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ASI held for running spurious soft drink factory
‘Real brain’ behind land scams held
Ritual murder of six-year-old solved
CAG report highlights wasteful |
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SC bans unlicensed slaughtering at Idgah
Special drive by MCD to remove illegal dairies
Power pangs persist in Noida, Gt Noida
Elaborate arrangements for Navratras
Baisakhi mela at Garden of Five Senses
Faridabad SSI unit gets credit rating certificate
DoE gives excess grant to school
Allow permits to Kashmiri Sikhs to travel to Muzaffarabad: Sarna
Pakistani woman held for trespassing
Man gets RI for possessing leopard skin
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ASI held for running spurious soft drink factory
New Delhi, April 8 The ASI, identified as Jagdish Mathur, was arrested after intelligence unit sleuths raided a godown owned by him in Kanjhawala, where fake colas and other soft drinks of well-known brands were being manufactured, said a senior police official. The police later said though the ASI owned the godown, it had been hired by a ‘kabari’ (scrap dealer), who ran the spurious drinks plant in the two rooms of the ten-room block.
Rs 2 lakh snatched in
Laxmi Nagar
Two motorcycle-borne men robbed more than Rs 2 lakh from a lady in the Laxmi Nagar area of East Delhi this afternoon. The lady, identified as Premlata Rahi, was moving in a rickshaw towards her home after withdrawing money from the Laxmi Nagar branch of the HDFC bank, was waylaid by two men riding a motorcycle, said a senior police officer. The moneybag was snatched from her, the police officer added. The robbers, in their mid-20s, later fled from the scene. According to the report lodged with the police, the bag contained Rs 2.10 lakh in cash and a draft of Rs 40,000. A case has been registered and investigations are continuing, the officer added. According to the DCP East district, Ms Garima Bhatnagar, “We are investigating into the matter. We got some leads and hope to crack the case soon.”
A nurse working at the Bara Hindu Rao Hospital in North Delhi allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the sixth floor of the hospital in the early hours today. The deceased has been identified as Samta (22), who was on night duty in the ENT ward on the fourth floor. This morning, she had gone to the sixth floor of the hospital citing some reason and allegedly jumped off from the sixth floor. Eyewitnesses, who saw the woman jumping off from the sixth floor, rushed to the spot and found the nurse lying dead in a pool of blood. The matter was later reported to the police. The post-mortem proceedings are being initiated. Meanwhile, sources said some marks were found on the body of Samta, who had been married for over one year. The hospital union also has demanded a proper investigation into the matter saying the sudden extreme step taken by the nurse calls for a thorough
probe. — TNS
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Ex-SI sentenced for graft
New Delhi, April 8 Special Judge P. K. Bhasin also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on Yuvraj Kishore Mishra, who had been apprehended while accepting the bribe from one Veer Singh Rana at a restaurant on June 29, 1990. Seventy-year-old Mishra, who was then posted at the Alipur police station at the time, was apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Branch on a complaint by Rana.
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‘Real brain’ behind land scams held
Noida, April 8 It is learnt that when the matter became too hot to be handled, an ex-MLA of the Samajwadi Party is understood to have used his influence to make Moti Goel surrender to the police. The former MLA himself has been allegedly involved in various land scams in Noida and Greater Noida. To cap it all, the police have arrested Charan Singh, who had been considered the real brain behind the land scams involving Moti Goel. And Charan Singh is known to be the right-hand man of the ex-MLA. The police are trying to find out how a small-time tea stall owner, Charan Singh, is said to be rolling in crores now. Fictitious land deeds, in the name of a woman in ex-MLA’s family, has also come to light. Meanwhile, two high-level police teams led by the Additional SP Ratan have been constituted in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar with three circle officers each (DSPs) to assist him in the investigation. DIG R. K. Vishhvakarma disclosed that he has recommended Rs 1 lakh reward for the police team, which had nabbed Moti Goel. One Kailash, son of Prem Singh, is mentioned in the 17th place in the list of 89 persons against whom a case was registered in Kasna police station on February 27 this year for fake registries. Kailash is said to be the real brother of the SP leader, but he has not been arrested so far. According to sources, by the time the Moti Goel case, which had started in Ghaziabad and encompassed Noida and Greater Noida, people connected with the ruling party started feeling the heat. The ex-MLA, therefore, had established contacts with the party leaders and senior bureaucrats in Lucknow to get a breather. According to DIG R.K. Vishavkarma, about 100 people have been found to have links with this case in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. “We shall take strict action against all against whom we find sufficient proof. None will be spared irrespective of his or her status or level”. Out of these 100, there are 20 government officers, including IAS, IPS and PCS offices and employees who have connived with Moti Goel in the land scams. Along with Moti Goel, 12 persons have already been arrested. Police have recovered two files, Rs 7,000 in cash and a cell phone from Moti Goel who had started his land scams and getting ownership of land on fake and illegal deeds way back in 1986, the DIG said. He used to find out from the revenue officials as to which land was to acquired by the government so that he would procure the same land and get them registered in his own and as well as in the names of his family members. Records of revenue department are being procured for conducting the investigations, Mr Vishavkarma added.
