The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Education board issues same roll numbers
Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, September 14
Six class X students were reportedly issued identical roll numbers for supplementary examinations being conducted by the Punjab School Education Boards. The students found this in the examination hall of Government High School, here today when they went to appear for their examinations here today.

According to students, the board authorities had issued roll number (243525) to Vineet Kumar and Jagmohan Singh. Similarly two students — Harpreet Singh and Dalbir Singh — were issued roll number (243544) while roll number (243564) was issued to Inderjit Singh and Munish Kumar. These students were appearing for examinations in different subjects in Government High School, here.

Confusion prevailed among the invigilators and the students for over half and hour and the matter was later solved by putting A and B against the issued roll numbers.

PU Syndicate elections on Sept 28
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Panjab University has sent formal letters to members of the Senate announcing elections to the university Syndicate on September 28, official sources said here today.

Elections will be held for three seats each in the arts, science and combined faculties besides two seats each in the languages, law and medical sciences faculties.

The university is going ahead with the elections despite the fact that the results to the graduates constituency are still pending due to an ongoing litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Excise Commissioner told to appear in court
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Coming down heavily on the Excise and Taxation authorities for not refunding money to a trader on the pretext of misplacing the record, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Punjab’s Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner P.S. Sher-gill to appear in the court along with the relevant record “to show that the averments made in the written statement were correct”.

Pronouncing the orders on a petition filed by Lakshmi Medicine Traders, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, observed that they could not compliment the respondents for their failure to respond to the request of the petitioner for the refund of money. The Judges added that they were also not satisfied with the averment made on behalf of the respondents that the relevant record could not be located and as such Mr Shergill should appear in the Court.

Giving details, the Judges ob-served that the petitioner’s appeal was accepted by the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner vide order April 22, 1999, and the penalty imposed by the person in charge of the sales tax barrier was also quashed. It was further found that there was no evasion of tax by the assessee. Despite the orders, a copy of the same was not supplied to the petitioner even after repeated requests. Even after that the money was not refunded. The petitioner was ultimately forced to approach the Court by filing a writ petition, the Judges concluded.

Allotment of tender

Taking up a petition for quashing the allotment of tender for transportation by the Food Corporation of India to a Nawanshahr resident “closely related to an MLA”, Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday asked FCI’s Senior Regional Manager to be personally present in the Court along with the record on September 21.

Pronouncing the orders, the Judges observed that the respondents, on the last date of hearing, were directed to produce the original record of the case, but no one appeared on their behalf in the Court on Friday and as such the Senior Regional Manager should appear with the record.

In his petition, Daljinder Singh of Hoshiarpur had earlier claimed that he was not called in for the negotiations even though he fulfilled the eligibility criterion, whereas respondent Ashok Kumar was called for the same as he was closely related to an MLA.

Notice issued on FIR

On a petition for directions to CBI’s Superintendent of Police to register a first information report against certain police officers on the allegations of molesting a rape victim for pressurising her to withdraw a petition filed by her, Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the High Court on Friday issued notice of motion to the respondents.

The petitioner, a resident of Jalalabad, had earlier contended that his sister was raped by former Station House Officer of Police Station, Jalalabad and other officials after entering their house. Following the incident, a petition was filed in the High Court in which directions were issued to Ferozepore’s SP to investigate the case but soon after this the accused police officials again tortured the petitioner and his family.

RI for two PGI employees
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Two employees of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Research have been convicted on the charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and a criminal breach of the trust by the Special Judge for CBI cases. Sources in the CBI informed that the two employees, Shiv Kumar and Prithvi Singh, have been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year and fined earlier this week.

It is learnt that Shiv Kumar was a fee clerk in the PGI, while Prithvi Singh was a junior auditor. The two had been conniving with each other by collecting more payment from the patients or wards of patients and then manipulating with the amount on the carbon copy of the receipt book.

The sources informed that Shiv Kumar’s duty involved collecting of payments from patients or their wards. Prithvi Singh would verify the fee collection without checking the records. The special court checked the amount deposited by Shiv Kumar in the OPD register and the fraud was detected. While Shiv Kumar has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year under different sections and a fine of Rs 3,000, Prithvi Singh has been given imprisonment for 30 months and Rs 1500 fine.

Tenant given 3 months to vacate premises
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Granting a Sector 22 doctor here three months’ time to vacate the premises he was occupying as a tenant, Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant judgement today ruled that the initial onus of proving bona fide necessity was upon the landlord.

Dismissing the revision petition filed by Dr J.S. Sodhi against the judgment passed by the appellate authority affirming the order passed by the Rent Controller directing the eviction of the petitioner on ground of bona fide need, Mr Justice Anand ruled: “In the present case, there was authenticated evidence to show that the need of the landlord was genuine”.

