New Delhi, April 17
The BJP councillor, Ms Aarti Mehra, who was elected from Hauz Khas segment in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, today filed her nomination for the post of Mayor of Delhi, while Mr Sawinder Jeet Singh Bajwa of BJP filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Mayor.

Today was the last day for submission of nomination papers for the coveted posts. No other nomination has been filed for these mentioned posts, so their election to these posts will be unanimous.

The Leader of the House, Mr Subhash Arya, was also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Vijender Gupta (BJP), Ajit Singh (Congress), Ms Sarita Chaudhary (BJP), Yogender Chandolia (BJP), Rajni Abbi (BJP), Chandi Ram (Independent),

Mr Jai Kishan Sharma (Congress) and Dr Anita Babbar (Congress) filed their nominations for membership of the powerful Standing Committee.

Besides, Prithvi Raj Sawhney (BJP), Azad Singh (BJP), Veena Sharma (BJP) and Mr Mukesh Goel (Congress) filed their nominations for membership in Education Committee.

The elections to these posts will be held in the meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on April 23.

New Delhi, April 17
The Delhi High Court on Monday commenced hearing on an appeal filed by Ranjeet Singh Gill alias Kukki challenging trial court’s order convicting him in the former congress MP Lalit Maken murder case.

Maken was the uncle of Union Minister Ajay maken. Kukki, sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, is presently out on interim bail as granted by the High Court.

Appearing for Kukki, counsel K T S Tulsi submitted before a division bench of Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice P K Bhasin that the statement of eyewitness Mohd. Salam, a domestic help with Makens, was contradictory and the trial court had ignored that fact.

The eyewitness was only nine year old when the murder took place on July 31, 1985. He had identified Kukki in May 2000, which clearly established that he was tutored by the prosecution, Tulsi told the bench, alleging the trial judge of ignoring the defence of the accused.

Kukki, who was in US jail following a Delhi court’s warrant through Interpol in 1987, was extradited to India on May 7, 2000.

In February 2003, the trial court had sentenced him to life imprisonment for killing Maken, son-in-law of late President Shankar Dayal Sharma, and his wife Geetanjali at their Kirti Nagar residence in July 1985.

In the order, the trial court gave a finding that some mis-guided Sikhs vowed to take revenge of alleged genocide of Sikhs in delhi following assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

According to the prosecution, the Maken couple along with one Balkishan were shot dead by five unidentified Sikh young men at their Kirti Nagar residence.

Besides Kukki, there were four other accused: Sukh Dev, who died in an encounter, Harjinder and Sukhvinder who were executed in general Vaidya’s murder case, and Daljeet Singh, who was acquitted by the trial court due to lack of evidence against him in 1999.—PTI

New Delhi, April 17
The division bench of Delhi High Court is likely to conclude on April 20 the hearings in the Red Fort attack case.

Deciding to expedite the hearings, the bench headed by Justice R S Sodhi and P K Bhasin, will hear only the Red Fort case on Friday.

Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-E-Toiba’s member, Asfaq alias Arif, his Indian-origin wife Rehmana Yusuf Farooqui have been convicted and sentenced in the Red Fort attack case. Three army personnel were killed in the incident on December 22, 2000.

Asfaq alias Arif has been sentenced to death under Sections 302 and 121 (Waging or attempting to wage war or abetting the waging of war against the government) and 120-b (Criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, while Rehmana, Babar Mohsin and Sadaquat Ali were held guilty under sections 216 and 118 and Matloob Alam under Section 420 (Cheating) of the IPC.—UNI

New Delhi, April 17
The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain the plea of a bank clerk challenging his dismissal 17 years ago for misappropriation of funds, saying that the faith of the customers was shaken by any misconduct on the part of an employee.

Dismissing the petition filed by Ramesh Kumar, a clerk in Punjab National Bank, Ms Justice Hema Kohli said the relationship between a bank and its customer was very fragile and was based mainly on trust and good faith reposed in a bank, which was only a trustee of the funds of a customer, and such faith, if shaken by any misconduct on the part of an employee of the bank, was sufficient ground for loss of confidence.

Kumar had filed the plea challenging the industrial tribunal’s order upholding the bank management’s decision of dismissing him from service for misappropriation of Rs 6,000.

A serious view against the delinquent employee was taken by the bank in the present case by terminating his service, Ms Justice Kohli said.

New Delhi, April 17
A Delhi court today ordered framing of charges against a Delhi Police head constable for allegedly cheating a diamond merchant to the tune of lakhs of rupees four years ago.

