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Jilted restaurateur’s half-burnt body found
Burglars in league with jewellers held, 34 cases solved
Carrying of Guru Granth Sahib to BJP’s |
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Opp flays MCD’s professional tax proposal
Workshop on eco-friendly disposal of waste
Dry cleaner told to compensate for lawyer’s missing coat
Eve-teasers to get the
Bank officials embezzle Rs 1.75 crore
Magistrate to probe Gurgaon municipality scam
Law school mulls special course for junior advocates
Receiver to look after Pandav Nagar gurdwara
Parties likely to make an issue of Devi Lal statues
Mauritius invites Noida Inc to set up IT units
Illegal mining unearthed
Worker suffers burns in factory fire
Rally for safe environment
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Jilted restaurateur’s half-burnt body found
New Delhi, November 16 According to the police, the neighbours of Savita told the police that the deceased went to the house of Savita during late hours and started shouting that if they (read Savita and her husband) would not open the door, he would burn himself. “One neighbour told us in his statement that he has seen him burning himself,” said DCP West district, Neeraj Thakur. “A board has been appointed for the post-mortem of the body. Next action would be taken after the post-mortem report comes. We have taken statements of all the persons and are investigating the matter,” the DCP added. Savita came in contact with Jitender around 11-month back when her family went to his restaurant for dinner. Since then, Jitender became friend of Savita and her husband and started visiting her house. He even asked for Rs 35,000 for the operation of his wife and returned the money after some time. But for some time she was fed up with the interference of Jitender in her personal life. One day before the incident, Savita and her husband went to the local police and made a complaint that Jitender was harassing them. The police called Jitender and warned him not to interfere in the personal life of Savita. But Jitender again went to the house and kept knocking at the door for more than an hour at night. He also shouted and warned her that if she would not open the door, he would burn himself, said the police.
ACP remanded in judicial custody
New Delhi, November 16 The Metropolitan Magistrate, Mr V. K. Khanna, before whom Singh was produced on expiry of his judicial remand, sent him to the Tihar Jail till November 29. The CBI claimed that the investigation was still at an initial stage and that it had to collect documents and also examine material witnesses. Acting on a complaint, the CBI laid a trap and arrested the ACP on November 9 while he was allegedly taking the bribe from a person to issue him the required licence for selling firecrackers in Sadar Bazar area of North Delhi. Immediately after his arrest, the CBI carried out searches at his residence during which the agency claimed to have seized Rs 9.5 lakh in cash. The CBI also claimed to have seized documents showing bank balance of Rs five lakh, jewellery worth Rs two lakh and documents pertaining to possession of three houses from Singh, who is a 1969 batch Sub-Inspector in the Delhi Police. Though he was remanded to a day’s police custody on November 10, the same was extended by five more days the next day.
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Burglars in league with jewellers held, 34 cases solved
New Delhi, November 16 The jewellers have been identified as Mahesh Kumar of Bajrang Jewellers, Subhash Chander of Vaid Sons Jewellers and Krishan Chand Dass of Sawant Jewellers. With these arrest, the special staff of West district police claimed to have solved 34 cases of burglary and have recovered jewellery, household items, electronic items and watches. The police have seized 150.8 grams of gold ornaments, 2.6 kilograms of silver ornaments, 5 camera, 69 wristwatches, 3 walk man, one swiss made Rado wristwatch and artificial jewellery. According to the DCP, West district, Mr Neeraj Thakur, “the accused were active for a long time in the area and have committed a number of criminal activities in the area. It was a good success on the part of our team.” In another incident, the South district police have arrested three persons and have recovered property worth Rs 6 lakh from their possession. Those arrested have been identified as Raju Singh (19), Rajender Singh (20) and Akhilesh Mehto. The police claimed to have solved five cases of burglary with this arrest. The recovered items worth Rs 6 lakh included Rolex watches, L.G. colour television, Philips DVD player, three wristwatches and cash worth Rs 13,200
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Carrying of Guru Granth Sahib to BJP’s office flayed
