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Hawara gives vital information
Chandigarh, July 8 Sources in the Chandigarh Police say Hawara has reportedly given vital information to the interrogating officers about his escape and persons who assisted him and his alleged accomplices.
Refusing to divulge the details or the identity of those involved in the escape, the sources say Hawara is now being questioned about the implements used in digging the tunnel and the alleged involvement of jail staff in supplying the equipment. They add that Hawara and his “accomplices” had managed to dig the tunnel in a meticulous manner “without raising suspicion”. They had also succeeded in disposing of loose earth. Further, mobile phones were openly used by them in the jail premises. Though some of the jail officials were accused of helping them out in the process, nothing can be proved against them beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt till Hawara is questioned, the sources add. His interrogation will also reveal whether the putting up of another escapee, Devi Singh, with them was a mere coincidence or a part of a well-planned conspiracy. They assert that Hawara had made attempts to revive the activities of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in the region for waging a war against the nation. As such, the interrogating officers are trying to fish out information about his “anti-national” activities too. Besides, the officers are making attempts to find clues about the whereabouts of his “accomplices”, including Paramjit Singh Bheora, Jagtar Singh Tara and Devi Singh. They had tunnelled their way out of the jail in January last year. The sources said that Bheora was in touch with Hawara and was hiding somewhere near Delhi. His family had reportedly sold of their ancestral property in Punjab and had settled trans-Yamuna in the national Capital. A senior Chandigarh Police officer, however, said as of now it was too premature to officially say anything on the subject. Regarding the interrogation carried by the Delhi Police, he said they were only interested in the twin-blast case. As such, Hawara was not questioned by them an other matters”.
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In Chandigarh police custody till July 16
Chandigarh, July 8 However, Mr R.K. Mehta, Judicial Magistrate-cum-Duty Magistrate, allowed Hawara’s counsels to meet him daily for an hour from 4 p.m. and get his medical examination done at a government hospital. His counsels, Mr Arvind Thakur and Mr Manpreet Chahal, would meet him. Earlier, the judge allowed Hawara’s counsel to talk to him in the court room. Hawara alleged that he was tortured by the Delhi Police in the presence of Punjab Police officials. Hawara, who was produced in the court amid tight security around 12.30 p.m., preferred to keep mum before the judge. However, he looked tired and was slightly limping when he was brought to and taken away from the court. Surprisingly, the Punjab Police, who vied with the Chandigarh Police in a Delhi court for the transit remand, did not seek his remand today. Though Punjab Police personnel, including the intelligence officials, were present in strength in the court in plain clothes, yet they did not move any application before the magistrate officially. Counsel for Hawara, Mr Amar Singh Chahal, said since the Burail jailbreak case, for which Hawara had been given transit remand, was already being tried by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), no other court had jurisdiction to grant him remand. Since all offences have been found to be bailable, there was no question for the prosecution to seek police remand, the counsel said pleading for his release on bail.
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Beant case: trial set to be delayed
Chandigarh, July 8 In fact, the police remand of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) militant and the main accused in both the trials, Jagtar Singh Hawara, is likely to pose fresh problems for the Chandigarh Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Sources said the calculations of the Chandigarh Police and the CBI seem to have gone haywire as they would have to re-work their strategies in the light of the police remand and new evidence that might now come to light. The outcome of the case hinges on the statements of Hawara in the court and during interrogation. Given his past record, Hawara might have a surprise or two up his sleeves. His revelations could be quite damaging for the police authorities, sources said. However, today he preferred to remain quite and refrained to making any statement. The officials of the Chandigarh Police were also not willing to give away any information on the interrogation so far. The Chandigarh Police and the CBI are already fighting with their back to the wall in both the cases and there are glaring missing links in prosecution theories. This was particularly true when a majority of accused in the Burail jailbreak were bailed out and sedition charges dropped against them by a local court recently. For instance, in the jailbreak case, Hawara, among others, was declared as proclaimed offenders and charges could not be framed against them. Now the supplementary challans will have to be filed and the process of framing charges would start again further delaying the trial, a defence counsel, Mr Arvind Thakur, said. Similarly, the trial in the Beant Singh assassination case has been moving at snail’s pace and the role of the prosecution, the CBI, is already under a cloud and several witnesses had allegedly turned hostile. Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, along with Devi Singh, another undertrial, tunnelled their way out of the high-security Burail jail here on the intervening night of January 21 and 22 last year. It was widely believed to be intelligence and police failure. However, while Chandigarh Police personnel were spared, certain jail officials seemed to have been made the scapegoats and were suspended. To top it all, the jail officials were slapped the sedition charges by the police, which were later dropped by the former Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Balbir Singh, while framing charges against the accused. |
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Body found in roadside pit
Panchkula, July 8 A habitual drinker, who would often go away from home when questioned about his excessive drinking habit, they assumed that he had left home, and would return soon. However, Bikhu Lal’s body was found today floating in a roadside pit filled with rain water, just a few hundred yards away from his house. According to the police he seemed to have slipped into the pit while returning home two or three days ago. The roadside pit near Saketri is about eight foot deep, and had been dug a few months ago to construct new roads. The pit was to be filled up after the monsoon, but rainwater got accumulated in it. Bikhu Lal, a labourer employed in Central Soil Conservation and Research Centre, Mansa Devi Complex, had left home on Monday night. When he did not return, we assumed that he would come back after he had finished all his money on drinking alcohol. But by Wednesday, we got worried, and began looking for him at all liquor vends, thinking he would go there to buy liquor,” says his brother Munna Lal. Today, when the body rose to the surface then somebody raised an alarm and informed the police. The police also found some foot prints near the pit, which led them to believe that Bhikhu had slipped in to the pit. The victim is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
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How has the visit to Chandigarh helped you in the Seminar Abroad Programme that you are attending? Besides other things, the visit to the city has also meant interacting with a number of women journalists. The theme of our programme is ‘Women in contemporary India’ and I am doing a specific paper on the impact of media on the lives of Indian women. Have you worked as a journalist? I started my career as a sports journalist and then moved onto teaching. But I was very active writing on films and television for ‘USA Today’. I would also interview celebrities at New York for them. What do you feel about Indian newspapers? I am very impressed by Indian newspapers. The papers are very well brought out, readable and quite American. But I feel that they are somewhat out of step with the culture here. On one hand it is the very traditional culture of India and on the other the papers have pictures of girls in spaghetti tops. Do you feel that this is so because it is a culture in transition? Yes, it does seem so. There is tradition on one side and modernity on the other. So the conflict does exist. But I feel Indian papers should not just go the American way for they must address the Indian people in a given culture. — Nirupama Dutt
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BSNL’s toxic barrage on Phase 3-A residents
Mohali, July 8 Residents are up in arms against PUDA for allowing the establishment of the telephone exchange in an open space adjoining a park in the residential area. They also allege that the BSNL authorities have not been able to ensure that the area remains free of noise and air pollution. The exhausts of the two generators are in opposite directions: One facing the park and the other a row of houses. Though “silent generator” is written, residents complain that these are silent in name alone. “As power cuts begin, huge clouds of smoke enter our houses making life miserable. Fumes are toxic and one can smell diesel smoke in almost 100-metre radius around the exchange. The noise caused by the generators makes it difficult to communicate with family members”, pointed out Mr Rajinder Pal Singh, whose house faces the exhaust of one of the generators. Interestingly, those inside the telephone exchange building do not face any such problem. “We have been here since November, 2004. And there have been instances when there has been no electricity and the generators are on. But we have never seen smoke coming from the generators. Also, these make no noise”, claimed Mr Paramjit Singh, SDO in charge at the telephone exchange. The exchange was inaugurated in November 2004 and is being used by the BSNL for its CellOne mobile network. “How can a commercial building exist in a residential area? Is it not a violation of the norms,” questions Mr Gurmukh Singh, a resident of the area.