Taking cognizance of the charge-sheet, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Sanjeev Jain, ordered framing of charges against the head constable, Jarnail Singh posted at Minto Road here, under section 420 (cheating) of IPC for allegedly cheating one Arvind Patel on pretext of checking his luggage.

“In my view prima-facially, there are sufficient materials on record to take action against him. Therefore, I take cognizance of the offence accordingly against the accused Jarnail Singh and order framing of charges against him,” the ACMM said in his order.

The court also ordered the investigating officer (IO) to file a detailed status report, regarding the list of witnesses and list of documents it wanted to submit, within two days.—PTI

Faridabad, April 17
Shopkeepers of the Sector 7-10 market here, which had been closed down on directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, appear to be in a mood for a direct clash with the administration on the issue of continuing commercial activity from the residential areas despite the sealing of the shops on the order of the court.

A majority of the shopkeepers have been continuing with the work from the front of the sealed shops and from the rear entry gates of their houses. While this has been seen as an open violation of the orders and could amount to contempt of court, the authorities here have been in a fix over the action to be taken against the violations.

A team of officials of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), which had gone to supervise the spot and take action against the ongoing commercial activity, had to retreat when stones were pelted on them by shopkeepers and their workers yesterday.

This is perhaps the first time that the shopkeepers have taken to a resistance of this kind after about 300 shops located in the Housing Board colonies of Sectors 7 and 10 were sealed by the MCF a few months back on the directions of the high court.

The orders had been passed in response to a writ petition filed in the court on the issue. Though a majority of the shops had either been closed down voluntarily or sealed by the administration earlier also, the seals of many shops were allegedly broken after about a week. The police had booked a case against many shopkeepers of these sectors. The administration had sealed the shops in the area about three months ago and had warned of strict action against the defaulters, but those having shops started trading from outside the sealed shops. While selected samples were placed outside, the remaining items were made available from the rear gate, functioning without any hindrance. It is reported that many of the shopkeepers had either broken the seal or lifted the shutters to a certain level from the sealed side and continued with the work to make it appear that the shutters had been down since the sealing. This activity of the shopkeepers resulted in more inconvenience to the passersby on the dividing road of Sectors 7 and 10 as more area got occupied by the shopkeepers and the parking of vehicles.

Though this has been in the knowledge of the authorities concerned, there is confusion about the action that can be initiated against the shopkeepers. The MCF authorities and the Ballabgarh administration had asked the shopkeepers to remove their wares from the area by April 15, but there was no positive response. The officials visited the spot yesterday, but had to return empty-handed after a violent protest by the shopkeepers. The action may put the district administration, including the police, in a tight spot over the failure to implement the court order when the matter would come up in the next hearing, claimed a local resident. 

New Delhi, April 17
The BJP Delhi Pradesh President, Dr Harsh Vardhan today demanded that the power distribution companies be fined heavily for cutting electricity supply and the recovered fine amount be utilised for improving the power system of the Capital. “In case these companies may not improve their performance, their MOU be cancelled and the responsibility of electricity distribution may be entrusted to the new companies,” he added.

He said that the power supply situation in the Capital had not improved even after five years of privatisation, instead it had deteriorated from the time of Delhi Vidyut Board. “The private companies are not pursuing the terms of the MoU signed at the time of privatisation. These companies had made financial conspiracy with the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during privatisation. Four constitutional and government-affiliated agencies have made public of this financial conspiracy,” he alleged.

“The allegation of Rs 12,500 crore bungling committed during the privatisation process was proved, but even then the Chief Minister has not ordered an enquiry into it,” Dr Harsh Vardhan alleged.

“The DISCOMS are selling power on high rates after taking from Transco at cheap rates. They have earned heavy benefit from this business during the last five years. But the power situation is deteriorating day by day. One-third people of Delhi are living without power and the remaining two-third of the population are facing power cuts from four to eight hours,” he claimed.

Dr Harsh Vardhan claimed that areas like Singhara Chowk, Qutub Road, Basti Jullahan, Sadar Bazar, Qasabpura etc were deprived of water and electricity for the past two days. “Undeclared electricity cut is being carried out up to eight hours in several East Delhi localities as well as areas of South and Outer Delhi,” he claimed.

He demanded that if power companies continue to act in this arbitrary manner, the MOU with these companies be cancelled and the work of power distribution be entrusted to separate companies in all the nine districts by inviting open tenders. The time was come to take hard decisions, he said, adding that those power companies which could file complaint to send the consumer in jail for electricity theft, then they should also be compelled to pay heavy fines in case of electricity cut, sending arbitrary bills.