New Delhi, November 16 “The Akal Takht has already prohibited carrying a Bir (a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib) to locations where it becomes difficult to accord full devotional respect to the scripture regarded as a living Guru by the faithful,” Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Harbhajan Singh Matharoo said today. He cited an Akal Takht order that prohibits carrying the Guru Granth Sahib to hotels, clubs, banquet halls or even open locations. “Earlier this year, a religious event was organised at the Talkatora Gardens where renowned Ragis and classical singers participated. It was attended by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit but the organisers refrained from carrying the Bir there,” Mr Matharoo said. On Sunday, the BJP marked the quadricentennial of the sacred text at its Pant Marg office here. The event was attended by Mr Advani and Sikh leaders of the party. “The main idea behind the quadricentennial celebrations is to seek guidance from the Guru. In Sikhism, the central place for such a quest is a Gurdwara where congregations take place and not any location where respect to the Guru may become less,” said DSGMC member Manjit Singh. He recalled that a Punjabi organisation had earlier drawn severe criticism when a Bir was passed through metal detectors to celebrate a religious programme it had organised at the Prime Minister’s residence. Any action in which politics prevails over religion must not involve the Sikh scripture or otherwise it amounts to serious violation of the faith’s founding principles, Mr Manjit Singh added. He said there had been fierce opposition earlier to the “home delivery” of Siropas (holy stoles of honour) at the doorsteps of politicians. “If we can oppose presenting Siropas at political houses, we should also appeal to the SGPC and other religious authorities to prohibit carrying our primary scripture to political offices. Political offices, however, can hold seminars on the Guru Granth Sahib.” Harinder Pal Singh of the SGPC also echoed similar views, saying any apparent attempts to take political mileage at the cost of sentiments of millions of Sikhs are condemnable. “Such acts have to be discouraged,” he added. Mr Harinder Pal Singh referred to Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti’s recent refusal to attend a Sikh religious event at a Congress office in Punjab because the organisers there had also brought a Bir.
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Opp flays MCD’s professional tax proposal
New Delhi, November 16 Under the bye-laws, around half of the population of the city will be liable to be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term up to three years, even if the default in the payment of the proposed profession tax is to the tune of Rs 50 only. All the companies, individuals, shopkeepers, professionals will be liable to be punished with the fine of Rs 1, 000 or Rs 100 daily for furnishing so-called incorrect information or fine of Rs 5,000 or Rs 100 daily for undefined obstructions, he said. Furthermore, government, local authorities, education institutions, corporations or body corporates have to first obtain No Liability Certificate from Profession Tax Officer, MCD, for placing any order for purchase, any payment or enter into any contract with any person and making payment for execution of such contract. The premises of the taxpayers on suspicion only, will be searched and the account books, receipt books, registers and other documents will be liable to be seized and will be confiscated for a period up to one year. All the salaried persons, wage earners and employers with less than five or more employees has to be registered and enrolled with Profession Tax Officers failing which they will be liable to be penalised any amount of fine, besides, penalty of Rs 1,000 for undefined misinformation. Mr Vijender Gupta said that the proposed bye-laws would be fountain head for corruption and would give iron fist to the already corruption intensified staff of the corporation. There is no prescribed authority under the DMC Act namely Steering Committee, who will decide the amount of penalty under 5 (6) of the propose
bye-laws. It will also make the decision of profession tax absolute and above jurisdiction of the civil court making him dictator within his field of jurisdiction. He alleged that the proposal had been moved on the directions of the Delhi Government, which is remote controlling the corporation and has acted as extra constitutional authority in the matter which is wrong as the corporation is self-ruled constitutional body and the state government has no power to give direction to levy or not to levy any tax. The Standing Committee of the MCD had tabled the professional tax proposal yesterday.