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Anti-encroachment drive serves no purpose
Panchkula, July 8 Within a few minutes of the HUDA staff and the police having finished with the drive, the encroachments were back. So was the weekend business, which was partially disrupted during the over one hour-long drive. The booth owners in the market hurriedly cleared the encroachments on the corridors as the enforcement staff led by the SDO, Mr Y.M. Mehra, and Junior Engineers Karam Chand, Ram Phal, Ajay Bansal, Jasbir Singh and J.S. Beniwal, were still issuing instructions. Thus, it was only the vendors whose goods were confiscated, while shopkeepers, who are the major encroachers, were spared. In fact, as the enforcement staff and almost 100 policemen moved around the corridors of the market, most of the shopkeepers were being quietly asked to move in their goods. However, the goods of mehndi wallahs, vendors selling American corn and jhulla wallahs etc. were immediately confiscated. The drive in Sector 7- the main commercial hub in the township — was planned yesterday. The market corridors have been encroached upon by shopkeepers. leaving no space for shoppers to move about. Though several drives have been launched to remove encroachments, most of the times, the shopkeepers get prior information of a drive and ample time to move their wares from the “danger zone”. This time, however, top secrecy was maintained and not even the Tehsildar (who was appointed as Executive Magistrate) and the police were informed where the drive would be launched. They were simply asked to follow the HUDA staff to the site. The Sub Divisional Officer, Mr Mehra, who was heading the drive, however, said the idea was to create a fear psychosis that in case these encroachments are not removed, similar action would be planned in future too. Meanwhile, the president of the Sector 7 Shopkeepers Association, Mr B.B. Kochchar, alleged that the HUDA staff had confiscated goods without giving any receipts. “Even the goods kept in the racks placed outside shops were taken away, though under the rules, these goods have to be returned.”
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SMO of General Hospital resigns
Panchkula, July 8 Dr Sharma, who had joined as Medical Superintendent here in April 2003, was one of the driving forces in the expansion of the General Hospital- from a 50-bedded hospital to a 150-bedded hospital. Dr Sharma has cited personal reasons for putting in his papers, after 12 years of service. Dr Sharma was also the whistleblower on the alleged misdoings of chemists alloted shops in the hospital complex. He had caught the chemists within the hospital premises, coercing the patients to buy medicines from them. It was thus that the licences of the chemists were cancelled a few weeks ago.
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200 saplings planted
Panchkula, July 8 Dr N.K. Sharma stressed that all trees should be looked after properly so that they have their full life span. He was assured by the Civil Surgeon, Dr Satvir Chaudhry, and the SMO Dr Kamla Singh, that the trees planted last year were being looked after property and 75 per cent of them were in good shape. This year, too, it will be ensured that all the saplings are properly looked after, they said. Dr Sharma said July 11 will be observed as world Population Day and functions and health education activities will be held in all hospitals and community health centres in the state. Meanwhile, a tree plantation drive was also launched in Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, where Superintendent of Police, Dr R. C. Misra, planted the treveni (bodh, peepal and neem). About 30 saplings of different species were planted on this occasion. Environment Society of India President, Mr S. K. Sharma, and the District Education Officer, Ms Phul Khatri, was also present on the occasion.
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UT, MC staff row over seniority
Chandigarh, July 8 The employees of the corporation, who have become senior as per the seniority list up to 2005, have been relieved from the corporation and have joined their respective departments in the Administration. On the other hand, the employees of the Administration who had been asked to give their options to get transferred to the corporation are still holding their office after getting stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Sources in the Administration said the employees who have come from corporation have not been given any work and are marking their attendance in separate registers. As a result, the employees in the Administration have become surplus. The affected employees who have declared surplus in the seniority list and had been asked to give their options lament that the employees who managed to get stay in the next few days would only be left out in shifting exercise. Leaders of the employees union lament that the main dispute was only for 88 employees of the Administration who had gone to the corporation at the time of formation of the civic body in 1996. They said the Administration had prepared a seniority list up to 2005, after a gap of nine years and issued a notification to send the employees in the corporation after giving a one month notice. But despite the stay by the high court, the Administration accepted the joining report of some of the employees of the corporation. The employees demand that a seniority list of only the employees in the Administration and those transferred out should be made on the basis of cut off date of May 23, 1996. They have pointed out that the Administration has not included the name of the employees who have joined the corporation after 1996 have not been included in the seniority list. This system began in 1995 when the Municipal Corporation was created. The Administration decided that the employees who were working with the Administration till March 23, 1996, would be considered for being transferred to the corporation. However, the employees lamented that the Administration was following pick and choose policy while transferring the employees. The case is pending before the Central Administrative Tribunal for July 26.
