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Justice served, says Relu Ram’s brother
Bishnoi for law to stop SEZs on prime farmland
Court order brings relief to top officers
High Court |
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Fracas at Railway station delays train
Damages to rain-hit farmers soon
Be united for rally, Cong men told
Rainwater floods wheat fields
Man held for raping minor
Glass firm gets accreditation
Jaggi takes over as new DRM
Woman, son booked for murder
Air Force officer found dead
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Justice served, says Relu Ram’s brother
Hisar, February 15 "We had full faith in the God as well as judiciary, and finally, justice has been done," remarked Mr Ram Singh Punia, a brother of former Barwala MLA Relu Ram Punia. Mr Punia and his family members celebrated what they called the "triumph of justice" by distributing laddoos. Expressing wholehearted satisfaction over the apex court's verdict, Mr Punia and his nephews Veerbhan and Leela Ram maintained that the couple who brutally murdered Sonia's eight family members, including a suckling infant, deserved the capital punishment. Leading lawyer P.K.Sandhir, who had argued against the accused in the local District and Sessions Court, asserted that with this decision, the Supreme Court had established that ultimately, the rule of law prevails in the country. "This was a fit case for death penalty, as eight family members belonging to three generations had been mercilessly killed for the sake of property," observed Mr Sandhir. According to the case history, Sonia and her husband Sanjeev had murdered Sonia's parents Relu Ram Punia and Krishna, their other daughter Pammi, son Sunil, daughter-in-law Shakuntala and grandchildren Lokesh, Preeti and Shivani on the night of August 23 and 24, 2001. On May 31, 2004, the local District and Sessions Court awarded death penalty to Sonia and Sanjeev. However, they moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which converted the death penalty into life term in April, 2005. The family members of Relu Ram Punia moved the Supreme Court against the decision, which again awarded the death penalty to both accused. |
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Bishnoi for law to stop SEZs on prime farmland
Chandigarh, February 15 He said such a law would be in the interest of the farming community and at the same time shift SEZs and other industrial activities to the backward areas of Haryana where investment by private developers would help create the much- needed infrastructure. Mr Bishnoi, who was reacting to Mr Hooda’s interview published in these columns on Wednesday, said the Chief Minister should not compare India with China. While India was a democratic country where all sections of the populace, including farmers, enjoyed certain rights, it was a very different story in China, Mr Bishnoi said in a written statement. Questioning the Chief Minister on the jobs that were supposed to be generated by SEZs, Mr Bishnoi said young persons from Haryana were unlikely to fulfil the requirement of skilled hands needed by industrial units located in the SEZs. He urged the Chief Minister to set up vocational and technical training institutes in various areas of the state to train youth for working in the industries set up in the SEZs. Even though the state government already had a policy in place for rehabilitating villagers displaced due to the advent of industry, Mr Bishnoi said “a comprehensive R & R (relief and rehabilitation) policy” must be formulated before signing any memorandum of understanding regarding the setting up of a joint venture SEZ. The SEZs, according to Mr Bishnoi, were a tool to rob farmers of their land. Since Haryana was landlocked and the SEZs in Haryana would not have access to any port, the zones were not going to be a feasible idea to industrialise Haryana, Mr Bishnoi said. Mr Bishnoi also invited Mr Hooda to a public debate on the SEZ issue.