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Workshop on eco-friendly disposal of waste
New Delhi, November 16 Speaking at the workshop, organized in collaboration with the Delhi Tourism and Confederation of Indian Industry, he said that hospitality industry, from star hotels to small hotels, restaurants, eateries and dhabas, cannot project good life in the front while their back streets are stinking or straining the limited resources of the civic body. The disposal of waste cannot and should not be left to the MCD alone. They have to become MCD’s partner in waste disposal. He chastised the owners of hotels and restaurants to accept the responsibility of disposing their waste in an environment-friendly manner. He warned that MCD could levy a fine of Rs 5000 per violation for not following the principle of segregation of garbage by putting separate garbage bins for biodegradable and non-degradable waste. He said that all over the world the principle of “Polluter pays” is followed. It augurs well that it is now gradually being accepted by the hospitality industry. Mr Mehta said that the hospitality industry should keep in mind three basic principles. Firstly, they should seek solution to the problems themselves without solely depending on the government. Secondly, they should pay attention to low cost and cost effective alternatives, as only large and capital oriented projects are not the answer to the problems. Thirdly, it is wrong to shift their responsibility to others. He assured that MCD would do its utmost to help and promote the cause of segregation of garbage in the hospitality industry. He said that the ‘Zero Waste Management’ target will be achieved in cooperation with the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Delhi Tourism. Highlighting the key principles of the Master Plan for ‘Solid Waste Management’, Mr Mehta said that 15 per cent of garbage is generated from construction and demolition waste as Delhi is an old city. He said that 5 per cent of the construction and development waste should be usefully reused. Secondly, the composting should be encouraged at household, community and industry level. Steps should be taken for extraction of methane at sanitary landfill sites and exporting it to western countries where they are badly required. Thirdly, the garbage at SLF site should be treated with appropriate chemicals so that some of the garbage could be converted into compost and removed for making a space for fresh garbage. Fourthly, he said that there should be technical reorganization of SLF sites and the Department of Sanitation. The Mayor of Delhi, Mr A. R. Verma, said that there are more than 500 major hotels and restaurants in city, which generate large quantity of both biodegradable waste and recyclable waste. Besides them, there are thousands of medium and small hotels, restaurants, eateries and dhabas. He sought their cooperation and effective participation in achieving the goal to reduce the generation of waste, to reuse the waste generated and recycle the waste produced. He said the success of this endeavour would improve and enhance the environment of the Capital. He reminded the participants that the President of India is very keen about sanitation in the city. He informed that he is working on a report on better sanitation of the city, which will be presented to the President. Mr V. N. Dass, Convener, Water and Environment Panel of Confederation of Indian Industry, Delhi State Council, emphasised that we should avoid using word “Waste” as the so called waste has lot of inherent value. We should rather call it resource. Most of the solid waste can be recycled. The effluent treatment presently being followed by a section of hospitality industry leading to cocktail mixture of waste has proved to be expensive. We have to find more economical and viable alternative. He emphasised that segregation of garbage is the best principle.
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Dry cleaner told to compensate for lawyer’s
New Delhi, November 16 Commission President Justice J. D. Kapoor and Member Rumnita Mittal asked the dry-cleaners to pay Aggarwal compensation of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 as litigation cost. Aggarwal had given five clothes, including the coat, to the dry-cleaners in April 1997. As she did not go to collect her clothes, the dry-cleaners had gone to her house in July 1997 to inform that the clothes were lying with them, but came to know that she had shifted her residence. She went to collect them only in November 1997, but the firm returned only four clothes. The black coat was missing. However, the consumer court turned down Aggarwal’s claim for the losses she suffered professionally due to the negligence of the dry-cleaners.
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Eve-teasers to get the stick at IITF
New Delhi, November 16 Last year, there were a large number of complaints of eve-teasing. The cases of pick-pocketing and chain snatching were also reported,
too, the police said. “This time we have deployed women police from CAW cell as the victims of snatching and pick-pocketing were mostly women last year,” said a police official. The police have also installed close circuit TVs at different points to keep a vigil at the criminals who are already identified by the police. Police are posted at each entrance gate and in different pavilions also. “The position of women police and college students is not kept fixed,” said DCP Trade Fair, Rajiv Ranjan.
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Bank officials embezzle Rs 1.75 crore
Ghaziabad, November 16 It may be recalled that a few cases have already been registered in Kotwali, Ghaziabad and police station, Sahibabad against the suspended secretary R.C.Sharma and other officials of the bank. Today’s case registered in Kotwali Ghaziabad is the latest of the series of scams being unearthed in the Urban Cooperative Bank. The case has been filed by present secretary Shailender Bahadur Singh. Two separate cases have been filed in this connection today. Case for under crime No. 615/2004 has been filed against suspended bank secretary R.C. Sharma, deputy secretary G.D. Sharma, assistant branch manager Alok Kumar and others. According to information available, a fictitious Account No. 4583 was opened and Rs 15 lakh was transferred to it fraudulently by these people. The present bank secretary Shailender Bahadur Singh has filed another case in Kotwali police station for an alleged fraud of Rs 1.25 crore in the bank. Suspended secretary R.C. Sharma, G.D. Sharma and other bank employees Mool Chand Sharma, Harkesh Sharma, Ashok Goel, according to this complaint, had fraudulently withdrawn Rs 1,62,96,715 from the Urban Cooperative Bank accounts and embezzled it.
Gudiya’s father to bring up her son, if need be
Ghaziabad, November 16 Gudiya is presently staying with her father Imamuddin in Flaunda. Imamuddin has categorically stated that in case both Arif and Tofique do not want to keep Gudiya’s newborn son, he will take care of his grandson and bring up the child. Arif who had strayed into Pakistan during Kargil war, had returned to India after spending five years in Pakistan as a POW. In the meantime, Gudiya was married to Tofique, presuming that Arif had been killed in the war. On his repatriation, Gudiya’s marriage with Tofique had been declared illegal by the Panchayat and she returned to Arif. She was then pregnant with Tofique’s child. L’affaire Gudiya hogged the headlines of newspapers all over the country recently.