Mr Judge Anand further ruled: “Bona fide necessity is a question of fact depending upon the evidence led by the landlord. If a landlord wants the premises for his son to start his business, it cannot be said that the need of the landlord lacks bona fide”.

In his detailed order, the judge observed: “I have considered all pros and cons of this matter. I am of the considered opinion that the need of the landlord was bona fide. Though calling upon a tenant to evict the demised premises in the modern times is a cause of hardship to him, yet law has to prevail and the genuine need of a landlord cannot be scuttled on the premise of mere hardship”.

The judge concluded: “The tenant petitioner is granted three months to vacate the demised premises, failing which it will be open to the landlord to seek the eviction of the tenant from the demised premises by filing execution application before the Rent Controller”.

Jerath granted bail
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Chandigarh’s former Chief Engineer K.K. Jerath was today granted bail by Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) way back in January 1998.

Jerath was earlier booked by the premier investigating agency on January 9, 1998 after ‘receiving information from a reliable source’. The case against him, according to the prosecution, pertained to income beyond known sources. Seeking the grant of bail in the case, Mr Jerath had claimed that the allegations contained in the FIR registered by the CBI, and the one registered in 1998 by the Vigilance Wing of the Chandigarh Police, were the same.

He had added that bail was granted to him in the vigilance case by the Supreme Court of India after he had remained in judicial custody for two and a half years.

CULTURE

In expectation of Vengaboys
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh
The Vengaboys wave swept the city although after the terrorist attacks on the USA, there were apprehensions about the Pepsi-sponsored Vengaboys concerts in six Indian cities including Chandigarh. The fears were, however, dispelled when DNA Network, organisers of the show, declared that the international Dutch pop group was going ahead with its programmes in India. After halting in Ahmedabad, the foursome will rock the city on Sunday. The Pepsi Vengaboys bus is already in city to distribute free passes and free stuff to youngsters.

The celebration apart, the city could not escape the pain which attacks on America brought. Many city residents remained worried about the well being of their relatives in New York and Washington. The city’s communication system also remained disrupted on account of the heavy traffic.

Although pain remained an inseparable part of this week, the city went ahead with some of the major cultural events. Zee television was here with the celebrated chef, Sanjeev Kapoor, the soul of prime-time cookery show which has been on the air for eight years. The cookery contest at Hotel Parkview to mark 400 episodes of the show on Zee, attracted a large number of entries which were assessed by Sanjeev, who was accompanied by his wife Alyone.

From here, one must go on to the magical spell weaved by the inimitable Wadali brothers at the Parade Ground. They kicked off the Punjab Crafts and Food Fair by singing the best in Sufiana qalaam. The delightful Malwai giddha and the novel fashion show on Punjabi attire contributed to the success of the show.

Let us not miss the presence of the celebrated Pakistani singer, from Nankana Sahib — Mubarak Ali, who enthralled a huge gathering at Punjab Kala Bhawan. The unassuming singer captured the pulse of the crowd and doled out numbers a Punjabi crowd would have ever desired.

Many celebrities also visited the city during the week. Jazzy Bains, the USA-returned singer, was in the city for a performance. He was also seen for a while at a special Vengaboys theme party organised by National Institute of Fashion Design students in Sector 8.

The sour thing was the increase in vegetable prices. Cauliflower stood at Rs 40, peas at Rs 60 and cucumber at Rs 15 a kg.

‘Drum beats’ welcome Vengaboys
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 14
Dance and trip it as yea go, on the light fantastic toe... Students of the National Institute of Fashion Design believe in work hard and playing hard, so, they threw in a theme party for the pop group Vengaboys on their campus in Sector 8 today.

The only deviation from Milton’s quote given here was that, instead of dancing on a light toe, the students tapped their feet heavily to match the boisterous beats of Vengaboys’ songs.

The ambience reverberated with the Vengaboys’ hits — from ‘Up and Down’ and ‘Boom Boom’ to ‘Going to Ibiza’ and ‘The Vengabus is Coming’.

Narender, a city-based deejay, put the tracks together for revelers. The songs that he played changed the course of the party to soothing numbers from Hindi films. The much-awaited guest — Jazzy Bains, who likes to be called Jazzy B, had not turned up till 3 pm.

Many contests were also held on the campus. There were prizes for the best dressed boy and girl, the best dancers (boy and girl), early birds on the dance floor, most colourful outfit, maximum rings and the wackiest watch.

Each winner received passes for the Vengaboys concert that is to be held at Parade Ground this Sunday.