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Tractor company ‘defrauds’ farmers
of crores
Hisar, March 20
A case of cheating lakhs of farmers of hundreds of crores by a tractor company in Haryana has come to light. The company publicised its “pre-paid” service facility as “free service”, allegedly cheating not only the farmers, but also the government.

Life term for raping daughter, killing wife
Kaithal, March 20
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Manjit Singh, has sentenced Ram Niwas of Padla village to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 15,000 after holding him guilty of raping his minor daughter and killing his wife in June 2003.

Haryana House to elect Speaker today
Chandigarh, March 20
The outgoing Speaker of the Haryana Assembly, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian, attended the Speakers’ Conference in Delhi today, the last of his present tenure. The House is scheduled to elect his successor tomorrow.

Haryana Speaker attends meeting

Former SHO shot
Sonepat, March 20
Attar Singh, a retired Station House officer (SHO), was reportedly shot dead by two unidentified motor cycle borne youths while he was sitting in his house at Badh Malik village, about 15 km from here, last evening.

11,276 file papers for panchayat poll
Kaithal, March 20
As many as 11,276 candidates have filed nomination papers for contesting elections to Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and for the posts of panches and sarpanches.

2 killed, 12 injured in mishap
Panipat, March 20
Two persons were killed and 12 injured when an auto-rickshaw collided with a tractor-trailer near Nimberi village bus stand yesterday night. The auto-rickshaw was going to Sanauli from Panipat.

Stories from Haryana towns falling in the National Capital Region are put in
Delhi & neighbourhood.

REGIONAL BRIEFS

YOUR TOWN

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Hisar
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Tractor company ‘defrauds’ farmers of crores
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service

Hisar, March 20
A case of cheating lakhs of farmers of hundreds of crores by a tractor company in Haryana has come to light. The company publicised its “pre-paid” service facility as “free service”, allegedly cheating not only the farmers, but also the government.

The company launched a scheme in the 70s, under which it promised to provide six free services on tractors purchased through its dealers. The company said in its advertisements that no amount would be charged from the customers even for the oil and filter changed during the service of the tractor.

However, the company charged a certain amount from the buyers under the head material services performance security deposit (MSPSD), at the time of purchase which was not returned to the customers. Hence, the company publicised its “pre-paid” service as “free service”.

In a written communication to a former dealer, Mr Inder Mohan Singh, a company secretary with Eicher, stated on August 7, 1998 that under the MSPSD system, a customer was given six free services. “The company sets a certain amount aside out of each sale invoice towards the cost of these services. This amount is kept as a liability in the books of the company,” the letter said.

The company withdrew the MSPSD in December 2001 but by then a large number of farmers had allegedly been cheated. The issue had been brought to the notice of the Centre several times but to no avail. A case of fraud under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC was also registered against company officials on a complaint lodged by Mr Pardeep Singh at the Hansi police station in May 2003.

However, the complainant was told by the police that the company officials had moved a local court in Hisar for anticipatory bail. They were later granted bail.

Following this, Mr Pardeep Singh made a complaint to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 29, 2003. Thereupon, the Chief Justice suspended the Additional Sessions Judge in Hisar. The complainant again moved an application for the cancellation of the bail pleas but he was unsuccessful.

He has now written to the DGP, Haryana, urging him to take action against the police officers who have allegedly been sabotaging the case in collusion with the company officials.

Mr Mahboob Zahedi, a Lok Sabha member, recently wrote to the Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, drawing his attention to the multi-crore fraud and urging him to take prompt action in this regard.

“The company had a commitment for free services to the buyers. It is, however, unfortunate that it continued to charge Rs 3,060 per tractor in their bills under the head material services performance security deposits,” says the letter, a copy of which is in possession of The Tribune.

This is not the only instance of complaint against the company. On September 2, 1997, another Lok Sabha member, Mr Ajay Chakraborty, wrote to Mr Chidambaram, who was the Union Finance Minister then as well.

The MP had alleged in his letter that Eicher Tractor Company was following “wrong and illegal practices, by which it collected crores of rupees every year, cheating the farmers as well as the government.”

He also wrote to Mr Vikram Lal, the then chairman of Eicher Ltd, Delhi, on May18, 2002, drawing his attention towards the “illegal” practices being followed by Eicher Tractors Ltd., Faridabad.

On August 12, 2004, Mr Chidambaram acknowledged the receipt of the letter sent by Mr Chakraborty. He assured the MP that “the officer concerned in the ministry was being asked to look into the matter for appropriate action.”