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Ritual murder of six-year-old solved
Meerut, April 8 According to police, Ankur was sacrificed by a couple who did not have their own child. They committed the ritual act on the advice of
a sadhu. Police have arrested both the husband and wife and a hunt is on for the so-called sadhu. According to SP Meerut, Mrs Anju Gupta, Ali Sher and his wife Shakila have no issue even after 30 years of their marriage. During interrogation, both of them broke down and admitted to their crime. In a press conference later, they revealed the brutal manner in which they had killed Ankur to have a child of their own. They hammered a screw on his forehead as per the instructions of the sadhu who had told them a month back that they could be blessed with a male child if the blood of a male child was poured over the face of the wife. The boy should be sacrificed later, the godman instructed the couple. Acting on his advice, both the man and wife performed the bloody rituals. Late at night, they strangulated the boy and threw his body into an adjoining dense sugarcane. Police also received the bedsheet and a small rope used in the killing. As the news of their arrest spread, hundreds of villagers of Sadarpur and adjoining areas demanded that the culprits should be handed over to them. Later, the villagers formed a resolution in a meeting and decided the social boycott of the family. The boy was kidnapped on Saturday while he was playing near his house.
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CAG report highlights wasteful expenditures by PWD
New Delhi, April 8 A large number of public assets worth crores of rupees remained unutilised due to poor coordination among various sections of the department, the CAG audit has found. For example, the lack of coordination between the PWD and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department resulted in roads constructed at a cost of Rs 29.62 lakh remaining unutilised for more than nine years. The department incurred wasteful expenditure due to repetition of work too. The work of improvement of Marginal Bund road between Shamshan Ghat and Kailash Nagar was awarded to two agencies within a span of three months. While the first contract was given for Rs 37.44 lakh, the second contract was given for Rs 1.88 crore, only nine days after the completion of the earlier work. The CAG has also castigated the department for irregularities in the award and execution of the Punjabi Bagh Flyover Project. An avoidable payment of Rs 3.65 crore was made and delay in execution resulted in increase in expenditure of Rs 1.36 crore due to escalation of costs. Moreover, payment for land without proper measurement resulted in excess payment of Rs 38.04 lakh, the CAG report said. The CAG has also castigated the PWD in connection with construction of phase-III of the Guru Nanak Eye Centre. The department could not construct an additional floor due to its failure to properly scrutinize the drawings to ensure that they were in conformity with the approved plan. Because of this, the hospital building constructed at a cost of Rs 3.95 crore remained unused for more than five years. The CAG found that the department deployed personnel in excess of sanctioned strength and engaged private security guard without approval of the competent authority, which resulted in irregular expenditure of Rs 96.59 lakh.
