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Sunday, September 15, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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HAU employee booked for embezzling Rs 62 lakh Cong rivals plan show of strength Chautala joins issue with Ajit Singh Aircraft wreckage adds to farmer’s woes
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Notice to Haryana
on excise penalties Yamuna causes flooding Farmers hold demonstration Bridegroom, brother held on murder charge Six miscreants arrested Haryana Sikh panel expanded Thermal engineers visit plant site
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HAU employee booked for embezzling Rs 62 lakh Hisar, September 14 The university had launched an investigation after the Vice-Chancellor received an anonymous complaint against the employee, Mr D. N. Valecha, posted as an assistant in Forage Section, Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture in the university from 1993 to August, 2002. He was assigned the duties of preparing salary, TA and other bills of employees of the department. He allegedly withdrew Rs 1,40,000 by cheque from the account of the department as advance on March 26 but he brought it on record on June 12. He used this amount for three months illegally. When this came to notice, the university authorities transferred him to the registrar’s office on August 5, 2002. The authorities posted an employee of the registrar’s office, Mr Balwant Singh in Mr Valecha’s place. He found that there was unauthorised withdrawal of Rs 99,442 by Mr Valecha from the salary head on April 3, 2002. It also came to notice that Mr Valecha had also pocketed of Rs 47,500 from income tax payments and refund of bank loans of the employees of the department. After this, the university authorities ordered an investigation into the matter. It revealed that he had drawn without authorisation salaries, arrears, wheat loans, leave encashment and gratuity of several employees. The university yesterday lodged an FIR with the police. The SP directed the local Civil Lines police station to register a case against Mr Valecha who already has secured interim bail. In the light of this scam, the university authorities have taken several steps to check embezzlement of funds. The salary of the university staff now would be paid through bank. It has also been decided to reduce the number of drawing and disbursing officers. Only those well conversant with accounting would henceforth be appointed as DDOs. The university has also informed the income tax authorities of the scam and the assets of the employee concerned. The authorities have also requested the local revenue officers and HUDA officials not to allow sale and transfer of any property owned by Mr Valecha to any his heirs or any other person so that the embezzled amount can be recovered. However, the HAU authorities have come under fire for delaying the filing of the FIR as they took several weeks to do so allowing the employee to secure interim bail. It is suspected that during the lengthy investigation by the authorities Mr Valecha might have transferred his assets to others. What is surprising is that the employee indulged in irregularities for so many years without being caught exposing chinks in the university’s auditing armour. Several more heads are likely to roll as it is suspected that Mr Valecha could not have embezzled such a huge amount without the connivance of others. |
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Cong rivals plan show of strength Chandigarh, September 14 This time it is the turn of two traditional rivals from the Ahirwal belt to display their strength by organising
rallies, prompted by Rao Inderjit Singh's plan to hold a rally at Rewari on September 23. Mr Ajay Singh Yadav, Congress Deputy Leader in the Haryana Assembly, taking umbrage to the rally being planned by his archrival Rao Inderjit Singh, MLA from Jatusana constituency in Rewari district, is being backed by, among others, Mr Birender Singh for the public meeting. Mr Birender Singh, whose ambition of becoming HPCC chief was scuttled by Mr Bhajan Lal, is stated to be keen on helping Rao Inderjit Singh to emerge as an alternative leader to Mr Bhajan Lal. Rao Inderjit Singh's political rivals, however, suspect that another reason for the rally at Rewari is to give a boost to his chances of getting the party ,ticket for the Mahendragarh parliamentary constituency. Mr Ajay Singh Yadav,too,is a candidate for the ticket and the rivalry between these two leaders has intensified in the wake of the proposed rally. Mr Yadav represents the Rewari constituency. Needless to say he will not attend the rally. Three other MLAs from the region, Ms Anita Yadav, Rao Dharam Pal and Rao Narinder Singh, who have thrown their weight behind Mr Bhajan Lal, are expected to keep away from the rally. " Rao Inderjit Singh should not have fixed the date of the rally on September 23 which is celebrated as the War Heroes' Day in the state. No political rally should be organised on that
day", said an opponent of Rao Inderjit Singh. Capt Ajay Singh Yadav reportedly wants to give a befitting reply to his traditional rival by organising a rally at Rewari some time in October. |
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Chautala joins issue with Ajit Singh Chandigarh, September 14 A press note quoted Mr Chautala as having said it did not behove of Mr
Ajit Singh to say that Haryana had not made any formal request on the issue. Mr Chautala, according to the
note, also claimed that an adjournment motion on drought was moved in the Lok Sabha by the INLD members and the issue was first raised in Parliament by Mr Ajay Chautala, MP. |
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Aircraft
wreckage adds to farmer’s woes Ambala, September 14 The wreckage of the aircraft is lying in the paddy field and labourers, under the guidance of the Air Force personnel, have been laying sand bags around the wreckage of the aircraft. Sand bags have also been placed on the path leading to the wreckage. Ashok Kumar told “Chandigarh Tribune” that the sand bags will spoil the area. The exact damage to the crop would only be evident after the wreckage retrieval is completed,” he said. He pointed out that sand was spilling out of some of the bags which was going to adversely affect the productivity of the field. Secondly, plastic bags had been used which were not biodegradable. Besides this, he would have to pay labourers to get the sand bags out of the field. Ashok Kumar said that he was a tenant on the farmland owned by the Sarpanch of Chor Mastpur village. “I have taken this land on a contract at the rate of Rs 10,000 for each