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Magistrate to probe Gurgaon municipality scam
Gurgaon, November 16 The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, has asked the city magistrate to probe the case even as the police department is investigating the case. Although the reason for roping in the new head for the probe could not be ascertained, it has caused a whirl in administrative circles. Many attribute this to the tardy progress made by the police in its investigative work on the issue. It is understood that the slow pace of investigation has virtually short-changed the administration as undertaking of new development projects in the city through recently much-arraigned municipality continues to be put on hold. Keeping the development projects in the city in abeyance, when the election to the state Assembly is just few months away, is said to be giving uneasy moments to the political leaders of the establishment. The works which have come under scanner relate to this May-October, when Mr Y.S.Gupta was the administrative head of the municipality. Eighty-one projects relating to the construction and repair of roads were done without the mandatory approval of the Deputy Commissioner, even though the same were okayed by the technical committee of the civic body and its House. There are varying versions on whether all of the projects got the approval of the House of the civic body. Those who doubt it go by the experience of the past when the elected coucillors, the contractors and the babudom in the municipality allegedly colluded to short-circuit the procedures and later completing the necessary formalities. The contractors, who have nexus with the local politicians and the officials of the municipality, were the beneficiaries as they remained flush with contract works. The state government had, however, laid the policy that all development works have to get the administrative approval of the Deputy Commissioner before works on them The 81 projects allotted to the contractors were without the administrative approval. Now the contractors have completed the works, but the payment of the contract money to them has been stalled pending the probe. It is learnt that in all, about Rs 2.5 crore is at stake. The residents in several pockets of the city had alleged to variour quarters, including the office of the Chief Minister of bungling by the contractors and use of substandard materials in the construction works on the roads. Even some elected councillors espoused the cause of the aggrieved residents with the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister referred the matter to the State Vigilance Bureau. The Bureau is said to have referred the matter to the district police chief. The matter was finally referred to the police station concerned and the issue remains at that. A source confided that one of the main accused, an official in the municipality, is known to a bigwig in Haryana Police.
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Law school mulls special course for junior advocates
New Delhi, November 16 The course, which is likely to be introduced in January next year, will facilitate learning alongside training. “We are planning to start the course in January 2006 for junior advocates, who have not been exposed to procedural aspects, which are important,” explained Prof. M Afzal Wani, Dean, School of Law. The course, he said, has been designed to allow lawyers to undertake the study without break in their regular schedule. “Since it may not be easy for the lawyers to miss courts and attend classes for days in a row, we are planning to have classes on the weekends and a nominal fees will be charged from them,” Prof. Wani said. He added, “In most colleges, students are exposed to the aspects of arguments etc through moot courts, but they are not trained to identify the details vital to a case like which court they must select to file their case in, selection of forums, how they can help their clients in a civil court.” Proximity to both the Karakardooma and Tis Hazari, said the Dean, would be an advantage. Prof. Wani said that the school is also working on the launch of a technical law journal. “This would perhaps be the first of its kind in the country. The articles would be put in the context of technology, since even the family laws are becoming technology-centric.” The journal, which will be launched in a few months, would publish the research work of scholars and focus on issues like e-commerce and cyber laws. The school’s law society is continuing its exercise of taking “legal awareness” to the masses. “Our students along with a faculty member visit certain areas and neighbourhoods to create awareness among people about their rights and legal procedures.” The interaction includes creating awareness about relevant laws with special emphasis on consumer laws, human rights, technology, intellectual property rights, environment laws and e-commerce.
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Receiver to look after Pandav Nagar gurdwara
New Delhi, November 16 The court has said that the receiver will oversee the entire management of the gurdwara till the election of the management committee of the gurudwara are held. For this extra responsibility, Mr Singh will be given a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000. The court has also ordered Mr Singh to submit monthly development report of the gurdwara. The court has said in its order that the sanctity of the gurdwara and the religious sentiments of the local people should be taken care of on priority basis and it would only be possible when independent people were to handle the management of the gurdwara. The court gave its order on a petition filed by Gurdwara Shree Guru Singh Sabha and the management committee of the Pandav Nagar gurdwara. The petition had said that in the name of renovation, Harbhajan Singh Matharoo, general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and his associates were playing with the sentiments of Sikh community. So, they had pleaded for the court intervention in this regard. When contacted, the former president of this gurdwara, Sardar Mangal Singh, said, “We are very happy with the court verdict. Now the development of the gurdwara will be free from politics and naturally will be in the interest of the local people.” The gurdwara had witnessed many acrimonious scenes over the issue in the last few months some even leading to clashes between opposing groups resulting tension in the area.
