COURTS

HIGH COURT
Directive to DC on DMC strike
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
Taking a serious view of the strike in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital going on since last month, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Ludhiana’s Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police to ensure that directions issued by a civil court for dealing with the strike were complied with. In their petition taken up by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall, four Ludhiana residents had claimed that the functioning of the college and hospital had been badly affected due to the strike. They had added that the patients, even the ones admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, were at the mercy of the striking employees.

Arguing on their behalf, counsel for the petitioners had submitted that even though a civil court had issued directions for ensuring that inconvenience was not caused to the general public due to the agitation, no steps for implementing the same had so far been adopted. The case will now come up for hearing on October 29.

Notice on naming of PTU VC

Taking up a petition filed by 15 students of Punjab Technical University for quashing an order issued by the state of Punjab and other respondents whereby a “search committee” was constituted for recommending the name of university’s Vice-Chancellor, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall of the High Court today issued notice of motion for July 22. In their petition against the state, along with Principal Secretary in the Department of Technical Education and Director of Technical Education, Mr Mandeep Singh and other students had contended that the action of the respondents in constituting a search committee was without jurisdiction and was in clear disregard of the Punjab Technical University Act.

Giving details, they had submitted that as per the Act, the VC was to be appointed for three years by the Chancellor from a list of “distinguished persons” in the field of technical education having names figuring in a panel recommended by the Board of Governors through a “search committee” on advice of the state government. In the current case, a board had been constituted by the state government “without any reference to the Board of Governors or to the university”.

Notice to plea for teacher’s examination

A Division Bench of the High Court on Friday issued notice of motion to the state of Punjab and other respondents on a petition seeking directions to get an Amritsar-based professor and Head in the department of ENT medically examined from an independent medical board, preferably from the PGIMER at Chandigarh. In his petition, Mr Rajinder Singh of Amritsar had contended that the respondent was “suffering from mental and physical ailment”. Counsel for the petitioner had added that the respondent’s behaviour towards poor patients was not “good” and he was losing his mental balance even on the operation table. Several complaints too had been addressed against him. The case will now come up for further hearing on October 29.

Sentenced

In a complete reversal of events, a Sangrur district resident, acquitted by the trial court in a murder case, was sentenced to imprisonment for life by a Division Bench of the High Court.

Setting aside the trial court’s judgement, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice R.L. Anand and Mr Justice Hemant Gupta, also directed convict Gurcharan Singh — accused of committing the murder of one Tarlok Singh — to pay a fine of Rs 500. In their detailed order, the Judges significantly observed: “Every remote doubt is not to be considered as favourable for the accused. He can take the benefit only if a reasonable dent is caused in the prosecution story”.

5 more HC Judges by month-end
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
Five members of the Bar, including Haryana’s Advocate-General Surya Kant, are likely to be appointed as Punjab and Haryana High Court Judges by the end of this month.

As per available information, the other members of the Bar likely to be elevated, include Mr Ajay Mittal, Mr pawan Mutneja, Mr Mahesh Grover and Mr Rajiv Bhalla. The number of Judges with their appointment, will increase to 37 against the sanctioned strength of 40 in the High Court.

The member had recently dropped to 32 with the retirement of Mr Justice Bakhshish Kaur. Her retirement, coupled with the withdrawal of work from three Judges, was forcing the over-burdened Judges to work till late in the afternoon. The shortage of Judges, according to HC sources, had also resulted in an increase in the backlog. Sources added that civil cases dating back to the mid-80s were pending in the courts, while criminal appeals against acquittals were pending since mid-90s.

In an attempt to solve the problem of increasing vacancies of High Court Judges, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs has reportedly written a letter to the states of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh to initiate the process of appointing Judges at least six months before the retirement of the sitting ones.

DISTRICT COURTS
Notice to PSB on Sidhu’s plea
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 12
A local court today issued a fresh notice to the Punjab and Sind Bank, Sector 17-C acting on the plea moved by the suspended PPSC Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, for issuing 10 loose cheques to him to fulfil his daily needs.

Sidhu has moved an application through his counsel before the court that the Manager of the Punjab and Sind Bank, Sector-17-C be directed to issue 10 cheques to him in order to fulfil his daily needs.

Sidhu was produced before the UT Judicial Magistrate(First Class), Mr Sanjay Sandhir, in connection with the Arms Act. The magistrate also adjourned the case for August 9 to record the evidence under the Arms Act registered against Sidhu.

The UT police had registered the case against the accused under the Excise and Arms Act on the complaint lodged by the DSP Vigilance, Mr Jora Singh. The police had recovered 14 bottles of foreign liquor, 250 rounds of ammunition of .12 bore gun and 225 rounds of Springfield rifle from the accused’s house in Sector 39. The UT police had filed a challan under the Arms Act registered against Sidhu on June 8 in the court.