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Respite from scorching heat forecast
New Delhi, April 8 The day temperature was around 37 degrees Celsius today giving respite from the sweltering heat yesterday, it said. The mercury will hover around a comfortable 35-36 degrees
Celsius for the rest of the week, said Met Department Director R. D. Singh. ‘’It is going to be a normal summer for the rest of April,’’ said Dr Singh. The weather office expects the day temperature to reach 38 degrees Celsius by the third or fourth week of the month. ‘’Day temperature of 40 degrees
Celsius and above can be expected in May,’’ Dr Singh said. The fall in the day temperature today is because of the low atmospheric pressure over central Pakistan and Punjab, the weather office
said. — TNS
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SC bans unlicensed slaughtering at Idgah
New Delhi, April 8 Modifying its November 30, 2002 order granting permission to the members of Buffalo Traders Association (BTA) for slaughtering and skinning of animals, a Bench of Mr Justice N Santosh Hegde, Mr Justice S. B. Sinha and Mr Justice A. K. Mathur said that the permission was granted earlier under the impression that all members of the association had got licence from the MCD. On being informed by the MCD counsel that many of the BTA members did not have the permits, the Court said, “no slaughtering is allowed without licence.” Rejecting the plea of BTA to permit unlicensed butchers to slaughter animals till they were given licence by the MCD, the Court said any one who wanted permission should apply for the licence to the MCD, which would take a decision on their applications under the prescribed rules. But the court made it clear that pending the decision on their applications, the unlicensed butchers would not be permitted slaughtering. It said that the MCD would be responsible for stopping the slaughtering without licence. “If slaughtering without licence is allowed than what is the purpose of the licence,” the Court asked. BTA’s counsel wanted the permission to all of its members permission for slaughtering and skinning till the abattoir is shifted to Ghazipur in trans-Yamuna area, where a modern slaughterhouse is being built.
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Special drive by MCD to remove illegal dairies
New Delhi, April 8 The MCD have selected 20 dairies to be targeted during this drive. Mr Mehta said that the MCD has so far removed 10 major illegal dairies from various areas, including R. K. Puram, Transitor Camp Govindpuri, Sudhar Camp, Kalkaji,
Tughlakabad Extension etc. Mr Mehta further said that for the relocation of the dairies, the MCD is developing a new modern dairy in Narela. He said that it was a self-financing scheme and the land would be allotted on first- cum-first serve basis. This colony would be developed in two phases and the allotment process shall be started in the first week of May, 2005. As on date, 391 illegal dairy owners have deposited Rs 4.61 crore on account of advance payment for 441 dairy plots, emphasised Mr Mehta.
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Power pangs persist in Noida, Gt Noida
Noida, April 8 Unless the 400 KV Pali power station becomes operational, people in Greater Noida will not get any relief. Apart from the general public, entrepreneurs and traders in Noida and Greater Noida are feeling helpless in the absence of power supply. The 400 KV Pali power station is located on the Dadri-Ballabgarh line and 132 KV Surajpur sub-station will also get its supply from the Pali powerhouse. Besides, the Sector-20 Noida 220 KV sub-station will be getting power from the Pali station, which is expected to remedy the shortage in Noida town to some extent. The IT sector’s requirement for power is likely to increase in the days to come while units are presently meeting their requirements partially through gen sets and battery systems. Greater Noida’s power needs are being met through the 400 KV Muradnagar sub-station. A 220 KV line comes from this sub-station to Noida via Sahibabad. The total requirement of Noida and Greater Noida is 315 MVA, while the supply is pegged at 285 MVA. Thus, power cuts for 55 MVA power have to be resorted to every day. Chairman of UP Power Corporation Deepak Singal is understood to have written to the Noida Authority asking Noida to put in place independent lines in each sub-station and put bays so that Noida could be assured of interrupted supply. Mr Singal has pointed out that while the Noida Authority has been establishing sub-stations from time to time, independent lines and cables had not been put in place and the stations had been linked with lines of some other sub-stations. This situation is against the established system and thus inadvisable. Mr Singal has emphasised that all such stations, set up in Sector-62, 63, 52, 56, 31, 19, 50, 47 and 80 during 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, should be linked with independent lines. The Noida Authority has decided not to go in for more sub-stations with 132 KV or less capacity, it is learnt.
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Elaborate arrangements for Navratras
New Delhi, April 8 Temples around the city have been specially decorated for the festive look and elaborate arrangements are being undertaken to avoid chaos in the
temples where thousands of devotees are expected. At the Sri Santoshi
Mata Mandir, Hari Nagar, arrangements have been made for drinking water, bhandara and security. Close circuit televisions have been installed to avoid mishaps. In the Jhandewalan Mandir, too, elaborate arrangements have been made for the comfort of the devotees.
