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| Wednesday,
January 24, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Rural
banking derailed in Haryana Haryana to
have mini-secretariats |
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Hearing on
minister’s bail plea adjourned Cops
‘hushing’ up cook’s murder case Driver’s
honesty appreciated HIGH COURT Jhajjar
gets face lift for R-Day
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Two sisters stabbed to death AMBALA, Jan 23 — Close on the heels of the murder of an elderly couple in Panchkula two sisters were stabbed in cold blood today in Ambala Cantonment . In another incident a man killed his brother under the influence of liquor in Ambala City last night. The three murders within 24 hours have left the residents shocked. The double murder took place at Patel Nagar, located behind BD Mill, at about 11 am when the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was in town regarding to inaugurate Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Park. Two sisters, Rani and Krishna, were brutally stabbed to death at their house in front of four-year-old Arun, who saw his mother, Krishna, and his aunt, Rani, being murdered. the sisters were married in the same family. The assailant was chased by two local residents but he managed to escape. The bodies of the sisters were lying in a pool of blood in a room of their small house. Both had been stabbed several times with a sharp-edged weapon, which the assailant ran away with. According to the police the assailant was apparently known to the sisters. After gaining entry into the house, the assailant had first stabbed Krishna who was in the room. He then murdered Rani. The volume of music system was high and the television was also on at the time of the murder. Police officials feel that this could have been done to drown any noise raised by the victims. The neighbours also said they did not hear any noise due to the loud music. Meanwhile, the sole eyewitness, Arun, has told the police that the murder was committed by khet wala mama. "My mother was preparing food when mama stabbed her. Tai was outside on the roof and he stabbed her too," Arun informed the police. He also told the police that the heavy-set murderer was wearing a black jacket and a black pant. The two persons who had chased the murderer also confirmed that the assailant was wearing the same colour clothes as told by Arun. The distraught husband of Krishna, Ram Murath, who works as a gardener, said he and his brother were not at home when the incident took place. Ram Murath and Rani’s husband, Ram Surat, have said that fights in their wives’ family were common. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Sandeep Khirwar, who visited the spot, said preliminary investigations had hinted at personal enmity. "We are investigating the case," he added. A pall of gloom has descended in the neighbourhood. The broad daylight double murder has shocked the local residents who have been gripped by fear and a feeling of insecurity. ‘‘Our husbands go out to work during the day and this can happen to anyone’’, a neighbour said. In the second case, a man stabbed his younger brother to death. The incident took place in Kunjband Mohalla under Chowki no 4 in Ambala City. The brothers had alcohol together and then a fight broke out between them over some matter. Harvilas, stabbed his younger brother, Subhash with a sharp-edged weapon killing him. An FIR has been lodged and the police was looking for the assailants in the two cases.  |
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Rural banking derailed in Haryana FARIDABAD, Jan 23 — The movement of rural banking started through Haryana State Cooperative Land Development Bank seems to have derailed due to rising losses. The bank branches are reportedly facing a danger to their survival as the state government has taken a tough posture regarding the organisations going into the red continuously for the past few years. The state Cabinet has already decided to close at least three cooperative based organisations, including the Haryana State Cooperative Development Federation
(Harcofed), the Haryana Industrial Processing Federation and the Haryana State Cooperative Weavers Federation. Annual losses running into several crores are stated to be one of the main reasons behind the state government’s decision. According to sources in the cooperative societies, nearly all of the 86 branches of Haryana Cooperative Land Development Bank are in the red and their
losses are going up each year. According to an estimate, the losses have touched a whopping Rs 50 crore at present. Out of this amount, a loss of Rs 20 crore is reported to be due to non-profitable assets
(NPA) only. It is learnt these branches have not been able to recover either the principle amount or the interest payable on the amount taken as loan. As per information, the state had about 82 such branches in 1997 out of which as many as 51 had been running in loss while the rest had been making profit. The total of branches running in loss had come to Rs 13.18 crore while the total profit of other 31 banks had been Rs 14.35 crore. It is learnt that all such branches had been running with profit up to 1985, but due to alleged interference and involvement of political persons and non-professionals the situation started deteriorating. These banks, whose management was in hands of cooperatives, went to the politicians who allegedly started misusing their authority and as a result the overall functioning of the banks was affected adversely. According to an analysis, the role of the Chairman and Directors of the bank is no less responsible for the worsening situation. It