Bank told to pay ‘returns’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — In a case of its kind, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has directed a mutual fund company to pay the complainant an amount equal to the “assured minimum returns’’ as redemption value and burdened it with costs of Rs 1500.

The complainant, Mrs Shakuntala Brij Mohan of Sector 7 A, subscribed to 200 units of Ind Jyothi, a seven-year incremental growth fund floated by the Ind Fund Management Ltd of Indian bank, at a face value of Rs 20,000. The complainant alleged that on the expiry of the scheme they were entitled to Rs 62,424 as per the minimum assured returns, but the company paid only Rs 42,580 according to the net asset value.

The company contended that the complainants were rightly paid as the amount was calculated on the basis of the repurchase rate that prevailed in February, 1998, when the complainant had applied.

The Forum bench comprising its president, Mr RP Bajaj, and its members, Mr HS Walia and Mrs Kamlesh Gupta, observed that it was a common case of both parties that the seven-year-old scheme came to an end in December, 1997. And the scheme having come to an end, there was no question of repurchase. Obviously, the repurchase could be one during the currency of the scheme.

Holding the fund company guilty of deficiency in service for having wrongly calculated the amount payable to the complainant, it directed them to pay the amount at 12 per cent interest rate with effect from February 19.

Accident claim

Relying upon a decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II has held the National Insurance Company guilty of wrongfully repudiating the accident claim of an insured Maruti car.

The Maruti car, belonging to the complainant, M/s Krishna Bus Service, met with an accident on August 9, 1993. The claim was laid with the National Insurance Company and it got the damage assessed through the surveyor at Rs 37,000 but it was not paid to the complainant despite repeated visits and requests. Finally, through a letter dated March 30, 1996 the claim was repudiated on the ground that Mr Anil Bhardwaj who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident was not having a valid driving licence at the time of the accident.

The forum found that Mr Anil Bhardwaj held the valid driving licence but its validity had expired before the accident and he did not get it renewed within the time given by Section 15 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This means that the driver did not hold a valid driving licence prior to the accident and he was not disqualified to hold a valid driving licence.

Finding the insurance company guilty of deficiency in service, the forum allowed the complaint with costs of Rs 1200. They further directed the insurance company to pay the assessed value of Rs 37,000 along with interest at 12 per cent per annum with effect from April 1, 1994.

Man booked for cheating
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9 — A man who hid his source of income to get a booth allotted in the Sector 20 rehri market has been booked by the police for cheating.

Jatinder Kumar of Sector 39, has been booked by the police under Section 420 of the IPC on a complaint of the Assistant Estate Officer (AEO), Mr S.K. Sharma. Jatinder allegedly hid his income as he was not eligible for the allotment of the booth under the rules prevailing then. No arrest has been made so far.

File missing
A file relating to the appointment letters of UT employees is missing from the UT Home Department. On the basis of a complaint lodged by Mohinder Lal, the police has booked Sita Ram, a former peon of the department. Sita Ram has been discharged from service for allegedly presenting a fake certificate for getting the job.

Road accidents
Two persons, one of whom is yet to be identified, have been injured in separate road accidents in the city since last night. An unidentified cyclist was seriously injured upon being hit by an Ambassador car on the road dividing Sectors 40 and 41. Sardar Mohammad of Sector 31 was hit by a vehicle . Both have been admitted to the PGI.

Beaten up
A resident of Bapu Dham Colony, Hari Ram, was allegedly beaten up by some unidentified persons and dumped near the Sukhna Lake. He has been admitted to the PGI.

Car, truck stolen
A car and a truck have been stolen in separate incidents. A Maruti car (DL-2CA-4224) owned by Mr R.K. Verma of Modern Housing Complex , Mani Majra, has been stolen from his residence. A truck (CHW-8207) owned by Joginder Pal of Kheri Salamat village (Ropar) has been stolen from the Transport Area.

Burglary case
In the third case of burglary in two days, the house of Usha Garg was burgled as thieves decamped with Rs 7,000 while she had gone out of her house for a short while. The police suspects that someone knew about the movement of the family members.

Woman cheated
A resident of Sector 45, Mrs Roopali Shah , has alleged that she has been cheated of Rs 40,000 by the INCAN Mutual Fund. A case under Section 420 of the IPC has been registered against D.S. Multani, a partner in the company.

PANCHKULA

Scooterist killed
Om Parkash, a resident of Kalka, died after the scooter which he was driving skidded here on Thursday. The Kalka police has initiated inquest proceedings in the case under Section 174 of the Cr.P.C.

Injured
Vinod Sharma, a resident of Sector 19, here was injured after he was hit by a scooter driven by Jaswinder Singh here on Thursday.

ZIRAKPUR

Crushed to death
An unidentified man was crushed to death by a vehicle near a petrol station on the Zirakpur-Dera Bassi highway today.

Potato price decreases
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 9 — While potato, cabbage and cauliflower have become cheaper, the price of tomato has increased in the local market during the past two days.

During a survey of the market today it was found that a kg of potato, which had been selling between Rs 3 and Rs 4 just two days back, was available today for Rs 2 in the Sector 20 market. The wholesale price of the commodity has also dipped from Rs 150 to Rs 120 per 80 kg bag. According to traders, the fall in the price of potato was due to enhanced arrivals of the local crop in the market as the farmers were clearing their stocks, which they had kept with a hope that the prices will brighten up.

Similarly, there has been a fall in the prices of cauliflower and cabbage. A kg of cauliflower and cabbage, which had been priced between Rs 4 and Rs 5 just two days back, could be purchased today for Rs 2.50 and Re 1, respectively. The price had decreased as the market was full with the final phase of arrivals of the late maturing varieties of the crop.

On the other hand, the prices of tomato and bitter-gourd witnessed a considerable hike during this period. If a kg of tomato was available in the market between Rs 7 and Rs 8 two days back, it was available in the market today for Rs 10. The wholesale price of the vegetable has also increased from Rs 25 to Rs 35 per 5 kg.

The traders attributed the hike to shrinking arrivals from Maharashtra and Rajasthan. " The problem is that though the local variety has started coming from different parts of Punjab and Haryana, yet it not sufficient to meet the requirement of the people of the region," said a trader.

Similarly, bittergourd, too, has become costlier as its price has jumped from Rs 20 to Rs 24 per kg to Rs 35 during this period. According to traders, the price of the vegetable has increased as there was virtually no arrivals of the crop from the nearby areas during the past two days. Mainly, the crop, was arriving from Howrah and Calcutta these days, the traders said.

Expressive sketches

CHANDIGARH: Pencil sketches could be so vivid and expressive, it is hard to imagine. That too by the students of classes, eight, nine and ten. They have to be seen to be believed. No, the students are not of a local school but of Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, Haryana.

The credit for achieving excellence in sketches goes to their teacher, Mr M.S. Gahlot. He says, “I give them topics to work on and these boys and girls use their imagination”. They have worked on subjects like village scenes, fashion, road safety, though it is the first theme which is dominating.

There is a section of water colours also and it has mostly landscapes. Out of the lot, Monika Rana’s drawings stand out. She has made several pieces on fashion and they seem as if they have been drawn by a fashion designer.

The exhibition will be open at Government Museum and Art Gallery till April 13.

— Priti Verma