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Snake in MLA’s flat
Chandigarh, July 8 Mr Ram Kumar Gautam, BJP MLA from Haryana, discovered the snake on a bed in his flat, on the third floor of the MLA multi-storeyed apartments in Sector 3 early this morning. Gautam claims the snake was a poisonous one and that he had no alternative but to kill it. Capt Suresh Sharma, snake expert, however, believes that these creatures should be killed only as a last resort as they are more scared than the humans. Rains usually draw snakes out of their hiding spots as the water seeps into their holes also as human habitation encroaches on forested land, animals and reptiles have no alternative but to step into the these areas in search of food and shelter. Mr Gautam, blamed poor upkeep of the MLA Apartments for today’s Residents of the city say, the number of incidents of snakes being found in and around homes is on the increase.
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Jamun Day celebrated
Chandigarh, July 8 More than 75 students and teachers led by Mr H.S. Dogra and Mrs Kuldeep Kaur of Moti Ram Arya Model School, Sector 27, Chandigarh, and Government High School, Sector 11, Chandigarh, saw various aspects of the Nature Discovery Project and relished the jamun. ESI president S.K. Sharma said India was once called Jambodvipa, after this fruit. He stated the ESI had been celebrating Jamun Day for the past five years with the aim to create awareness about the medical values of
jamun so that the people planted more and more jamun saplings. Dr Madan Gulati, Deputy Director (Ayurveda), Chandigarh Administration talked about the medicinal values of the fruit. All parts of jamun tree, he said, could be used medicinally. Jamun is highly recommended for diabetics. The seed of the fruit and the tree’s bark are said to be helpful in giving temporary relief to diabetes, The bark, leaves and flowers are used to cure the ailment. The fruit is also considered useful to treat dysentery
as its juice has a soothing effect on the human digestive system. The juice of the leaves of jamun tree can be used in case of gungivitis. But if taken in excess, jamun can create problems too.
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Education, health services suffering in state: Mittal
Mohali, July 8 In a statement issued here today, Mr Mittal said announcements for filling of the posts of thousands of teacher were made by the minister every now and then to befool the people. Mr Mittal said the education and health services had been adversely affected in the state due to shortage of teachers and doctors in the schools and hospitals. He also criticised the Punjab Revenue Minister Mr Amarjit Singh Samra, for going abroad at the time when various parts of the state were facing the threat of flood in the monsoon season. He expressed concern over the ‘deteriorating’ law and order situation in the state and raising of head by separatists and disruptive forces, who were trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state once again.
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Cops shift stand on Chandni suicide case
Chandigarh, July 8 In a press statement, UT Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said incriminating evidence against Samidha Bansal had come on record, but it was not sufficient to warrant her arrest at the present stage. He added that Samidha was required for questioning to establish her involvement or innocence in the Chandni Bansal’s death. “She has been asked to join the investigation…. After she joins the same, the entire evidence available on record will be evaluated” In an attempt to justify the stand of the police he said the first information report (FIR) was registered on the statement of the complainant to set and subsequently investigation conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XII of the Criminal Procedure Code. The police was duty-bound to bring all available evidence on record, after which the determination of the criminal liability of the accused was made. He further said an accused named in the FIR, if found criminally liable, was prosecuted in court with or without arrest. Arrest was not mandatory for prosecution in criminal cases.
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Shopkeeper held with pirated CDs
Chandigarh, July 8 The police arrested Arun Kumar, a shopkeeper, for allegedly possessing pirated CDs following a complaint by Mohali-based company Star Media. The police recovered pirated 350 CDs and 95 cassettes from two shops owned by the accused. A case under various Sections of the Copyright Act has been registered. Ms Sarabjit Kaur, a resident of Sector 45-A, reported to the police that a man forcibly took away her gold bangle near Government High School, Sector 45, while she was on her way home late last night. A case has been registered. Mr Jagdish Singh, a resident of Amritsar, reported to the police that his Maruti car (PB-02-K-4996) was stolen from Sector 22 on Thursday. A case of theft has been registered. In another incident, the police arrested Surinder Kumar of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir for indulging in gambling at a public place on Thursday.
