Chandigarh, April 9
Effectively intervening to protect the interests of a Gurgaon-based family, whose agricultural land worth over Rs 500 crore was being allegedly usurped by land sharks, Justice Surya Kant of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has constituted a special investigating team (SIT) headed by the Inspector-General (Crime Branch) to investigate the matter.

The court has also taken strong note of the fact that majority of members of the family whose land was being fraudulently taken over by the alleged mafia are deaf and dumb since birth. In its attempt to take over the land, the criminals, who were masquerading as property dealers, had even kidnapped members of this family.

The name of independent MLA from Ateli Naresh Yadav also figures in the court order.

In his hard-hitting order, Justice Surya Kant has also said: “This court hopes and trust that notwithstanding the pulls and pressures, K.K. Sindhu, IGP (Crime Branch), Haryana, will ensure that a fair, impartial and dispassionate investigation is promptly carried out.”

Not only this, the judge has also given liberty to the SIT to subject all accused to custodial interrogation. “The SIT shall not show even the slightest reluctance in arresting the MLA or his associates also in this regard,” Justice Surya Kant has ordered.

The entire drama began when Sita Devi, whose husband is joint owner of the 60-65 acres of prime land in village Narungpur, which is now part of the National Capital Region (NCR), lodged a complaint with the Manesar police on February 15. In her complaint, she alleged that some members of the family, including her husband, were kidnapped by land grabbers, who forced them to sell their land worth hundreds of crores for peanuts. The per-acre market value of land in the area is over Rs 6-7 crore these days.

Not only this, the accused even forced the physically-challenged members of the family to withdraw from banks crores of rupees received by them as advance against sale consideration.

The matter came up before Justice Surya Kant after some accused moved the court for grant of anticipatory bail. During hearing, the court also interacted with the family members.

Observing that the quest to unearth the truth and to ensure that the investigation reaches its logical conclusion prompted it to widen the scope of the proceedings, the Bench also noted with concern that the condition of the family was “pitiable”. “It is unbelievable that a few months back, they were rolling in money. Where has all the money gone,” Justice Surya Kant has written in his order.

Noting that no effort had been made by the police to find the whereabouts of the money or arrest those involved in the scam, the Judge, while dismissing the anticipatory bail pleas, has ordered that the investigation be handed over to the SIT.

The court has also restrained the lower courts at Gurgaon and Rewari from granting anticipatory bails to any accused. Justice Surya Kant also directed the Gurgaon deputy commissioner, to ensure that no further sale, mortgage, gift, transfer deed, etc, of the land takes place. The court has also directed the police to provide complete security to the family members of complainant Sita Devi. The case will now come up for further hearing on April 27.

Rewari, April 9
ASI Jagdish Prasad and head constable Shri Bhagwan, were reportedly thrashed by some villagers at Gokalpur yesterday. Their motor cycle too was damaged by the irate villagers.

The cops had gone to the village after after getting telephonic information that there was apprehension of breach of peace in the village.

The police, which registered a case of rioting, assault, causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from duty and causing damage to their property under Sections 148, 149, 353, 332, 186, 427, 323 of the IPC against 20 members of the faction headed by Pearey Lal, has arrested two of the accused, Inderpal Singh and Vijay Singh.

Late in the evening the two rival factions, one headed by Pearey Lal and the other headed by Deepa, clashed in which around 10 persons were injured.

It is reported that the dispute was over some property.

Ambala, April 9
Residents of Thakarpura locked the government high school in the village in protest against poor results this morning. The village falls in the Mullana area, which is represented by Haryana education minister Phool Chand Mullana.

The villagers were upset over the poor results of the school in Class X examination. Of 45 students in Class X of the school, six have passed the examination.

Phool Chand Mullana said the matter would be looked into. Meanwhile, district education officer Zile Singh, along with other officials, reached the school. The villagers alleged that the students were being forced to take tuitions. They demanded that the school staff immediately be changed.

Zile Singh placed a school teacher and an employee under suspension. On assurance by Zile Singh, the school gates were opened. — TNS

Bahal (Bhiwani), April 9
BRCM CET, Bahal, celebrated its third convocation with a grandeur today.

Dr.R.S Dhankar, vice-chancellor, MDU, Rohtak, awarded degrees to 362 students today.The students, who passed out in 2005 and 2006, were conferred the degrees.

Dr D.C Ray, principal, Heritage College of Engineering and Management, was present as the guest of honour, while Prof B.B Paira, director of the college, presided over the ceremony.

Nine meritorious students were awarded gold and silver medals.

In his address,chief guest R.S. Dhankar stressed on the need to build quality institutes so as to impart better education to students.