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Court order brings relief to top officers
Sirsa, February 15 Late leader Devi Lal had called for a Haryana bandh on June 23, 1995, as part of which a "rasta
roko" agitation was launched by his party, the Samajwadi Janata Party. During the agitation, a firing incident took place at the bus stand of Bhavdin village located on the Hisar-Sirsa national highway. A case in this connection was registered against Devi Lal's grandson Abhey Chautala. Following this, the Sirsa (rural) president of the Samjwadi Janata Party, Mr Rameshwar Dass, lodged a counter complaint at the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sirsa. Mr Abhey Chautala was made a witness in this regard. The then DIG (Hisar range), Mr Lachhman Dass, then Sirsa Deputy Commissioner
R.R. Jowell, then SP Sudhir Chaudhary, then SDM P.S. Bishnoi, Tehsildar Bhagwan Dass, DSPs Sajjan Singh and
R.N. Sharma and other officials were named in the complaint. The complainant alleged that the police personnel present there had fired at peacefully protesting demonstrators, torched vehicles and a false case had been registered against Mr Abhey. After Mr Om Prakash Chautala became the Chief Minister, the case against his son Abhey was withdrawn in 2000. However, the counter case continued and Abhey's statement was recorded. In 2002, the officers named in the case were summoned as accused by the court. However, the counsel for the accused filed a revision petition in the Sessions Court, Sirsa. He stated in his petition that the aforesaid officials were only implementing the high court's specific directions given to the state government to ensure smooth movement of residents. The case went on for several years, keeping the senior officials of the state government on their tenterhooks. Finally, giving the long-awaited relief to the officials, the court of Additional Sessions Judge, Sirsa, Mr
V.P. Bishnoi, today quashed the summoning order. |
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Wronged, British national seeks
justice Maneesh Chhibber High Court Correspondent Chandigarh, February 15 Mrs Cristina Siwek, who currently works for an Italian company, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking handing over the probe in the case to an independent agency such as the CBI. In her petition, Mrs Siwak has alleged that her company — Conceria Priante Spa, Italy, had placed a large order with Gurgaon-based Kabir Leathers. In this connection, samples, catalogues, photographs etc, of the products for which the order had been given, were also given to Kabir Leathers. She has alleged that when, despite having received huge amount in advance, the respondent company did not fulfil the order, she arrived in India to personally sort things out and to make enquiries. On February 7, she visited the factory of Kabir Leathers and found that the job had not been completed. Failing to get a proper response from the staff present in the company, she asked them to return the samples, catalogues, etc. The staff, allegedly acting at the behest of the company owners, refused to allow her to leave and even locked the gate. Panicked, Mrs Siwak immediately rang up the British High Commission, the Italian Embassy as well as the owner of another company, with which her company does business. Finally, when a police party arrived, she was allowed to go, after which she filed a complaint against the persons responsible for her misery. However, despite the complaint, the Gurgaon Police took no action against the erring persons. So much so, that even her complaint was not accepted by the police, which kept on asking her not to press any charges. Finally, after a long delay, the FIR was registered at Police Station, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon. The next date, the petitioner has alleged, the investigation officer, Mr Ramesh Kumar, again approached her and asked her to withdraw her complaint. But, the petitioner refused. The next day, on February 9, the owner of Kabir Leathers allegedly made a threatening phone call to Mrs Siwak to be ready for the consequences. The same evening, the investigating officer again asked the petitioner to withdraw her complaint. Mrs Siwak has stated that not only have the police not acted against the accused, they have been even telling her to withdraw her complaint if she did not want any serious harm. Raising serious questions over the functioning of the Haryana Police as well as the pro-business climate, as is repeatedly claimed by the present Chief Minister and his government, Mrs Siwak has stated that the case has shocked her and she wants justice to be done. Today, taking up the petition, Mr Justice Ranjit Singh asked the counsel for state to inform the court at what stage the investigations are. He later adjourned the matter to February 20. Speaking to The Tribune, Mrs Siwak said the incident had left her deeply disturbed but she had faith in the Indian judicial system.
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Fracas at Railway station delays train
Ambala, February 15 A contingent of RPF jawans was travelling in Howrah Mail (No. 3050). The jawans had boarded the train from Ludhiana and were on way to Delhi from where they were to go to Uttarakhand for poll duty. When the Howrah Mail arrived at Ambala Cantt railway station, a contingent of West Bengal Police was waiting to board the train to go to Howrah in West Bengal. The contingent from West Bengal was taken aback when they realised that coaches reserved for them were already occupied. The West Bengal Police jawans approached the local RPF personnel and demanded that their reserved coaches should be vacated. The local RPF personnel asked the RPF contingent on way to Uttarakhand to disembark from the train. This led to an altercation between the RPF jawans. In the ensuing melee, the RPF contingent going on poll duty alleged that two of their jawans were roughed up allegedly by the local RPF personnel. The train too was delayed by about one and a half hours due to the fracas at the station. The RPF Commandant, Ambala, Mr S.Z Khan, rushed to the Ambala Cantt railway station on learning about the incident and prevented further chaos. SI Anil Kumar of the Ambala Cantt RPF post stated that the RPF contingents have left for their destinations. "The incident is a departmental matter," he said.