is estimated that a bank was expected to spend around Rs 20 lakh or even more on the facilities provided to senior officials. The facilities include vehicles, telephone, residence, food and other such things, which was an extra major financial burden on the bank. While an expenditure of only Rs 35,000 per year is fixed for meetings of the board it is stated that an amount of Rs 15 lakh had been spent towards such expenses in the past five years. According to sources, gifts worth about Rs 50 lakh were also purchased in the above stated period for senior officials and the management. Similarly, stationery worth Rs 40 lakh was bought against requirement worth Rs 25 lakh. An amount of Rs 52 lakh was reportedly spent on legal cases only, as per the figures available. The recovery of the loan amount by these branches has been on the decline. The recovery rate is reported to be around 40 per cent only which is poor by any standard. Unnecessary recruitment is also reported to be another main factor. The political bosses who had acquired senior positions in the management started employing persons of their choice at their will. This resulted in surplus staff and the bank branches faced problems in releasing salaries on time later. The state government last year set up a board for cooperative bodies to regulate the recruitment. |
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Haryana to have mini-secretariats SONEPAT, Jan 23 — The Haryana Government will construct mini-secretariats at all subdivisional levels for the convenience of litigants as well as lawyers in the state. This was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while addressing a meeting of lawyers here last evening. He said the mini-secretariats would house government offices and civil and judicial courts as well. He sought lawyers, help in the implementation of the development schemes and called upon them to be honest in their profession and reduce the cost of litigation. He said earlier the lawyers from Gohana had to go to Sonepat and Rohtak in connection with their cases, but now Gohana had subdivisional courts and the lawyers had to go to Sonepat only in appeal cases. Mr Chautala disclosed that once he had appeared as an accused in a court at Sonepat and now he was visiting the judicial complex for the second time as a Chief Minister. Referring to the demand of the lawyers for a computer at the District Bar Association’s room, Mr Chautala said the demand would be considered by the government after they had undergone a computer training course. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh out of his discretionary fund for the library of the association and promised to allot land for the lawyers’ chamber. He also announced that boundary walls would soon be constructed around the judicial complex and the mini-secretariat. Earlier, the Chief Minister participated in a programme in connection with the birth centenary of famous Haryanvi poet Lakhmi Chand at Rai and inaugurated a three-day musical programme. Mr Chautala said the state government had decided to set up a cultural akademi to promote the
Haryanavi culture. The akademi, he said, would help trace the Haryanavi culture in its original form. Lashing out at different TV Channels, the Chief Minister said these channels were presenting the programmes which were polluting the minds of the youth. They were also spreading western culture in the name of modernisation, he added. |
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Hearing on minister’s bail plea adjourned ROHTAK, Jan 23 — The Special Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma, today adjourned arguments on the bail application of former minister Seth Sri Kishan Dass till Thursday for want of a medical report about his health. The former minister, against whom the state Vigilance Bureau registered a criminal case under Sections 406, 409, 420, 476, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act on December 31, 1999, had surrendered in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here on January 17. The following day the Chief Judicial Magistrate had remanded him in judicial custody till February 1. Since Seth Sri Kishan Dass has a long history of ailment the Chief Judicial Magistrate had ordered the accused should be confined to the local PGIMS under the supervision of a senior medical officer. The Chief Judicial Magistrate had on January 18 ordered that the medical officer attending on him should submit his report regarding the condition of the accused on January 23 so that further orders may be passed regarding his place of custody. Following the rejection of his application by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Seth Sri Kishan Dass sought bail from the court of the Special Judge on medical grounds. While the public prosecutor filed written comments on the bail application of the former minister, he reportedly did not touch the medical aspect. Adjourning the case till January 25, the Special Judge said, “The medical aspect of the case has not been touched by the state even at a tangent in the comments filed today. I have been told that the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rohtak, has called for the report of the medical experts, which is likely to be submitted today,” the Judge said. “Let the medical report be awaited for ascertaining the factual position and directions be sent to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate to transmit to this court a true copy of the medical report,” he ordered. Meanwhile, the PGIMS has constituted a board of doctors comprising Dr K.C. Mudgal, Dr Jagdish and Dr Zile Singh for examining Seth Sri Kishan Dass. As per the report, investigations were pending for evaluation of his cardiac, respiratory, CNS status and prostate status, tests for which were under way. The