Ceremony was also attended by several dignitaries of the state.

Panipat, April 9
Unhappy over the award announced for their land, which is to be acquired for a petrochemical hub of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), farmers of Badlana village today walked out of the meeting with the revenue officials at PWD rest house here.

According to sources, 66 acres of land has been identified for acquisition in the village for setting up of the petrochemical hub. It primarily includes agriculture land besides some houses, two 'deras' and a gurdwara. Sources said about 30 acres of this total land belongs to the village panchayat. District revenue officer (DRO) Jaidev today announced the award for land at the rate of Rs 19.15 lakh per acre in the presence of a group of farmers led by village sarpanch Narinder Rana.

However, the farmers expressed their discontent and said they should be given a price of Rs 35 lakh per acre as "announced by the state government". They claimed that the market price of their land was Rs 50 lakh per acre. They also demanded a time period of six months for handing over their land to the IOC.

The DRO claimed that the farmers walked out "under pressure from a couple of families", who wanted to delay the things. He said the IOC had been waiting for long for the acquisition. He termed their demand for extension as a "ploy to cultivate another crop".

"We've already given them enough time as we were waiting for total assessment to be made," he added. The official said he had clearly told them that the process could not stop now and they were free to move the court on the award.

Rohtak, April 9
The Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers Association (MDUTA) has raised objection to a recent move of the MDU authorities to change the university statutes in an undemocratic and arbitrary manner. At a recent meeting of the MDU Executive Council, the university statutes governing the composition of the council were changed.

"Through this amendment, the MDU authorities have tried to reduce the elected representation of the teachers in the Executive Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the university," said MDUTA president Rajinder Chaudhary while talking to The Tribune here today.

Dr Chaudhary disclosed that the association had written to the MDU chancellor and Haryana Governor A.R.Kidwai to not give his statutory assent to the amendment aimed at reducing the elected representation of teachers in the council.

"Even the way in which this significant matter was presented at the council meeting as a last-minute table item is highly objectionable," the MDUTA chief said, adding that there was no urgency to do so.

He alleged that the university authorities had not kept the issue on the meeting agenda in order to avoid any planned and substantial protest by the members.

"What makes the matter even more serious is the fact that the objection and note of dissent of the teacher representatives were not even recorded," Dr Chaudhary said, adding that the whole episode showed that the university authorities were acting in an undemocratic and autocratic manner.

He revealed that since 1995, there were three elected members of the council from among the university campus teachers. These included one from University College. In the recent meeting, the clause regarding the election of this member has been dropped. "The teachers will oppose any move to reduce the strength of elected council members," he added.

Sirsa, April 9
More than 200 students, most of them pursuing M.Phil from the centre for district learning of Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU) here, have been left helpless and forced to discontinue their studies following the decision of Kurukshetra University not to allow their teachers to provide their services to these students.

Students of postgraduate courses have received a letter from centre for district learning (CDLU) informing them about cancellation of their admissions to respective courses. The centre has started refunding their fees as the guide of Kurukshetra University had refused to render their services to them.

A large number aggrieved students kept on enquiring about the matter from the officials throughout the day.

Well-placed sources said the teachers expressed their inability to become guide of the students after the Deputy Registrar (Estt.) of Kurukshetra University issued letters to all the chairpersons and directors of the university teaching departments, institutes, director, Directorate of Distance Education, principals of university, preventing the teachers from providing the services to the students of other universities.

The letter of deputy registrar states “Our teachers should not take up the work of supervision of M.Phil dissertation of students of other universities and also not to conduct or take up teaching work related to the personal contact programme of M.Phil students of other universities.”

In a letter, the deputy registrar (Estt.) has cited clause 5(i) of agreement of service for university teachers which provides that the university teachers cannot take up the work other than the examination work of other universities.

Deputy registrar added: “Since our university has started the M.Phil in the many subjects, it is mandatory for our teachers to supervise our own students first, without any reason or reservation”.

When contacted, the Director of the centre for district learning of (CDLU), Prof R.K Singh, confirmed said that after getting the letters from teachers of Kurukshetra University expressing their unwillingness to take up the work of supervision of M.Phil dissertation and teaching work of the personal contact programme of CDLU, they have issued a letters to affected students.

Fatehabad, April 9
Rattia, Tohana and Fatehabad blocks of this district, which have been contributing to the paddy production of the state, have now been facing severe depletion of sub-soil water resources.

Recent surveys by the hydrologists of the state agriculture department have shown that water table in this part of the state has gone down to 150-160 feet.