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Damages to rain-hit farmers soon
Ambala, February 15 This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr R.P. Bhardwaj. He said as per the directions of the government, special girdawari had been ordered to asses the actual loss due to excessive rain to the standing crops and the damage report would be sent to the government so that the compensation could be given to the affected farmers. While presiding over a meeting of officers, he said since the rain started, Ambala had received 119 mm and for Naraingarh it was 237 mm. He said except a few villages, the rainfall was beneficial for the standing crops. He added that the local officers had been directed to get the standing water drained so that loss to the crops might be minimized. Mr Bhardwaj revealed that the case for compensation to Naresh Kumar of Siamaru village, who died of lightening, would be sent to the government shortly. No other case of human loss had been reported from the district.
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Be united for rally, Cong men told
Rohtak, February 15 Talking to newspersons here last night, he said since Congress president Sonia Gandhi was scheduled to address the rally, it was the duty of all Congress supporters to ensure its success, leaving behind all their differences. Apparently referring to party MP Kuldeep Bishnoi’s remarks that since the Hooda government had no achievements to its credit, there was no point in holding the rally, he said the government had done well and any opposition to the rally was improper. He said the government had so far not acquired any land for SEZ anywhere. He said there were no plans for acquiring land for industrial conglomerates. The government was only supposed to assist industrial houses in setting up SEZs. The minister said a group of four Union Ministers was studying the whole issue and the government would frame its policy in accordance with the decision taken by the Centre on this panel’s report. He said the government had set up a community college in Manesar in Gurgaon on an experimental basis. This college had the facility for training youths in hundreds of trades. |
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Rainwater floods wheat fields
Karnal, February 15 According to an official estimate, standing crops in about 1 lakh acres of land is inundated due to the recent showers that lashed the district. Confirming this to The Tribune here today, the DC, Mr Balbir Singh Malik, said the local administration had asked for pumps and other help from the neighbouring districts for dewatering the vast area. He said the farmers had blocked drainages in numerous parts of the district. He added that about 1 lakh acres was flooded and wheat crop in about 20,000 acres was damaged. Vegetable crops were also severely hit due to the unseasonal rain and hailstorm.
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Man held for raping minor
Rewari, February 15 The girl’s father lodged a complaint with the Khol police, which registered a case under Sections 376,342 of the IPC against Vikas Sharma. Later, the police arrested him. In another incident that also took place at Buroli village, Jogender Singh, a villager, barged into a house and allegedly tried to outrage the modesty of a teenaged girl (16) who was alone in the house. However, when the girl raised an alarm, the accused fled away. Subsequently, her father lodged a complaint with the Khol police. |
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Glass firm gets accreditation
Ambala, February 15 Mr Kamaljeet Jain of Jain Scientific Glass Works said that NABL accreditation meant that calibration capabilities of their laboratory was in line with ISO/IEC 17025:2005. "Our's is the first company in India manufacturing glassware having calibration laboratory with NABL accreditation," he said. |
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Jaggi takes over as new DRM
Ambala, February 15 His earlier stint at Ambala was as the Divisional Superintending Engineer, Coordination, from 1993 to 1996. Before joining as the Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala, he was working as the Chief Track Engineer, Northern Railway, HQ office, New Delhi, a press note issued here said. |
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Woman, son booked for murder
Rohtak, February 15 According to reports, Deepti, hailing from Sultanpur Majra village in Delhi, was married to Naresh in February, 2005. Her parents alleged that Deepti's husband and mother-in-law had been harassing her for dowry since marriage. A complaint was lodged with the police against the husband and mother-in-law.
— UNI |
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Air Force officer found dead
Ambala, February 15 Warrant Officer N Gupta was transferred to
Ambala Air Force Station recently. He was staying alone. The incident came to light when a colleague of Warrant Officer went to his residence this morning. Air Force officials and police personnel reached the spot. The body was sent for postmortem. |
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The Supreme Court's decision to award death penalty to Sonia and Sanjeev in the infamous Relu Ram Punia and family murder case triggered a series of celebrations in Prabhuwala village as well as the local courts complex today.