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4 vehicles recovered
Chandigarh, July 8 Giving details of the incident, DSP (Central) P.K. Dhavan said the vehicles were recovered following the interrogation of Randhir Singh, a resident of Azad Nagar in Hisar on June 24. The accused told the police that the stolen cars were disposed of in UP, Bihar and Gujarat. Later, the police arrested his accomplice, Bhim Singh of Pattan village in Hisar on June 30. DSP Dhavan said following the information, a team was constituted to recover the stolen vehicles. The police recovered two Scorpio jeeps from Varanasi, a Scorpio Jeep from Janpur (UP) and an Indica car from Surat (Gujarat). The two Scorpio jeeps were stolen from Sector 16 and Sector 8, respectively.
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45-yr-old dies at ADC’s house
Chandigarh, July 8 The in charge of Sector 22 police post said Vishnu Gautam was working as Sevadar at Mansa Devi Complex. He had come for a job at the residence of Mr Parveen Kumar, ADC, Haryana. He suddenly fainted in the afternoon and died later. It seemed Gautam had died of a heart attack. The family of the deceased had been informed about the incident.
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Robbers decamp with jewellery from Sec 26 house
Panchkula, July 8 Armed with a pistol, a sickle and batons, a band of robbers broke into the house Mr Amar Singh Tewatia, an advocate, and entered the first floor by scaling the boundary wall. While three of them entered a bedroom on the first floor, their one accomplice stayed outside the house to guard. While narrating the episode, Mr Amar Singh said the robbers first entered the room of his son, Shashank (20), on the first floor, thrashed him tied his hands and brought him down. The assailants also tied Mr Amar Singh and his wife Ms Nirmal and directed them to hand over cash and jewellery. After getting key of the safe, the robbers ransacked the entire house and allegedly took away the cash and the valuables worth lakhs of rupees. Mr Amar Singh also claimed that the robbers threatened them of dire consequences and took along their son. They also demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore within two days to get their son released. Before escaping from the spot, they threw Shashank outside the house. According to Shashank, the robbers escaped on a motorcycle from the spot. The victims subsequently informed the police. While talking to The Chandigarh Tribune, Ms Prerna Puri, Station House Officer, Chandimandir, claimed that a dog squad and a team of forensic experts was pressed in service in the afternoon. She claimed that the robbers had struck the house in connivance with some labourer of the locality who was familiar with the family. She, however, claimed that a case under Sections 342, 457 and 380 of the IPC had been registered in this regard.
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Theft in Sector 9
Panchkula, July 8 The victim, Mr B.R. Sapra, a private secretary in the Haryana Government, said he left home for work at 10 am. When he returned in the evening, he found the lock on the back door broken and the house ransacked. He then informed the police.
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Parking contractor’s staff enter another brawl
Chandigarh, July 8 The situation was saved from worsening when the area councillor intervened and a compromise was reached at the Sector 22 police post. The employees of the contractor had issued a monthly pass of Rs 55 for Innova multi utility vehicle of Toyota where the same pass was used for a car. There as no provision to issue the pass for a bigger vehicle like Innova.
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VJ Ramona launches Spice service
Chandigarh, July 8 Talking of her new music video “Hey Yah’’, which was recently released worldwide by Universal Music, she said : “It has a different kind of sound and it also happens to be one of the most
expensive videos made in the country so far.’’ It features debutante singer Sarosh Sami and is directed by Anthony D’ Souza, who is off to the USA to shoot with She is not much of a rain person. But she can chill out when she is away from Mumbai. “I had a great time being in the rain in Ranthambore.’’ Though she has been to the City Beautiful many times before, this is the first time she has been caught up in the monsoon rain. Her monsoons tips are — avoid make-up and if you must, then it should be the bare minimal and one should use waterproof mascara and lip gloss so that nothing smudges. “I prefer wearing casual light clothes in such weather,’’ she said. Earlier, while launching the service, she played the top 10 chartbusters and asked few questions from the audience before giving away prizes.
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Reliance cafes get Carribean mocktails
Chandigarh, July 8 Announcing the launch of the new range of beverages Mr Chandra Sekaran, CEO, Javagreen, said, “Non-alcoholic mocktails are quite popular abroad. They are slowly catching up in India too. “Heartbeat Slush”, a fruit and liqueur-flavoured beverage, launched during Valentine festival earlier this year was well received. We are confident that this new range
will equally appeal to the Indian palate.”
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