New Delhi, April 6
The Delhi High Court has expressed its disappointment over the manner in which the Centre retracted from its commitment to allot bungalows to the judges of this court.

This was sending a wrong signal as this court had earlier referred a list of few bungalows to the high court committee for allotment, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M. K. Sharma and Mr Justice Sanjeev Khanna said.

The court has taken this attitude of the government very seriously. How can you back out after placing a list of bungalows and committing to this court? Mr Justice Sharma asked Additional Solicitor-General P. P. Malhotra during a recent hearing.

The high court’s observation came following a submission made by Mr Malhotra informing it that the Ministry of Urban Development was reconsidering over 32 bungalows to be allotted to judges. He also said the ministry would inform the court later about the specific bungalows for the judges.

Earlier, the ministry had submitted a list of bungalows before the court after it directed the Additional Secretary of the ministry to hold a meeting with Mr Malhotra and the president of High Court Bar Association, Mr A. S. Chandhiok.

The Bench had also directed them to come out with a solution to vacate those illegal occupants and make those VIP houses available for judges.

The court took suo motu cognisance over a media report about some bungalows illegally occupied by politicians and some other persons in the city.

New Delhi, April 6
Delhi Police personnel deployed at polling stations in Nithari Mubarakpur in ward number 34 lathicharged electorates for arguing with election officials for bogus polling and absence of their names in the list of electorates on re-polling day today.

The re-polling was held at 10 polling stations in four wards.

A total number of 33.68 lakh electorates had cast their franchise to elect their representatives in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

The re-polling was ordered yesterday by the Election Commissioner of Delhi, after he received reports of technical snags in Electronic Voting Machines which delayed exercise of franchise by the electorate. Political activists had also misbehaved with Returning Officers at some booths in Trans-Yamuna and Civil Lines areas. There was no report of technical snags in the EVMs today. The re-polling was held peacefully in all the wards except Nithari Mubarakpur, election officials said.

A large number of voters found their names missing from the list and some bogus polling was also reported from Nithari which made the local people violent. They argued with the election officials at the polling stations. When the security personnel found themselves helpless in controlling the mob, they called additional police force and lathi charged the mob. A number of people received injuries.

Officials said that in Pratap Vihar (ward 33) 24.47 per cent, in Nithari Mubarakpur (ward 34) 45.7 per cent, in Hastsal 22.57 per cent and in Rana Pratap Bagh 48.99 of voters exercised their franchise.

Meanwhile, Delhi Education Minister Mr Arvinder Singh Lovely, DPCC President, Mr Ram Babu Sharma and the BJP candidate from Rajouri Garden Subhash Arya received show cause notices for allegedly violating election code of conduct.

The Election Commissioner issued notice to these leaders after he spotted Mr Ram Babu Sharma on a television channel making a victory sign while casting his vote along with his supporters. Mr Arvider Singh Lovely went to vote along with his security guard and Mr Subhash Arya had a mobile phone when he entered the polling station, sources said.

Counting of votes would begin from tomorrow at 17 counting centres, including ITI Dhirpur, D.C.E. Bawana Road, Guru Nanak Dev Polytechnic, Sector 15 in Rohini, Kasturba Polytechnic for Women in Pitampura, Arya Bhatt Polytechnic in Ashok Vihar, B.T.C. Pusa, ITI Pusa, ITI Jail Road, NSIT Dwarka, Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantt, ITI Siri Fort for Women Khel Gaon Marg, Delhi Institutwe of Pharma Sciences and Research MB Road Pushp Vihar, GB Pant Polytechnic Okhla, ITI Vivek Vihar, ITI Khichripur, ITI Nand Nagari and Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya E-Block Nand Nagari.

New Delhi, April 6
Bollywood star Ajay Devgan and his unit were thrown out of the Tughlaq Road police station by irate cops after they reportedly changed the name of the police station by draping a pre-prepared plastic sheet with “Chanakyapuri” emblazoned on it for a shot for a forthcoming film.

The unit claimed it had requisite permission to shoot inside the police station. The police, however, maintained there was no mention of changing the name of the police station.