Bail granted

A bail plea moved by a juvenile allegedly involved in the murder of two infants (Siau murder case) was today accepted by a local court. The juvenile was granted bail on the furnishing bail bond of Rs 50, 000 with two sureties of the same amount.

As per the prosecution the accused in conspiracy with other accused had allegedly murdered two infants and had thrown the bodies in the village pond. The police had registered a case against the accused under Sections 302, 148, 149, 120-B of the IPC on June 22, 2001 in police station, Sohana. Later, the police had arrested the accused on June 29, 2001.

Sentenced

A local court today sentenced Vidayadat an accused, to one year rigorous imprisonment in a case of cheque bounce. The accused was also fined Rs 2000. It was alleged that the accused had taken a loan for Rs 40, 000 from the finance company. The accused issued a cheque of Rs 40, 000 to the finance company but was dismissed by the bank because of lack of sufficient funds.

Case adjourned

Inspector Gurmeet Singh (Pinky), who had been arrested by the Punjab Police along with others for killing a youth, Avtar Singh, of Ludhiana appeared before the UT Additional and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla today. The judge adjourned the case till August 23 for evidence. It may recalled that the police had booked the accused Gurmeet Singh, and others under Sections 302, 307 and 336 of the IPC.

Plea dismissed

An anticipatory bail plea moved by two persons — Harkamal Preet Singh and Sunita Garg — in a case of cheating and forgery was today dismissed by a local court. The case against the two has been registered under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC in Sector-34 on the complaint of Arvinder Kumar, Regional Passport Officer.

It was alleged the Harkamalpreet Singh, had applied for the passport. during verification through computer it was revealed that another passport was in the name of Harkamalpreet Singh. The photostat copy of the ration card submitted by for the issuance of the ration card was also found to be fake during verification. But the applicant had denied in the plea that he did not possess any other passport.

Resort seeks operation of dry rides
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12
In less than 10 days after a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the shutting down of all operations at Thunder Zone Water Park Resort following the death of a six-year-old boy, an application was filed on behalf of the management seeking directions for operating a portion of the park having “11 dry-rides” and a beverage section.

Taking up the application, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar and Ms Justice Kiran Anand Lall, today issued notice of motion for July 17. The high court, it may be recalled, had also directed Punjab’s Chief Secretary “to have the matter thoroughly investigated and to fix the responsibility of officers concerned who granted licence for opening the amusement park without safety arrangements and which have proved to be a death trap for an innocent child”.

Asking counsel for the petitioner to hand over a copy of the petition filed by Phagwara-based businessman Sanjay Kapoor to Punjab’s senior Deputy Advocate-General, the Judges had further directed that a copy of the order should be sent by fax to Ropar’s District Magistrate immediately under the signatures of the Special Secretary. A dasti copy should also be handed over to the senior DAG, the Judges had concluded.

In their detailed order passed after hearing Mr Atul Lakhanpal on behalf of the petitioner, the Judges had observed: “The facts narrated in the present petition are horrendous. No sympathy what-so-ever can be shown to the owners of the park or the officers who are responsible for granting licence without verifying as to whether or not proper arrangements have been made for the safety of the children who are to visit the park. Our judicial conscience does not permit us to allow this amusement park to function even for a single moment from now onwards”.

Rishab Kapoor, enjoying a picnic with his family, was drowned on June 28 in a pool at Thunder Zone, a few kilometers from SAS Nagar on the Sirhind road. 

Notice issued in Pala murder case
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 12
One more person, Gurbagh Singh, today moved an anticipatory bail plea in a local court on the apprehension that the police might arrest him in the murder of former sarpanch of Khuda Ali Sher Pala Singh.

The court had already dismissed the anticipatory bail plea moved by two suspects namely Satpal Singh and Gurdhian Singh in the case. Meanwhile, the court has issued a notice to the UT police to file reply in the case.

As per the prosecution, the three suspects — Kartar Singh, Mohinder Singh and Kesar Singh — were arrested by the police on July 4 while they were trying to flee to Patiala near the Zirakpur traffic junction.

The duo — Kartar Singh and Mohinder Singh, — had allegedly murdered Pala Singh for taking revenge of Kaka Singh, who was killed on February 2 at Nayagoan during the Assembly elections.

CULTURE

DEVDAS’ MILLENNIUM AVTAAR
Saga of love fails to make waves
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, July 12
Entertainment limited was the impression unlimited crowd of youngsters — driving down the fast lane of love — got after sitting in the stuffy cinema hall for over three hours only to watch Devdas — unlike the heroes of today — die.

For the countless number of “young innocents” in the habit of enjoying movies with “happily endings”, watching Devdas make his final exit in front of Paro’s house was not exactly their idea of “a good film”.

Those of you who are not aware about the ageless saga of love, here is the story: “Devdas, in love with Paro, wants to marry her. His parents, however, do not agree. Paro is married off somewhere else. Devdas realises the implications, but it is too late. He takes refuge in the emotion numbing world of Bacchus. Then he meets dancer Chandermukhi who falls in love with him. It makes no difference. Devdas dies in the end.