New Delhi, April 17
In a significant judgment last week, a Special Court at Patparganj sent two prominent factory owners of Shahdara, Rajendra Kumar and Jagdish Singh, to Tihar Jail for two years unless they pay power theft dues amounting to more than Rs 4 lakh.

While Rajendra Kumar was directed by the court to pay a penalty amount of over Rs 88,000, Jagdish Singh was directed to pay more than Rs 3.3 lakh.

Earlier, in an inspection carried out by the BYPL Enforcement Team on June 13, 2003, both Rajendra Kumar and Jagdish Singh were caught stealing 5 KW and 18 KW of electricity respectively by bypassing the electricity meter.

Investigations into the case revealed that BSES electricity meters at the site were lying disconnected. The two had rented the premise from one Lekhi Ram. While Rajendra Singh was using stolen electricity for electroplating metal parts, Jagdish Singh was using stolen electricity for manufacturing auto parts.

According to the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, power theft bills of Rs 88,779 and Rs 3.3 lakh were imposed on Rajendra Kumar and Jagdish Singh, respectively. Both the accused failed to pay the fines. Subsequently, an FIR (no 238/03) was filed by the BSES against the two at Gokulpuri police station.

On May 2, 2006, the BSES and Delhi Police jointly filed a case against both the power thieves in the Special Court. 
“Since January 2005, the BRPL and the BYPL have filed over 1,300 and 2,000 cases in the special courts, respectively. So far, various courts have sentenced over 160 power thieves to jail,” said a BSES official. “Since July 2002, the BSES has booked over 53,000 cases of power theft and unearthed a power theft load of 3.17 lakh KW,” he added.

According to a BSES spokesperson “The increasing support from honest customers in the form of tip-offs on power theft cases is as much a contributing factor in controlling power theft as is the deployment of modern technologies like DT Metering, Geographical Information System (GIS) etc”.

New Delhi, April 17
The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) today described the Delhi Budget passed yesterday as ‘people-oriented developmental budget’.

“The Delhi Government’s budget is a people-oriented developmental budget,” said Mr Kartikeya Bharat Ram, Chairman, CII, Delhi State Council, adding that the Budget had focused on urban development and social sectors – infrastructure, transport, education, water and health – which was an effort in the right direction.

“The obvious emphasis on infrastructure especially transport will put Delhi on the right track to deal with the challenges of the Commonwealth Games 2010 and the needs of a growing modern city. It is a right step in the direction to make the Capital a world-class city,” Mr Bharat Ram said.

He added that the budget had pegged Rs 22.7 billion to develop public transport system, which would further strengthen the connectivity and access infrastructure.

Complimenting the Delhi Government for making ‘Gender Budget’, a part of Budget Document, Mr Bharat Ram lauded the allocation of a sum of Rs 181 crore exclusively for women’s welfare as against last year’s allocation of around Rs 151 crore.

To consolidate and strengthen the action for women’s welfare, 45 Gender Resource Centres would also be set up during the year.

“The government’s proposal to create a Directorate for Women and Child Development to focus exclusively on all schemes for welfare of women and children in order to increase their reach and effectiveness is a welcome move,” he added.

Mr Bharat Ram further stated that the Delhi Government had not introduced any new taxes, which would ‘bring relief’ to over 16 million people of the Capital.

The GSDP of Delhi at current prices has also increased from Rs 91,981 crore in 2004-05 to Rs 1,05,385 crore in 2005-06 indicating growth of 14.6 per cent for Delhi as compared to the growth of 13.8 per cent at the national level.

“The budget has the provision to set up two universities – the ‘Ambedkar University’ and ‘University of Science and Technology’; a Knowledge Park at Delhi College of Engineering; and a Nano-Technology Center at Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, which are important milestones in the state for higher education,” Mr Bharat Ram said.

While the health sector gets Rs 9.95 billion; the power sector gets Rs 12.5 billion; technical education Rs 6.98 billion; a whopping Rs 16.2 billion has been earmarked for Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Under the power sector outlay, the Budget has proposed to set up a 1,000 MW gas-based power station in Bawana, northwest Delhi. The plant would help improve the power situation in the Capital.

“Besides, the identification of 450 lakes and water bodies for conservation and development for increasing the storage of water as well as recharge of aquifers would be a step forward towards sustainable Delhi,” Mr Bharat Ram said.

The government proposes to add 4000 new beds in hospitals in the 11th Five-Year Plan, of which 1200 beds will be added this year. The fleet of CATs ambulances would also be increased from 35 to 300 in 2007-08, which is indicative of the efforts to bolster the health industry.