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Parties likely to make an issue of Devi Lal statues
Faridabad, November 16 This has also given a chance to the BJP leaders to make comments that could hot up the issue. It may be recalled that Mr Bansi Lal as the HVP supremo had announced at several public meetings, before the party’s merger with the Congress, that if he came to power, he would get all the statues of Devi Lal removed. These statues have been erected mainly during the present rule of the Indian National Lok Dal, led by Mr Om Prakash Chautala. The reported views expressed by the head of the Haryana affairs of the Congress at the rally at Karnal, yesterday has prompted the BJP leaders of the state to make comments on it. Senior party leader and a former Haryana Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, who was addressing the party activists here today, said that Mr Bansi Lal should resign from the Congress, in view of difference of opinion between him and the Congress leaders, especially with the view of the Haryana incharge of the party. He said now Mr Bansi Lal may not be able to fulfill his dream of pulling down the statues, which he had been announcing in every public meeting. It may be recalled that the BJP had been the alliance partner of the HVP government headed by Mr Bansi Lal from 1996 to 1999. According to certain leaders and activists of the party, the issue of the statue could be used as a political plank in the next elections. It may also be recalled that Mr Surender Singh, son of Mr Bansi Lal, had spoken on the issue in the rally yesterday and called upon the people to bring down the statues after the elections. It is reported that Mr Janardhan Diwedi, Incharge, Haryana affairs in the Congress, had stated that the encroachment issue behind the erection of the statues was more important than pulling them down. The BJP leader also criticised the UPA government at the Centre for the ‘shortage’ of the DAP fertiliser in the state and putting the issue of the SYL canal on the backburner.
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Mauritius invites Noida Inc to set up IT units
Noida, November 16 A high-level Mauritius delegation, headed by the Software and Information Technology Minister, went around various units connected with Information Technology in Noida’s industrial area, including Software Technology Park in Sector-29 and Logistic Park, Sector-16. The delegation members were very pleased to have found all the requirements being met under one roof at the logistic park. The Mauritius Minister was so impressed with what he saw, that he extended an invitation to Mr Shakti Nath, CEO of Logistic Park to set up a similar Software Park in Mauritius, where he said his government will ensure all necessary facilities and infrastructure. Mr Pradeep Jeeha disclosed that a cyber city was being set in Mauritius with the help of the government of India over 142274 sq mt. land. A cyber tower, business zone, commercial complex, hotels, cyber village and a knowledge zone for training and education in IT are being set up. The project will be formally inaugurated by the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Man Mohan Singh, he said. The Mauritius team had also visited Computer Science Corporation, Nucleus Software Centre, HCL and BPO Technology Parks. The team will later visit Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai.
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Illegal mining unearthed
Noida, November 16 In plots adjacent to the neighbouring Kendriya Vihar, even big stones and boulders have been uprooted. This is happening due to the apathy of the Civil Construction Division. The villagers are digging up pits and selling the earth elsewhere. There is a lack of coordination between the police and the civil construction division which is said to be encouraging the illegal trade. Even the shape of Sectors 72, 44, 122, 81 and many others seems to have been drastically changed due to the large-scale earth mining. The Noida Authority’s declared policy, “as is where is basis”, is wreaking havoc on the area as the authority washes its hands of the large-scale mining.
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Worker suffers burns in factory fire
Noida, November 16 In Diana Exports of Kapil Goel, there was short-circuit in the cloth-cleaning hydro machine, a spark from it inflamed a chemical kept nearby. Soon the fire spread on the factory premises. While the workers were trying to extinguish the blaze themselves, the fire brigade was also informed. The fire tenders were able to douse the fire before it could do much damage. The charred worker Promode was rushed to a hospital. The blaze had damaged goods and materials worth thousands of rupees, it is learnt.
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Rally for safe environment
New Delhi, November 16
Around 500 students participated in the rally.
Slogans such as ‘Say no to crackers’ and ‘Make environment clean’ were raised. —TNS
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With the arrest of three persons, the Delhi Police claimed to have busted a gang of burglars that was active in West district of the national Capital.
