account of the funds collected by the VHP leaders for the temple construction. He alleged that this money was being misused for the non-temple activities like promoting the RSS and the BJP to grab power in the country. |
|
BJP seeks probe into medical equipment
purchase Shimla, April 2 In a statement here today, Mr Sharma said the Health Department had on March 31 night directed the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of Hamirpur, Solan and Bilaspur to withdraw cash to purchase colour doplers and cardiac monitors from a particular firm in Chandigarh. He alleged that the CMOs were asked to collect bills for the purpose during night. Such sophisticated equipment could not be purchased overnight without following the prescribed procedure, he said. Mr Sharma alleged that the so-called honest government had thrown all norms and set procedures to the winds to give financial benefits to certain vested interests. More surprising was the fact that the equipment which the CMOs had been directed to purchase had reported to have earlier been rejected by an expert committee of the department. The BJP vice-president requested the Governor, Mr
V.S. Kokje, to take note of the corrupt practices of the Virbhadra government and order an impartial probe into the scam. |
|
Paonta MC Chairman removed Nahan, April 2 The proceeding of the no-confidence motion was conducted by Mr C.P. Verma, SDM, Paonta. After discussion on the motion, the 11-member house passed the motion against the Chairman. Seven members voted in favour of the motion and four voted against it. Now as per the Municipal rules, Vice-Chairman of the council, Mr Tapinder Singh, would act as the Chairman till the election of a new Chairman. After the Congress took the decision to take Mr Kirnesh Jang and his supporters back into party fold it was the first jolt to the BJP. The BJP was in fact ruling Paonta council with the support of the members loyal to Mr Jang. It may be recalled that Mr Jang, after the denial of party ticket from Paonta, had fought Assembly elections as an Independent candidate and pushed the Congress candidate, Mr Rattan Singh, to third position. During the Assembly elections, Mr Jang, and his supporters were expelled from the Congress. Of the total 11 members of the council, the BJP has only three members in the House and enjoy the support of one Shiv Sena member. Keeping in view the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, the BJP tried its best to save the situation but failed to win over the members, who had submitted no-confidence motion to the Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, on March 17 here. |
|
Polytechnic students granted relaxation Kangra, April 2 Mr B.R. Rahi, Chairman, H.P. Technical Education Board, told The Tribune that the decision was taken by the Board after consultations with students, principals, gazetted lecturers of the polytechnic colleges and the Directorate of the Technical Education. Mr Rahi said, “Those who have reappeared in upto four subjects only have been granted this concession and that too for the last time”. He said these students would be allowed to continue their regular studies in the next semester this year. Mr Rahi made it emphatically clear that this was the last chance and won’t be repeated next year. Mr Rahi denied that it was a ‘golden chance’ and said under a golden chance’ all ‘detained’ students were given concession earlier. He said 102 students were given this concession and 148 students, who were ‘detained’ and had to reappear in more than four subjects, were not granted the concession. The polytechnic college students had been demanding a ‘golden chance’ for 252 students and had agitated for 10 days by remaining away from their classes and holding dharnas in Polytechnic Colleges since March 10, last. The gazetted lecturers and principals of the Polytechnic Colleges, besides the Directorate of Technical Education were against granting of a ‘golden chance’ to these students. A spokesman for the Polytechnic College Gazetted Lecturers Association said today that the decision of the Board was a delayed one which had deprived students of regular studies of a few months. He said the Board should have either given concession to all or to none. He asked the Board authorities to stick to the decision of not granting any such chance to the students in future. No student leader was available for comments on the Board decision today.
|
|
DCs told to ensure water, fodder supply Hamirpur, April 2 “I have issued strict instructions to all Deputy Commissioners to ensure that there is no shortage of water and fodder in any part of the state. Money will not be a constraint”, he told reporters at Bijheri today. He said all should try to save water and harvest rainwater. Speaking on politics, the Chief Minister favoured the re-entry of those expelled from the Congress. He said such persons were needed to give a “befitting reply” to the BJP in the elections. |
|
Blood bank in charge dead Mandi, April 2 A condolence meeting presided over by the Chief Medical Officer was held here at Regional Hospital. Dr Jivanand Chauhan, general secretary, Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association, also condoled the death of Dr Handa. |
|
12 held, 2361 bottles of liquor seized Nahan, April 2 Mr S.R. Sharma, SP, Sirmaur, told TNS yesterday that the biggest seizure was made by the staff of detective wing of the Nahan police when they raided a restaurant on the Nahan-Chandigarh road and seized 1,740 bottles of country-made wine. Seven cases have been registered at Nahan police station, three at Shillai police station, two at Rajgarh and one at Paonta police station. Two jeeps and a motor cycle were also impounded in this connection. |
|
Three
shops
gutted Shimla, April 2 According to the police the fire started from a “panwari” shop in which firecrackers were stored. The flames engulfed the adjoining tailor shop and a doctor’s clinic before the fire tender arrived at the scene. The fire was controlled before it could spread to other shops in the congested bazar. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Video