Any further unreasonable draining of sub-soil waters can turn the area into dark zone like certain areas of Mohindergarh and Rewari district, the agriculture experts say.

To avoid further depletion of water resources in the area, the authorities have launched a drive to dissuade farmers from sowing 'sathee' variety of paddy.

The authorities came across a major success in their drive today, when a team of administrative and agriculture officers led by SDM Rattia Yogesh Mehta succeeded in persuading a large number of farmers to uproot their nurseries of 'sathee' plantation at Ghaswa, Lamba and some other villages.

'Sathee' is a summer variety of paddy and needs much more water to grow than normal varieties of paddy and as 'sahtee' is planted in the months of April-May, much of the irrigation water is lost in evaporation.

‘Saathi’ has no takers for its own nutritious or taste qualities. But due to its shape being identical to basmati rice, it is used as a duplicate for this variety of rice.

The ‘saathi’ crop not only put pressure on the sub-soil water resources but it also drains power during the electricity scarce months.

Sonepat, April 9
The police claims to have solved the murder of Hari Om of Rathdhana village on March 31 by arresting four persons, including the victim’s wife Anita. She had allegedly conspired with her brother-in-law (sister’s husband) Ramesh of Baiyanpur to eliminate her husband and allegedly gave a "supari" of Rs 5 lakh to other alleged accused identified as Sanjay and Satish of New Basti and Bandepur and Krishan of Pabsera. The four were arrested yesterday. Ramesh is absconding.

According to the police, it was found during investigation that Anita and Hari Om were having strained relations. Anita confessed that she conspired with Ramesh to eliminate her husband.

Ramesh reportedly contacted the alleged accused and gave Rs 15,000 as advance amount.

The accused were produced in the court today and were remanded in police custody. — OC

Kaithal, April 9
The CIA branch of the district police conducted raid on a house here last night and arrested a cricket bookie betting on the one-day international cricket match being played between England and Australia yesterday.

The police has also seized four mobile phones, a coloured TV, a booking diary and some cash.

The SSP Navdeep Singh Virk told mediapersons here today that CIA Sub- Inspector Balbir Singh during patrol last night got information that Sachin, a resident of local Vivek Nagar, had been betting on his mobile on behalf of others on the match.

Police party obtained search warrant of the house of Sachin, son of Raghbir Chand.

The police sent a constable in mufti with a signed Rs 500 note to the house as a bogus customer for betting on the match.

As the bookie accepted the offer and received cash from the constable, he signalled the police party which entered the house and seized a number of items used in betting.

The raiding party also seized Rs 500 signed note a diary and Rs 2500 in cash from the accused .

In diary accused had noted the betting transactions worth lacs of rupees payment for which was to be made today.

Elsewhere, the police has arrested five accused in connection with six cases of thefts and recovered two motorcycles and Rs 72,000 in cash.

Out of those arrested, four have been sent in judicial custody while police had taken remand of one of the accused.

Siwan police seized 100 bottles of illicit liquor from Mohinder Singh and 80 bottles from Gurdev Singh, both residents of Kakheri.

Yamunanagar, April 9
Traffic on the Ambala - Saharapur route remained affected for several hours today after two wheels of a goods train derailed on the UP track at around 7.55 am near Jagadhri railway station.

More than 20 trains got delayed as all the trains were diverted on down track between the Jagadhari - Kalanour stations. Traffic was affected on April 4 also when a wheel of a passenger train had derailed.

All passenger trains on both up and down tracks were delayed and no time of their arrival was announced. Senior officials, including ADRM R.K Saksena, reached the spot and carried out investigations.

As per sources in the railway department, an axis of the goods train bound to Jammu broke near Pansara railway crossing but the train kept running for about two kilometres.

When the train slowed down on a bridge over Western Yamuna Canal here, a wheel came off the tracks and the train stopped, thus affecting traffic.

Chandigarh, April 9
The Haryana excise and taxation department today completed another stage of the excise policy for this financial year when it allotted licences (L-13) for the wholesale distribution of country liquor through draw of lots.

The draw of lots was held to ensure transparency in the allotment as per the wishes of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has directed the department to ensure that there is no controversy at any stage in the implementation of the excise policy, which has brought rich dividends to the state, besides ending the monopoly in the state's liquor trade.

About 1,000 applications were received for L-13 licences. However, after scrutiny 771 applications were found in order. The draw was held for 119 licences. The successful applicants would be the sole wholesale distributors in their respective districts for six distilleries in the state. There was no applicant for the distributorship of the Panipat distillery in the cooperative sector for Mewat district.

Associated Distillery, owned by the son-in-law of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, had also applied for L-13 licences for several districts. It was successful in various districts.

