H I M A C H A L   P R A D E S H

Rs 32 lakh fraud in coop bank
Kulu, April 22
The fraudulent withdrawals in the main branch of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Limited, Bhuntar, have, once again, come into light while bankers cheque advices worth Rs 32.20 lakh have been withdrawn from a state cooperative bank, Nagwain, about 15 km from Bhuntar in Mandi district.

Diarrhoea spreads in Sundernagar
Sundernagar, April 22
Increasing numbers of diarrhoea cases in this region have the worried the residents of Sundernagar. The cases have been noticed in past one week from the different urban and rural areas of Sundernagar.

Issue legible copies of FIR in future:
HC to govt
Shimla, April 22
The Himachal High Court has directed the state government to ensure that in future only legible copies of the first information report and all other documents are provided to informants and all other persons, including the accused.

Cabinet approves fertiliser policy
Shimla, April 22
The state Cabinet today granted permission to the 12 former chief parliamentary secretaries (CPS) and parliamentary secretaries (PS) to retain the ministerial bungalows at the subsidised rent instead of market rent which was being charged from them after their appointments were quashed by the high court.

Relief: villagers adamant, police deputed
Solan, April 22
With villagers refusing to budge from their stand of accepting less compensation in lieu of surrendering land for setting up the JP cement plant, the district administration had to depute police today to maintain law and order in the region.

Three bodies found
Kangra, April 22
The Kangra police has found three bodies in Shahpur and local police station areas. According to the police, an unidentified body was found on the Ranital, Kotla road. Preliminary post-mortem examination indicated death due to a fall.

Dogras need no certificate: DC
Mandi, April 22
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Subhasish Panda, said that the Dogra Rajput caste candidates, who are bona fide residents from Himachal, need not produce certificate of proof for the open recruitment rally being held at Pandoh near here from May 3-8.

One gets life term
Dharamsala, April 22
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.L. Raghu ,here today awarded life sentence to Ramesh Chand of village Kariyara for committing a double murder over a land dispute.

 

 

 

Rs 32 lakh fraud in coop bank
Our Correspondent

Kulu, April 22
The fraudulent withdrawals in the main branch of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Limited, (KCCB), Bhuntar, have, once again, come into light while bankers cheque advices worth Rs 32.20 lakh have been withdrawn from a state cooperative bank, Nagwain, about 15 km from Bhuntar in Mandi district.

The demand drafts were signed by an employee who was under suspension during the period of the transactions and the signatures were allegedly forged.

The police here said an FIR had been lodged today by Tilak Raj Verma, an officer of the bank, that his signatures were forged by Ravi Dutt, a clerk, on the demand drafts worth Rs 32.20 lakh. The FIR said four drafts for Rs 6.25 lakh, 7.95 lakh, 8.15 lakh and 9.85 lakh had been issued by Ravi Dutt, who had forged the signatures of the complainant.

It may be recalled that a news item published in The Tribune on March 14 about the embezzlement of more than Rs 21.5 lakh in the same branch by the staff and they were placed under suspension. The Managing Director of the bank said Rs.15 lakh had been recovered from the staff.

The Managing Director of the bank was not available for comments today.

The modus operandi of the alleged officer and the subordinate was that they had been issuing bankers advice note to the Nagwain bank and withdrawing the money from there. An advice for Rs.9.85 lakh was issued on April 18 and yet to be withdrawn from the bank, the police added.

Earlier, Mr Subhash Kalsotra, in the case of fraudulent withdrawls of Rs.21.5 lakh by these employees, said he was concerned over the working of the staff and the employees with doubtful antecedents would have no place in the bank.

The police arrested Ravi Dutt and valuable documents were also seized from his residence. It was learnt that the bank’s stationery, including cash value documents (CVDs), were also seized from his house.

The police was also not ruling out the connivance of the employees of the state cooperative bank and would probe the case, investigating officer said.

Diarrhoea spreads in Sundernagar
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, April 22
Increasing numbers of diarrhoea cases in this region have the worried the residents of Sundernagar. The cases have been noticed in past one week from the different urban and rural areas of Sundernagar.

The local residents have appealed to the Chief Minister to issue necessary direction to different departments to take action to stop the spread of the disease.

According to Civil Hospital sources, in the past one week many cases of diarrhoea were reported and about 20 persons have been hospitalised. Similar reports were received from six other private hospital and nursing homes.

About 20 local chemists have confirmed that the sale of medicines related to diarrhoea have gone up in past one week.

The residents have blamed the Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPHD) for supplying contaminated water to them. Yesterday, a few residents of Bhojpur held a meeting under the leadership of Mr Husan Lal, Municipal Commissioner, and decided that if hygienic water is not supplied to the residents they will gherao the IPHD officials. On the other 
hand, IPHD officials claim that the water supplied by the department is duly tested and is hygienic.

Mr Arun Mishera, BMO, Sundernagar, when contacted, said everything was under control and the cases which have been reported are routine cases.

Issue legible copies of FIR in future: HC to govt
Legal Correspondent

Shimla, April 22
The Himachal High Court has directed the state government to ensure that in future only legible copies of the first information report (FIR) and all other documents are provided to informants and all other persons, including the accused.