According to eyewitnesses, a crowd had collected outside the police station early yesterday as the star and his crew came to shoot a scene at the police station for the forthcoming film, “Sunday”. Someone took umbrage to the crew trying to change the name of the police station and informed senior Delhi Police officers who then swung into action.

The Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station, who was away at the time of the shoot, was ordered back and as soon as he reached the police station ordered the crew and the film star off the premises, much to the amusement of the crowd. The star was seen driving away in a black car. Ajay Devgan is playing the role of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in the film and he was supposed to be filmed while entering the police station.

Later, the SHO told reporters the crew had the permission to shoot a scene inside the police station. Nothing was said about changing the name of the police station. If they wanted Chanakyapuri they could have gone there to shoot the scene.

Faridabad, April 6
The coming up of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in parts of Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts of the state will prove the biggest ‘turn-around’ in the economy of the state.

While it has already made the prices of land in the region, mainly barren and infertile, to zoom up at fastest rate in the country, the average living standard of the area is expected to undergo a sea change in the coming years once the SEZ starts functioning, a senior government official has claimed.

“The industrial and commercial activity will throw open large avenues of income generation for lakhs of people living in and around the zone. SEZ will raise the total percentage of the area under industry to about one per cent of total available agricultural land in Haryana,” the official said.

The fortunes of farmers had already changed in this belt with many of them demanding a whopping amount ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore per acre from the company acquiring the land for the SEZ, he claimed.

The government will be acquiring about 25 per cent (6,000 acres) of the total requirement of 25,000 acres, while the rest 19,000 acres will be purchased by the SEZ developer at the market rates or as per negotiation reached between the company and the land owners.

The official said the government would buy the land on behalf of the developer to maintain continuity. The acquisition rate is one of the highest in the country and is being considered a landmark development in the history.

He said while the most fertile land in the state located in districts like Karnal, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar was available for just Rs 10 lakh per acre, it was amazing that the most infertile land where there had been no regular source of irrigation was fetching the amount of ones imagination.

He added that after the SEZ came up, the land prices would go up more sharply and a plot of 500 sq. yards in the area may be costlier than an acre in other parts of the state or the country. Claiming that the SEZ was a part of well-planned growth, the official said that it would ensure that it would not cause any pollution or adverse impact.

According to the authorities concerned, the total agricultural land in the state was about 1.09 crore acres, while the industry accounts for just 0.5 per cent of this land.

“Setting up industrial and food processing units would promote counter growth of the farm sector, besides providing employment and income generation sources for the residents,” claimed Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, Congress leader and Spokesperson of the HPCC.

Reacting to recent protest over the SEZ by some people at Gurgaon, he said this was totally ‘politically motivated’ and was an example of fake concerns. He said the move to set up the zone had spiraled the land prices to a record level and had benefitted the farmers most.

He said that 1,700 acre of land that had been made an issue by some political persons, had been acquired by the Chautala government in 2003 at a rate of just Rs 4 lakh per acre. The Hooda government, he added, had raised the compensation to Rs 24 lakh per acre, giving the farmers a major relief. He said while 1300 acre of land was meant for the SEZ, the remaining would be used by the HSIIDC for industrial development. “The government stands to get an annual revenue of over Rs 10,000 crore per year, besides the equity of 10 per cent in this unique project,” he claimed. 

Gurgaon, April 6
The president of Haryana Congress, Dr Ram Prakash, today defended his party government in the state on SEZ issue saying that it had not acquired even an inch from farmers.

Rather, he stated that the 1,700 acres about which the political opponents are making a hue and cry was acquired by the preceding INLD government headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

With regard to the threat by Mr Kuldip Bishnoi, MP, who has been suspended from the party, of going to any extent in preventing setting up of SEZ on farmers land, Dr Ram Prakash dismissed it as an insignificant development.

With regard to development projects in Haryana, he said that all the non-Congress governments in Haryana had ignored the interest of the people. The present government was far ahead of others in its efforts to provide pro-people policies.