The applications were first scrutinised by a three-member committee in each district. These were again scrutinised by a five-member committee headed by additional excise and taxation commissioner (AETC) R.C. Mittal. The draw was also held under this committee's supervision. The other members of the committee were D.P. Sirohi and K.S. Malik, both AETCs; joint director(legal) M.K. Dutta; and chief accounts officer S.D. Gautam.

Certain applicants complained that their applications were wrongly rejected. They were told by the committee members to give their grievances in writing to excise and taxation commissioner H.S. Rana. They also made it clear that today only draw of lots was being held to selected successful applicants. The licences would be issued later to them. If anyone had a genuine grievance, the department would redress it before issuing the licences.

Sources in the department say over 400 liquor vends still remain unallotted as no applications had been received for them. The department is in a quandary how to allot them because if they remain unallotted, the state would suffer a loss of about Rs 120 crore.

Chandigarh, April 9
Haryana has proclaimed a regulation to check the spread of epidemic diseases during the coming summer season.

Fearing an outbreak of diseases like malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis, the government has announced measures that will be enforced to prevent and check the spread of these diseases.

Stating this, a spokesperson of the health department said this regulation, under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, would be known as the Haryana Epidemic Diseases, Malaria, Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, Regulation, 2007.

It would come into effect with immediate effect and remain in force up to March 31, 2008. This regulation would be enforced in areas where the ordinary provisions of law are felt to be inadequate.

In another significant decision the state has decided to spend Rs 379 crore to improve the quality of drinking water in 1,414 villages and 26 towns of the state. This step will further help prevent water-borne diseases.

Officials of the Haryana water supply and sanitation department said the water augmentation scheme would benefit many Scheduled Castes families.

To overcome the acute shortage of water in the Mewat region, the Rajiv Gandhi Potable Water Augmentation Scheme had been implemented in 503 villages at a cost of Rs 206 crore. Under this scheme , 235 tubewells had been sunk and 117 tubewells and six boosting stations had also been started, the official said.

Also, under the Indira Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme, the water connection fee of Rs 500 in the rural areas and Rs 1,000 in the urban areas for the Scheduled Castes had been waived for one year.

Kurukshetra, April 9
The government purchase agencies are busy buying wheat on support price as 13,480 tonnes of wheat has arrived in all 21 grain markets and government purchase centres in the district.

Deputy commissioner T.K. Sharma said the Haryana Food and Civil Supplies Department had purchased 3,590 tonnes of wheat, while Hafed, Confed, Agro and the FCI had purchased 3,782 tonnes, 1,510 tonnes, 1,470 tonnes and 789 tonnes of wheat so far, respectively.

Besides, 62 tonnes of wheat had been purchased by Haryana Bhandar Nigam, Sharma added.

Sharma, in an order issued here, asked senior administrative officers to check the implementation regularly and give directions to market committees and purchasing agencies.

These officers would manage provisions like electricity, drinking water and sanitation to ensure the smooth arrival of wheat at the grain markets and purchasing centres.

According to the orders, the sub-divisional magistrate, Kurukshetra, would supervise these arrangements at the local grain market, while the city magistrate, Kurukshetra, would look after the Pipli grain market. Similarly, the managing director, Shahabad sugar mills, would take care of the Shahabad grain market and the sub-divisional magistrate, Pehowa, would supervise both grain markets of Pehowa and Ismailabad.

Yamunanagar, April 9
In the wake of the frequent incidents of fire in hutments of stone crusher zone located about 50 km from here in which thousands of migrant labourers live along with their children, the district administration has ordered the owners of the stone crushers to construct pucca houses for labourers instead of hutments in future.

The deputy commissioner Nitin Yadav said a meeting of the stone crusher owners, landlords and other related people would be called soon to discuss the steps required to be taken to save labourers from incident of fires.

More than 10,000 labourer families live in the land used by stone crushing units located in Chhachhrouli block.

Stone crushers association claims that they have already built permanent tin-shed shelters for labourers who work on stone crushers. The victims of fires were not working for stone crushers, but engaged in digging in quarries and adjoining fields.

"The labourers whose hutments get destroyed in fires were not working for stone crushers. They were engaged in digging work in fields", said Davinder, working president of the association. According to him there is no logic why they should construct houses for those labourers.

The summer season has just started and more than five major fires had already taken place in which hundreds of hutments were burnt and at least three lives were lost.

The district red cross society has also come to the help of a migrant family who was to marry off their daughter but the fire yesterday destroyed all the family belongings.

The society has announced to help the family in the marriage. The society also distributed money among the fire victims.