Chief Justice V.K. Gupta further directed that with a view to ensuring full and absolute implementation and compliance of the direction on the next date, the Principal Secretary (Home) shall file an affidavit of compliance before the court.

While issuing the directions, the court observed that in almost all cases, photocopies of FIRs supplied to the petitioners were illegible.

Apparently, the police recorded the FIRs and reduced them into writing in most reckless manner. Worst than that was the fact that the copies supplied either to informants or others concerned were so grossly illegible that it was almost impossible to read these.

The court further observed that it was a common knowledge that not only FIR copies but even the final reports filed in the criminal courts of competent jurisdiction under Section 173, CrPC, copies of charge-sheets and various other documents, including the copies of statements recorded under Section 161, CrPC, supplied to the accused were almost always illegible.

The court passed the order while dismissing a petition seeking quashing of an FIR in a dowry case.

During the hearing of the case, the court found that the photocopy of the FIR supplied to the petitioner was illegible.

Cabinet approves fertiliser policy
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 22
The state Cabinet today granted permission to the 12 former chief parliamentary secretaries (CPS) and parliamentary secretaries (PS) to retain the ministerial bungalows at the subsidised rent instead of market rent which was being charged from them after their appointments were quashed by the high court.

The Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, presided over the meeting of the Cabinet, here today. The 12 former CPSs and PSs can now retain the bungalows, which they are occupying at the subsidised rate of Rs 2,200 per month to which they were entitled while they were holding office. While in office all of them were paying a rent of Rs 1,100 to the government, which is 10 per cent of their salary.

Some of the former CPSs and PSs had written to the government seeking extension of the house allotment made to them at the rate of Rs 2,200. The earlier extension given to them by the government had expired on December, 31, 2005.

The Cabinet also approved the amendment in the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Himachal Pradesh, Rules, 1973. Now the fixed term employment will be governed under fixed working hours, wages, allowances and other benefits which shall not be less than that of a permanent workman. It also provides for protective measures to be adopted against sexual harassment to women workers at work place.

The Cabinet also approved the fertilizer policy of the state for the year 2006-07 and made provisions of Rs 4.28 crore as transport subsidy to the farmers from the godowns to the sale points. The policy basically aims at encouraging farmers to make a maximum use of the fertilizers at par with the national norm of 97 kgs per hectare compared to 41 kgs per hectare in the state.

The Cabinet also decided to include tyre retreading industry in the list of incentives for the purpose of sales tax benefits as announced by the state government. The Cabinet also approved the hike in fixed emoluments of veterinary officers on contract from Rs 8,000 to Rs 14,000 with effect from April, 1, 2005.

The Cabinet approved 22 posts in the State Information Commission for its smooth and effective functioning. Approval was also granted for the setting up of a Government Engineering College at Sundernagar.

Relief: villagers adamant, police deputed
Our Correspondent

Solan, April 22
With villagers refusing to budge from their stand of accepting less compensation in lieu of surrendering land for setting up the JP cement plant, the district administration had to depute police today to maintain law and order in the region. As many as two police reserves had already been deputed and another two had been requisitioned from the police headquarters to maintain law and order.

An irate crowd of over 400 men and women had assembled at Shalughat to stop the district administration from taking possession of the land. As many as 153 persons refused to accept the compensation while only 26 accepted it.

Mr Deep Ram, pradhan of Mangal panchayat, while resenting this forcible acquisition said no heed had been given to their numerous representations as the administration appears to be favouring the J.P. Cement group. Demanding fresh relief, the villagers said it was highly unfair to accept such rates as their future generations would be affected.

Three bodies found
Our Correspondent

Kangra, April 22
The Kangra police has found three bodies in Shahpur and local police station areas. According to the police, an unidentified body was found on the Ranital, Kotla road. Preliminary post-mortem examination indicated death due to a fall.

According to incharge, police post, Kotla, the body could not be identified.

The body of Reshipal Singh of Nadoli village falling under Shahpur police station in this district has been found by the police.

The police has also found a body from near Mallan Nagrota Bagwan falling under the local police station. The police also recovered a suicide note. The police identified the dead as Ashok Kumar (31), a resident of Bangali Jaraat village. The suicide note indicated that he was fed up with the behaviour of his wife and in-laws. Some poisonous material and a liquor bottle was also found, the police said.

Dogras need no certificate: DC
Tribune News Service

Mandi, April 22
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Subhasish Panda, said that the Dogra Rajput caste candidates, who are bona fide residents from Himachal, need not produce certificate of proof for the open recruitment rally being held at Pandoh near here from May 3-8.

In a meeting held here, Mr Panda said the Dogra caste candidates from Himachal did not need a certificate now as they are native of Himachal Pradesh.

The DC has directed the HRTC to ply buses in the early hours of morning for the convenience of the candidates during the rally. The CMO has been directed to provide the team of doctors to assist the BRO.

One gets life term
Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 22
The District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.L. Raghu ,here today awarded life sentence to Ramesh Chand of village Kariyara for committing a double murder over a land dispute.

The accused had stabbed both his uncle and aunt on June 5, 2005. The accused first attacked Preeto Devi with a knife and then his uncle Gyan Chand.

The uncle died on the spot and Preeto on way to a Dharamsala hospital. A case had been registered under Section 302 of the IPC.