New Delhi, April 17
Even as Delhiites continued to sizzle in the heat wave conditions, the Met office said that the morning temperatures were down by a degree to 29 degree Celsius in the National Capital Territory of Delhi today.

The Met Office said this drop in the temperature was because of the impending dust storm brewing up in the area and was expected to hit the Capital by tomorrow.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 39.6 degree Celsius, four degrees above the normal at this time of the year yesterday.

The maximum temperature was expected to hover around 38 degrees Celsius and was expected to rise further in the days to come, Met officials said.—TNS

Ghaziabad, April 17
A 13-year-old boy Aas Mohd had fallen into a sewer through an uncovered manhole at 9 am in Ghanta Ghar area of Ghaziabad, today. As the civic authority and police failed to rescue the boy, help from the Army was sought. The rescue operations are still continuing.

Agitated people, who had jammed the highway, protesting against the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam for keeping a number of manholes uncovered in the city, were lathi-charged by the police in Clock Tower area.

People alleged that in spite of their having brought it to the notice of GDA and Nagar Nigam that a number of manholes were uncovered in the city, particularly in Kela Bhatta, Clock Tower area, authorities had not taken any step with the result that the 13-year-old boy’s fate was not known, 10 hours after he had fallen into the sewer.

Army jawans had sucked out the water from the underground drain, but the chances of the survival of Aas Mohd are receding by every passing minute. Rescue workers included army jawans were not provided with any facility like oxygen masks. It is only at about 5 pm, three jawans with oxygen masks went down in the drain to look for the boy. There is a widespread anger against the civic authorities while the family and the parents are keeping fingers crossed at the fate of the innocent boy. 

New Delhi, April 17
“The change in culture has added to the misery of senior citizens, who are threatened by people eyeing their property,” the Vice-President, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said on Saturday.

“The culture is changing. Old people are not treated the way they were treated in the past. This is adding to their miseries,” the 84-year-old Mr Shekhawat said after releasing the book ‘Aashirwad’ written for senior citizens, at the silver jubilee celebrations of Punjab Keshri here.

“Old people, who have land and properties, fear for their lives,” he said. Citing an incident in Muzaffarpur, Mr Shekhawat said old people who lived alone and had landed property were being killed by anti-social elements.

“I visited that place last year and found out that the old people were asked to sell their land. When they refused, they were killed,” he said.

“This is a critical issue for society, which should take care of senior citizens,” Mr Shekhawat said at the function where a majority of the audience comprised old people.

New Delhi, April 17
At a time when ‘New Age’ films like ‘Rang De Basanti’, ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ and ‘Omkara have endeared themselves to audiences at home and abroad, the Capital played host to a festival showcasing such films, reflecting sensibilities different from the mainstream yet turning out to be box office successes.

‘Young minds of Indian cinema’, a festival presenting the work of filmmakers who have succeeded in creating a cinema which is closer to reality and commercially viable at the same time, came to a close in the Capital on Sunday night with the screening of Rahul Dholakia’s ‘Parzania’, made in the backdrop of the Gujarat riots.

Showcased at the two-day film festival, which got underway at the Capital’s Siri Fort auditorium on Saturday evening with the screening of Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Traffic Signal’, were works by Madhur Bhandarkar, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Rahul Dholakia, three filmmakers who truly represent the new wave of . ‘New Age Cinema’ in India with their cinematic works which have successfully bridged the gap between the so-called art and mainstream cinema.

Organised by the Indian film Institute, the film festival also hosted the screening of Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Omkara’ last evening.

Addressing mediapersons at the closing of the film festival, filmmaker Rahul Dholakia said,’ ’the film festival by the Indian film institute is a laudable step in that it provides a platform for filmmakers like me making films with sensibilities “different from the mainstream”. ’’ Responding to criticism from some quarters that films like ‘Parzania’ made on a communally sensitive issue incited communal passions, Rahul said,’’films do not arouse communal passions. Rather, it is their aim just to show the reality as it is.’’ Asked about his future projects, he said he was working on two films - while one was in the backdrop of Kashmir, the other was a thriller.—UNI

New Delhi, April 17
The Society for Child Development, an NGO working for children and young adults with mental handicap and other disabilities, is presenting “Art For Prabhat”, an exhibition of paintings by more than 80 eminent artists from across the country. The exhibition will be held from April 20 to 22 at The Global Arts Village situated on Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road.

“Art for Prabhat” is an endeavour to create a platform of togetherness by integrating the work of youngsters with mental retardation with that of the geniuses of the art world. This fund raising effort aims to eventually ensure sustainability of the organisation and to free it from the need to spend vital time and energy in sourcing funds.