‘qila’. While basmati has been sown on half of the land, PR-6 paddy variety is planted on the other half,” he said. He observed that the MiG 21 landed on the side where basmati rice had been sown and it flattened the paddy before stopping in the portion where PR-6 was sown. “About one ‘qila’ of paddy has been destroyed in the incident,” he said. “Right now, my estimate is based on the current condition. When the aircraft is removed from the field, there is going to be further damage to the crop,” he added. He suggested that if the Air Force personnel should wait for a few weeks to retrieve the wreckage. “The crop will be ready for harvesting soon. If the wreckage retrieval takes place after the harvest then further damage to the crop will be avoided,” he said. Ashok Kumar said that he just wants compensation for the crop that had been destroyed. “Although I have suffered a loss, I am not looking for an exorbitant compensation since national interest is involved,” he said. “Till now, I have not yet been told about the compensation though I have asked several Air Force officials. This is worrying me and I hope that I am not left high and dry,” he said. An interesting fallout of the MiG 21 crash is that now these fields are referred to as the ‘jahaz wala
qila’. A number of persons flock to see the aircraft which is lying in the paddy field and the security personnel on duty have their hands full by keeping people away from the wreckage. |
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Notice to Haryana
on excise penalties Chandigarh, September 14 Pronouncing the orders on a petition filed by Mumbai-based Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Limited, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice Virender Singh, also stayed the auction of a confiscated vehicle. Claiming Section 61-A to be ultra vires of the Constitution having no nexus with the object sought to be achieved, the company, in its petition, had earlier submitted that reading of the same “showed that offence pertaining lesser quantity of liquor was punishable with imprisonment along with fine, whereas offence relating to a larger quantity of liquor was punishable only with fine and the offender was not liable to be imprisoned”. Elaborating on his contentions, Mr Pankaj Chandgothia, on behalf of the petitioners, had added that greater offence was brought out of the purview of the criminal courts which was against the Constitution |
Yamuna causes flooding Sonepat, September 14 Official sources said here on Saturday that heavy rain in the catchment areas of the river during the past three days was the main cause of the floods in the river. The swirling water of the Yamuna has inundated several thousand acres along the embankments causing extensive damage to the standing kharif crops. The district authorities have alerted residents of at least 50 villages situated on the embankment of the river and directed them to shift to safer places. But they declined to do so. According to residents of Bega and Memarpur villages a large quantity of stones dumped for the construction of studs to check the erosion on the Haryana side has been washed away. |
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Farmers hold demonstration Kurukshetra, September 14 The protesters including sangharsh samiti president and former MLA, Dr Harnam Singh, secretary, Mr Didar Singh Kamboj and kisan union, district president, Mr Gurnam Singh Charunijaataan raised anti-government slogans and demanded the immediate construction of Dadupur-Nalvi-Ladwa Irrigation Scheme by the state government. They also submitted a memorandum, addressed to Haryana Chief Minister in this regard, to the City Magistrate, Mr Hema Sharma. |
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Bridegroom, brother held on murder charge
Ambala, September 14 The groom was identified as Kuldip Kumar, alias Sonu, and his brother as Palwinder. However, Kuldip denied his involvement in the assault on the victim. He said the sword which he was holding as a ritual, was taken away by someone from him and was used during the attack. Four waiters and a gateman were assaulted by the marriage party members, including the bridegroom, yesterday. DSP Udya Shanker, who was in charge of the investigations, directed the investigating officer to take all video cassettes and camera photos in their possession to ascertain the involvement of the persons who assaulted the waiters. Meanwhile, the Taprivas Union chief Biloo Ram alleged that remaining assailants were not being arrested due to political pressure. He demanded immediate arrest of the rest of the accused who attacked the waiters and gateman.
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Six miscreants arrested Kurukshetra, September 14 Two motor cycles and 150 gm of smack have been recovered from them. Stating this here yesterday, the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh, said on tip off from a social worker, the Ambala special task force Inspector, Mr Devender Singh, arrested the culprits Sunder, a resident of Shahabad Jasbir Singh, alias Goga, Surinder Singh and Bheera Ram, all residents of Jalmana village in Karnal district from Shahabad under Section 21 of the Narcotics Act. 150 gm smack and one Suzuki motor-cycle number HR 05G/5973 has been recovered from their possession. He said in another case, Subhash Chand, alias Bobby, a resident of Bishangarh Maajri, in Kaithal district and at present a resident of Thermal Colony, Panipat, had been arrested from near Dhurala village and a Rajdoot motor cycle bearing fictitious number plate recovered. Talking about the arrest of proclaimed offender, he said Jai Bhagwan, a resident of Karora village in Kaithal district had been arrested from Thana Gujran village after three years. He was arrested in a theft case at Thanesar in 1995. He was released on bail in 1999 and since then he had been absconding, Mr Singh added. |
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Haryana Sikh panel expanded Chandigarh, September 14 He said the meeting also decided to expand the committee from its present strength of 31 to 51 members. The new members are Jathedar Pritam Singh Akali, Bibi Amarjit Kaur, Jathedar Baldev Singh Gabha,Mr Kuldip Singh Cheema,Dr Rattan Singh Dhillon, Mr Bhupinder Singh Bindra, Mr Gurcharan Singh,Mr Krishan Singh Lamba, Mr Brahmjit Singh Khalsa, Mr Harbans Singh Panjrath,Mr Gurbax Singh Kesri, Mr Amar Singh Sabharwal, Mr Kuldip Singh Alang, Mr Jhujhar Singh, Mr Bhagwan Singh Shahpur, Mr Gurdev Singh Fauji, Mr Ranbir Singh Fauji, Mr Prahlad Singh,Mr Jagir Singh, Mr Ranjit Singh Anand, Mr Chanchal Singh, Mr Surinder Pal Singh, Mr Sadha Singh Pannu and Mr Ranjit Singh. |
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Thermal engineers visit plant site Yamunanagar, September 14 Mr Vijayender Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, said today that the power generation corporation would establish a 500-MW power station here. |
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