CJM, therefore, ordered that Seth Sri Kishan Dass should continue to be lodged in the PGIMS during his judicial custody. |
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Cops ‘hushing’ up cook’s murder case CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — Mystery shrouds the death of Narayan, a cook of Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), Hisar on the New Year eve. Most of the non-teaching employees, particularly those belonging to Uttaranchal, in HAU are upset over the way the case is being hushed up. They are intrigued over the way the police is trying to shield the real culprits and implicate Gopal, who happens to be the nephew of the deceased. Narayan went “missing” on December 31 preparing food at a party which was attended by some middle-rung officers and teachers of the university. Narayan’s kin maintain that he never returned from the party. Surprisingly the FIR registered by the police does not make any mention of murder. Nor did the police think it necessary to question those who attended the party. Gopal was accompanied by Narayan to the party. While he is an important witness in the case, he is reportedly being threatened not to reveal the real story. This has reportedly led to his statements to the police proving to be incoherent. The case is being hushed up allegedly at the instance of political higher ups. One of the co-hosts of the party is a middle-rung officer at HAU, who got his present posting, after the Chautala government took over. One of his brothers is said to be close to the Chief Minister. He also happens to be an employee of the university. Despite massive protests by the non-teaching employees, who struck work for some days, the police is yet to take any action against the real culprits instead it is trying to implicate Gopal. There are certain details which are allegedly being ignored. The party was hosted in a house which was lying vacant till that time and was allotted to one of the co-hosts. The house was to be painted by the estate department of HAU on January 3, following which the allottee would move in. However, the allottee moved into the house on January 1, itself and did not wait for the house to be painted. He got it painted on his own the same day. Eyebrows are being raised as why the police is not investigating this angle. Moreover, why people for whom the deceased prepared food for the New Year eve function are not being questioned by the police. |
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Driver’s honesty appreciated SIRSA, Jan 23 — Two cases of honesty has been reported here in the near past. According to an information received here today, Mahavir, a driver of the local Roadways’ General Manager showed his honesty by returning Rs 25,000 to the Roadways Minister, Mr Ashok Arora. Mr Arora, who had been here recently in connection with the Public Grievances Committee meeting gave his coat for ironing to Mahavir. Before handing over the coat to a dry-cleaner, Mahavir checked the coat pockets and found Rs 25,000. He returned the amount to the minister who appreciated his honesty and gave him cash prize. He will get a letter of appreciation from the department. In the second case, Mr Pradeep Kumar, proprietor of Bharat Book Depot and a resident of Dabwali found a purse near his shop a few days ago. The purse had gold ornaments and case in it. He gave a notice in a local newspaper. People started pouring into his shop to claim the purse as theirs. So far no one has been able to give an accurate description of the purse and the articles in it. |
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HIGH
COURT CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 — Mr Justice J.S. Khehar of the High Court today directed the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr
B. M. Bhargava, and Sonepat’s Excise and Taxation Officer A.S. Ahlawat to pay compensation of Rs 75,000 to Jimmy Travellers of Sonepat for illegally impounding three buses. The Judge directed the excise officials to pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 for each impounded bus while disposing a contempt of court case filed against them by the transport company. The compensation is to be borne by the officials personally, he ruled. Both the erring officials were present in the court and were, however, absolved of the charges of the contempt of court after they tendered an unconditional apology. Earlier, a Division Bench headed by Mr Justice
N. K. Sodhi had ordered the release of three impounded buses by the Sonepat excise officials but these were released after 26 days. |
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Jhajjar gets face
lift for R-Day JHAJJAR, Jan 23 — The historic city of Jhajjar is being given a facelift in view of the visits of the Chief Minister and the Governor on January 26, 27 and 28. Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala is scheduled to arrive here on the eve of January 26 to participate in the Republic Day celebrations. On January 27, Governor Babu Parmanand will arrive here to inaugurate an ayurveda medical camp. The Chief Minister will be here again on January 28 to organise a “sarkar apke dwar” programme. Roads in and around the city are being carpeted and streetlights are being installed. Administrative buildings are being spruced up and an intensive cleanliness drive is on. Ms Shashi Gulati, Deputy Commissioner, said Jhajjar was going to host state-level Republic Day function this time. The function would be held at Jahanara Stadium. |
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