On the shortage of power, he said that the earlier governments are to be blamed for not setting up additional power generation units. This government has already started work on this front and the results will start showing from coming September-October, he added.

Referring to the large-scale increase in budgetary allocations for the current financial year, he said that it was testimony to the present governments to pump in as much money for overall development of Haryana.

New Delhi, April 6
Renowned yoga exponent Swami Ramdev today said people in India were finally waking up to the menace of soft drinks which were “taking their last breath” in the country.

People in the country, including the youth are at last waking up to the threat posed to one’s health by these drinks. However, it is sad that ads continue to spread myths and untruths among the public, especially the youth, the yoga guru said in a press meet in the Capital on the first anniversary of his Patanjali Yogapeeth.

On this occasion, Swami Ramdev announced that he would hold a yoga science camp in the Capital next week where thousands of people wanting to rid themselves of diseases through the practice of yoga would be able to take part.

The six-day camp, being organised by the P P Charitable Trust, will be held at Japanese Park in Rohini from April 10.

“It is my desire to hold such camps in all parts of the country to realise my vision of a ‘disease-free’ India. It is towards the realisation of this goal that I started the Patanjali Yogapeeth in India,” the yoga exponent said.

Prominent among those likely to participate in the camp is Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. The camp will have special sessions for judges, children and jail inmates.

It is notable that Swami Ramdev is the Vice-Chancellor of the Patanjali Yogapeeth, which has now been recognised as the biggest university in the world propounding the use of Vedic science of yoga and Ayurveda as a cure for chronic diseases.

To spread the use of yoga in the country, one lakh yoga trainers are being prepared in the country which roughly translated into 250 yoga trainers per district.

Noida, April 6
The work of photography of voters in connection with the preparation of the identity cards was suddenly stopped on Thursday, causing confusion and inconvenience to the people who had come to election office in Sector 19 Noida from different parts of the district.

The people became so enraged that the authorities had to call the police to restore peace. It may be added that the district administration had earlier stopped this work in various offices, saying that only in Sector 19 Noida and in the Collectorate at Surajpur, the photography work would continue.

The Addl District Magistrate said the work had been stopped as it was feared that some unscrupulous people were getting fake cards made. Another version was that the work had been stopped on the instructions of the Election Commission.

Voters with defective cards could also cast their votes with those cards, they were told. Now there was no possibility of correcting the defective cards. The voters whose cards could not be made have been told that they could exercise their franchise with the help of ration card, driving licence, passport, pan cards, identity cards issued by the government offices or even the private companies, the Addl DM said.

New Delhi, April 6
A man charged with raping his friend’s wife was acquitted by a city court after the woman denied her own allegation.

Considering the testimony of the 36-year-old complainant denying the offence, an Additional Sessions Judge said she has categorically stated in her statement that Rajesh did not commit rape on her.

The complainant, who was declared hostile during the trial, had stated that she, after being deserted by her husband, developed an intimate relation with the accused and later gave birth to his child.

She further submitted that though she was not married to him, she was on good terms with him as he used to provide her money for sustenance.

The court also lent credence to the medical evidence which suggested that no such offence was committed. The judge absolved Rajesh Anand, a resident of Vishwas Nagar in east Delhi, of charges under section 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

According to the prosecution, the woman had on March 10, 2004 lodged an FIR at Vivek Vihar police station alleging that Anand, who came to her house for repairing a television, sexually assaulted her after threatening to kill her son.

However, during the trial she retracted her allegation. — PTI

Noida, April 6
A domestic help engaged a few days ago from Janta Park in Khora Colony has stolen diamond and gold jewellery, cell phones and other valuables from the house of Mrs Anu Sahariya, a Deputy Director in Defence ministry.

Mrs Sahariya, who lives with her husband Mr Vivek Sahariya, in house No F-74, Sector 56 Noida, had employed a maid, Batti a few days ago to look after her ailing mother-in-law.

While the couple were in their offices and the mother-in-law had fallen asleep, maid Batti decamped with diamond and gold jewellery and cell phones kept in the house.