“Perhaps the last famous film in which the hero sacrificed his life on the altar of love, along with his beloved, was Dil Se”, revealed city student Charu Khanna. “The movie was released about two years back and it was liked for reasons other than romantic. Today, in this world of fast love where some of the youngsters change lovers faster than their denims, dying for the sake of an estranged partner just does not gel. It seems so divorced from reality”.

But weren’t the youngsters aware of the fact that Sanjay Leela Bansali magnum opus was based on novelist Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1917 classic ? “Oh, yes, we know that the movie was based on a novel, but then the theme was, perhaps, relevant at that time — in the first quarter of the last millennium,” asserted Plus two student Neetu Sharma. “Now-a-days, how often do you hear of a guy drowning his liver, and his youth, in alcohol ? Well, I haven’t heard of even a single guy who died because he started consuming alcohol following the departure of his lover”.

Does this mean that the crowd did not like the movie at all. “No, this is just not true. Though we would have loved to see the movie ending in hope, instead of despair, we still enjoyed it,” claimed Rajni Kathuria of Sector 37.

Giving details, she asserted: “Some of the moments of love, captured by the dextrous cameraman under the guidance of an expert director, were just wonderful, infact quite touching. I simply loved the scene in which possessive Devdas — played by Shah Rukh Khan — catches hold of a mosquito hovering over Aishwarya Rai’s head just because he cannot stand anyone close to Paro. Another scene I found worth appreciating was the one in which Devdas hits Paro on her head just before her wedding so that she can remember him throughout her life”. Agreeing with her, Home Science student Tamanna said, “The ending too was touching. Devdas, lying flat on the barren ground, is watching Paro rush out of her house when the gate suddenly closes. Paro’s image fades in front of his eyes and he dies”.

What about acting ? Was it good? Was Shah Rukh Khan able to do what Dalip Kumar and K.L. Sehgal did in the earlier movies? “We haven’t watched the earlier version of the movie,” was the answer most of the youngsters blubbered.

As far as the acting was concerned, Shah Rukh Khan, looking maturer than his age, was “just okay”. “We can bet Dilip Kumar with his forceful acting and reverberating voice must have been better, much better,” insisted young executive Raman Kumar Sharma.

Aishwarya Rai too was “so, so”. “The former Miss World looks beautiful, as gorgeous as Paro — with a face better than the moon — was intended to look. But her acting was just not upto the mark,” claimed Jessica in Chandigarh from England for her vacations. “Madhuri Dixit’s acting, on the other hand, managed to bring out the intensity of love. I basically wanted to compare the two and I got the opportunity during `Dola re dola’ — a dance sequence. Both twirled around the floor in a perfect manner. Both were equally appreciable”.

The dialogues? “Catchy”, “worth quoting” — were some of the reactions. “Family says leave Paro, Paro says leave drinking, one day my breath is going to tell me to stop living — was my favourite dialogue in the movie,” asserted Zahira.

‘Bending’ itself to have an edge
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, July 12
Though the euphoria of the just concluded World Cup is still fresh in the minds of football fans, the movie titled ‘Bend it like Beckham’ with its Hindi version- “Football Shhutball Hai Rabba” based on a woman football player’s plight has given new momentum to the sport. The movie was released today in Chandigarh (Neelam Theatre) and 25 select cities all over the country. Despite the release of much publicised movies like Devdas the crowd, mostly students and football fans, thronged the theatre to saviour the movie.

The movie depicts girl power with an attempt by Asian sportswomen to enter into men’s world where they get what they desire by bending the rules, not by breaking them.

The movie is based on an 18-year-old England-born Indian girl, Jess (Jasminder in the film and played by Parminder Nagra), who wants to play football and her ideal being England soccer star David Beckkham. Her parents, however, have a dream to groom her into a conventional Indian girl. But Jess just loves to play football in a local park with some male friends. She chooses football to have her means of independence, otherwise limited by strict control enforced by her parents.

Director, Gurinder Chadha has tried to portray the negative attitude of parents when their daughters try to play any sport, with objections even to their playing in shorts when thousands of people are watching. A renowned film maker with two award winning movies, “Bhaji on the Beach” and “What’s Cooking”, under her name, Gurinder deserves appreciation for showing courage to exhibit the truth prevailing in various Indian and Asian homes elsewhere, especially when girls take to sport.

The film also portrays the kind of experience a player goes through when playing in other country. The coach, Joe (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers) while coaching Jess starts adoring her as she gradually develops liking for him.

The film has tried to project average Asian girls as tough and outgoing behind their fragile looks.

In India, women football has yet to take off in a big way. Very few tournaments except for National School Games are held to boost women football. And there are hardily any women football clubs in the country.