— TNS
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Baisakhi mela at Garden of Five Senses
New Delhi, April 8 Organised by the Nehru Bal Samiti, the fair will also be a display window for over 750 NGOs and self-help groups, which will showcase their products. Delhi’s mouthwatering delicacy, papri chat, is to be a key attraction at the fair. The ‘Mela’ will be inaugurated by Chairperson of the Delhi Women’s Commission, Ms Kiran Walia, on April
13. — TNS
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Faridabad SSI unit gets credit rating certificate
Faridabad, April 8 The certificate was awarded by ‘Dan and Broadstreet’, an International Credit Rating Agency to those units and enterprises, which perform according to certain standards and conditions and the rating agency considers the financial standing, working conditions in the unit and the overall efficiency of the unit and its environment before accreditation is allowed. According to Mr Chawla, the Union government had proposed to provide a subsidy of at least Rs 40,000 to each of the small-scale unit, which takes the benefit of the credit rating facility. He said the government had assured more financial help and guidance to all the units, which go in for such a certification. He said the certificate would not only help the units create their own identity and standing in the sector, but it also boosts the overall development of any enterprise. There are over 10,000 small-scale and ancillary units in the district at present, which were supplying various kinds of products and services to many middle and bigger units across the country. The Indian Bank Association has announced providing loans and credits to those small-scale units at minimal rates, which get the credit rating from the known agencies. Meanwhile, the Faridabad Small Scale Industries Association (FSIA) has asked the state government to bring certain changes in the industrial policy, so that the problems faced by the SSIs could be solved and the production level maximised.
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DoE gives excess grant to school
New Delhi, April 8 Even as the matter is now under ‘examination’, the lapse has caused the DoE over Rs 1 crore between 1997 and 2003 by way
of excess release of grant-in-aid. According to the Delhi School Education Rules 1973, the number of students on the rolls of an aided school shall not fall below the number on the basis of which the aid was initially granted. It further says that where the number of students falls below 75 per cent of the first mentioned number, a proportionate reduction may be made in the grant-in-aid payable to the school. However, the DoE in violation of the rules continued to release the grant-in-aid to the school without any proportionate reduction as required. The school, which was started in May 1966 with 342 students, today has students in double digits. On the glitch being pointed out, the Deputy Director of the North District said that there was no provision or complete closure of the school with the decreasing strength of students and the grant was being released for eight staff members against the minimum essential requirement of
17 staffers. But the CAG has rendered his reply as ‘not tenable’. In its report, the CAG has pointed out that the DSE rules contemplate a situation where an aided school may be closed and provided for absorption of the students or employees thus rendered surplus into another aided school or government-run school. It further says, “Given the minuscule number of students and staff, as on November 2004, it is evident that the grant could have been more fruitfully utilised elsewhere in support of educational activities and the students and staff absorbed into some other better equipped school with adequate strength.”
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Allow permits to Kashmiri Sikhs to travel to Muzaffarabad: Sarna
New Delhi, April 8 A gurdwara dedicated to the sixth Guru, Hargobind, is located in Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the DSGMC chief, Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, said while releasing an illustration of Sai Mian Mir, the Sufi saint who laid the foundation of the Golden Temple. ‘’The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC should also cater to the religious desires of Kashmiri Sikhs. We have already requested the government to allow special permits to Kashmiri Sikhs to travel down to Muzaffarabad.’’ Mr Sarna, who will lead Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on April 11, said he would likely meet the Pakistani Prime Minister and discuss with him the maintenance of gurdwaras in that country. ‘’We will seek more facilities for Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan and request the government to allow access to more gurdwaras located in that country.’’ In his remarks, Sai Mian Mir Foundation chairman Harbhajan Singh Brar announced plans to erect a memorial of the Sufi saint in the Capital.
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Pakistani woman held for trespassing
New Delhi, April 8 The woman has been identified as Rafi Quan, who came to India on March 23 with some 30-suit pieces and other clothing. After arriving in Delhi, she was staying in Turkman Gate and sold all the clothing material she carried along with her from Pakistan. The police said that today she had gone to the airport and purchased an entry ticket for Rs 50 for entering the airport. Once inside the airport, she entered the customs area by producing her passport and her ticket. The customs officials later spotted her while she was receiving a consignment from a Pakistani passenger. Failing to get any satisfactory reply for receiving the consignment, the officials later opened the carton and found some medicines and clothing materials inside. The officials later handed over the woman to the police, who have registered a case against her and are verifying her antecedents.
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Man gets RI for possessing leopard skin
New Delhi, April 8 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Manoj Jain also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Saurav Mittal, who had been apprehended by the CBI on the Bangla Sahab Road on April 20, 2000. Mittal was caught along with one Amit Sharma, but the latter was acquitted as no recovery of animal skin was made from him. The court had framed charges against the duo, residents of Nainital, on March 31, 2004. Prosecution examined 12 witnesses in the case.
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