When the couple came back home in the evening, they were shocked to find that a theft had taken place in the house. They informed the police in Sector 20 police station who came and inspected the house. The police were able to nab Batti and her husband from Khora Colony with the entire looted valuables within a few hours.

Noida, April 6
Thieves broke into a Ram Vihar Apartments flat in Sector 30 and decamped with Rs 3 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh.

Surprisingly, the theft took place in a high-security area. Ram Vihar
is situated just opposite the infamous Nithari
village which normally has sufficient police
presence apart from the sector security staff at the gate.

Somya Ghosh and his wife Nishma Ghosh live in flat No C-511 on the 5th floor of Ram Vihar. When they reached home late last night from their office, they were shocked to see the house burgled. The Ghoshs, who are software engineers, immediately informed the security guards and the police. Police from the Sector 20 police station promptly came and inspected the flat.

According to police, the thieves had decamped with Rs 3 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh.

Police are investigating the matter. Security staff is being interrogated and the register kept at the entrance of the Ram Vihar Apartments is also being examined.

New Delhi, April 6
Noting that a statement made before a magistrate under section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code cannot be solely relied upon for conviction, a Delhi court has acquitted a man accused of raping a minor girl over three years ago.

The statement under section 164, which is usually not recorded on oath and is not tested by cross-examination, is very unsafe to be relied upon for recording conviction, the an Additional Sessions Judge said.

The court, in a recent order, exonerated Kumar of rape charges after finding that the victim had not appeared before it despite being given several opportunities.

The ASJ rejected a prosecution contention that the victim, in her statement before a magistrate, had specifically raised rape allegation against Kumar, a resident of Sonipat.

”The statement of a victim recorded under section 164 is not a substantive piece of evidence. The purpose of this particular section is only to reinforce and support the investigating agency,” the judge said.

The court also concluded from the testimony of victim’s parents that she was a major on the date of incident.

”The possibility of her having eloped with the accused with her free will cannot be ruled out. This becomes all the more likely as she had not appeared for recording evidence,” the court said.

On September 20, 2003, the accused was arrested with the victim after one Naresh Kumar, a resident of Rohini had alleged kidnapping of his daughter in his complaint with Rohini police station here 13 days before.

The girl, who had alleged rape in her statement before a magistrate, could not appear in the court to substantiate it.

Gurgaon, April 6
The Haryana Vigilance Bureau today nabbed a woman teacher of local government middle school for allegedly charging money to provide a transfer certificate to student.

The father of the student informed the Vigilance Bureau about the teacher firm on charging Rs 6,00 for providing the certificate.

The Bureau caught the teacher while she was accepting the money.

New Delhi, April 6
The Delhi High Court has sought a detailed report from the city government and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) mentioning the number of stations having public toilets on a PIL that sought direction to the government to provide basic amenities in metro stations here.

A division bench of Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna also asked the petitioner to personally visit the stations and file a separate report by July 18.

The bench directed the government to provide an officer to accompany the petitioner during his visit.

DMRC’s counsel told the court that out of 58 Metro stations, 48 have separate toilets for men and women. Ten stations lack toilets due to some repairs being undertaken or because construction of toilets was yet to be complete.

To this submission, the court was not convinced and asked the petitioner to visit the stations and file a separate report.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by one Mahender Ahuja through his counsel Amar Khera that alleged that Metro stations lacked basic facilities.

Right to health and medical assistance is the fundamental right of the citizen as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, the petitioner said in his petition. — PTI

New Delhi, April 6
A peaceful candlelight march under the banner of the National Public Health Alliance (NPHA) will be organised from Mandi House (Sahitya Akademi) to Parliament House tomorrow.

Hundreds of nursing, paramedical and other health employees from various hospitals and health institutions will take part in the procession. —TNS

Former Delhi Lt-Governor and retired senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Mr Markandey Singh, died here today after a brief illness, family sources said.

Markandey Singh, 81, is survived by his son, Mr Harshvardhan Singh, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, and a daughter.

He was admitted
to AIIMS where he breathed his last this afternoon. — TNS