Meanwhile, Eicher Motors Ltd has started talks to sell its tractor, engine and gear businesses to the Tractors and Farm Equipments (TAFE) company. Mr Zahedi has taken a serious note of the matter and urged the Finance Minister to conduct an inquiry “before it finalises the said deal.”

Mr S. Sandilya, Chairman and Group Chief Executive of Eicher, said theirs was a clean company and followed all legal and official procedures laid down by the government. On being questioned on the allegations of fraud and financial irregularities, he maintained that he could not comment on the issue as it was not in his knowledge. He, however, stated that there were no financial irregularities or malpractices in the company. “Still, if anybody has a grievance regarding any aspect of our functioning, he has full right to convey the same to us,” he added.

Life term for raping daughter, killing wife
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, March 20
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Manjit Singh, has sentenced Ram Niwas of Padla village to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 15,000 after holding him guilty of raping his minor daughter and killing his wife in June 2003.

According to the prosecution, the daughter of accused had lodged a complaint with the police on June 5 that on June 2 night she, along with her mother, two brothers and a sister, was sleeping when his father, who was under the influence of liquor, came to her and started making indecent gestures following which she raised an alarm. Her mother woke up and objected to his act. Ram Niwas dragged her to the adjoining room and strangulated her. After this, he raped his daughter and threatened her with dire consequences if she narrated the incident to anyone.

Next morning, Ram Niwas told villagers that his wife had died the previous night after some stomach-ache. He cremated her.

After the cremation, Ram Niwas left his house. The girl told about the incident to her uncle and grandfather. They took her to the police station and lodged a complaint.

A case under Sections 302, 376, 201 and 506 of the IPC was registered. He was arrested and put on trial.

The court, after hearing the arguments of the prosecution and the defence counsels, held the accused guilty of murdering his wife and raping his daughter and pronounced the sentence.

Haryana House to elect Speaker today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20
The outgoing Speaker of the Haryana Assembly, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian, attended the Speakers’ Conference in Delhi today, the last of his present tenure. The House is scheduled to elect his successor tomorrow.

The conference was convened by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, to discuss the alleged interference of the judiciary in the matters of the legislature.

Mr Kadian was elected MLA from Naultha on the INLD ticket. However, he resigned from the party after his election as the Speaker. The conference was boycotted by the Assembly Speakers of the NDA-ruled states. INLD’s links with the NDA were also snapped when the BJP broke the alliance with it and contested the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its own in Haryana.

The INLD had also denied the ticket to Mr Kadian in the last Assembly elections. Still, Mr Kadian took the INLD line at the conference and held the office of Governor for being responsible for judicial intervention in the business of the legislature. He said the Governors took wrong decisions and invited leaders of the minority parties to form the government, paving the way for judicial intervention. He quoted examples of Goa, Haryana (in 1982), Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. He pleaded that the office of Governor should be abolished.

Mr Kadian said the SC should not have directed the Jharkhand Speaker on how to conduct the proceedings of the House.

Haryana Speaker attends meeting
Tribune News Service

The conference was convened by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, to discuss the alleged interference of the judiciary in the matters the Lagislature.

Mr Kadian was elected MLA from Naultha on the INLD ticket. However, he resigned from the party after his election as the Speaker. The conference was boycotted by the Assembly Speakers of the NDA-ruled States. The INLD’s links with the NDA were also snapped when the BJP broke the alliance with it and contested the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its own in Haryana.

The INLD had denied the ticket to Mr Kadian in the last Assembly elections. Still, Mr Kadian took the INLD line at the conference and held the office of Governor for being responsible for judicial intervention in the business of the legislature.

Former SHO shot
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, March 20
Attar Singh, a retired Station House officer (SHO), was reportedly shot dead by two unidentified motor cycle borne youths while he was sitting in his house at Badh Malik village, about 15 km from here, last evening.

According to police sources, the miscreants arrived in the village around 9.15 p.m. and forced their way into the house of Attar Singh and started indiscriminate firing on him. The miscreants are reported to have fired at least 15 shots but Attar Singh sustained five bullet injuries and fell down. On hearing the firing shots a large number of village people assembled at the site, but the alleged miscreants managed to escape on the motor cycle.

Attar Singh was rushed to a private nursing home in Sector 14, Sonepat, where he was declared brought dead. The Rai police has registered a case of murder and further investigations are in progress. The police has organised the nakabandi and launched a massive hunt to apprehend the culprits.

According to another report, hardcore criminal Manoj of Larsauli village, robbed a salesman, Neeraj, of Ajay Filling station on the G.T. Road near Larsauli village, about 15 km from here, today. The alleged culprit fired shots in the air and snatched Rs 5,000 from the bag of Neeraj and fled on the motor cycle.