According to Dr Madhumita Puri, “The Society for Child Development has always emphasised on identifying and developing market-oriented vocational skills which can ensure a viable income to assist students with mental disability. The skills taught by the NGO not only help the students to attain self-sufficiency but also makes them feel like an integral part of this society.”

“Art for Prabhat” is one such initiative where mentally Challenged youngsters are taught the techniques of making acid-free handmade art paper. This art paper is then circulated to artists of all calibres who use it as a canvas for their work. The resulting work is exhibited once a year and funds raised from this endeavour are shared between the artists and the workers who produce the paper. Thus, “Art for Prabhat” is not just an annual art show. It is a form of employment for a much neglected section of society. The show provides challenged students a chance to contribute and integrate with the mainstream society.

Some of the prominent artists who will be participating in this year’s show include Laxma Goud, Vaikuntam, Anjolie Ela Menon, Jatin Das, Jogen Choudhury, Sunil Das, Ramamnand Bogopadhya and Sanat Kar among others. 

Noida, April 17
The Noida police have arrested five members of an inter-state gang of cheats and recovered Rs 2.50 lakh in cash, Rs 8 lakh worth of jewellery, seven cars, three motorcycles, 50 cheque books, eight pass books of different banks along with fake ATM and debit cards from the gangsters.

According to Jaspal Singh, SO Sector-58 police station, the police had got a tip-off on Sunday that five persons in a Maruti car were likely to enter Noida from Indirapuram side. A vehicle check was organised at JSS College Road in Sector-62, Noida.

As the green Maruti car was stopped, five occupants were frisked and the car searched. They were arrested and taken to police station. During interrogation, they confessed that they belonged to an inter-state gang of cheats.

The police said the criminals confessed that they specialised in defrauding the banks. They used to make fake ATM cards and credit cards on the basis of fraudulent documents, got a large number of new vehicles financed and would then sell them off in Chhapra Bihar.

Among the cars recovered were two Indica cars, two Qualis, four Scorpios and some Maruti cars, apart from three bikes.

The cheats have been identified as Vikas Prakash, Ranjit Singh, Sunil Kumar, Muntuu Singh and Vijay—all from Bihar. Vikas Singh was the ring leader of the gang. They used chequebooks and ATMs to withdraw money from banks..

Besides, many documents like driving licences, ration cards, voter identity cards, debit and credit cards, eight bank passbooks and 50 chequebooks and blanks of all these documents, including scheduled caste certificates with rubber stamps of officers of different departments in western UP were seized from the criminals, the police said.

The police believe that many more criminals could be associated with this big gang, SO Jaspal Singh added.

Noida, April 17
On court’s order, the police have registered a murder case for the death of a property dealer in Sector-49 Noida. Earlier, the police had registered a case of suicide.

A year after the death of the property dealer, Yoginder, the police have registered a case of murder against the wife of the deceased and four others on the orders of the court.

Hit by a bullet from his own licensed gun, property dealer Yoginder had died on April 25 last year. His wife Urmila and their children were present in the house at that time when the bullet was fired. The circumstances and cause of the death could not be ascertained by the police at that time. The cops had registered a case of suicide and stopped the investigations. But his friends said Yoginder used to have strange dreams. He had returned from Balaji temple in Rajasthan a few days earlier. He often used to tell his friends that “God was beckoning him”.

Yoginder’s father Faqir Chand had moved a court saying his son had been murdered and that he had not committed a suicide. On Sunday, the court passed the orders that Yoginder’s death may be registered as a murder case. Subsequently, police in Sector-49 have arrested Yoginder’s wife Urmila and her companions Robin Singh, Hamveer, Manveer and Devinder who have all been arraigned for murder.

New Delhi, April 17
The police today claimed to have rescued a child allegedly kidnapped yesterday from his school in Ludhiana. One person has been arrested in this connection.

Punjab Police received an information last evening that Ranjan alias Suman was kidnapped by two persons from his school in Ludhiana.

Following an information that the child could be taken by train to Bihar, policemen in the guise of coolies boarded the Shahid Express at Sabzi Mandi halt, the first stop in Delhi of this Amritsar-Dharbhanga bound train.

During a search in general compartment, the boy was found and the man, who was with him, was arrested.

During interrogation, the accused, identified as Fulana, a resident of Chapra in Bihar, allegedly confessed to have been involved in the kidnapping.

According to police, Fulana, along with his one associate Malik Pandit, had hatched a conspiracy to kidnap the child of his labour contractor Sandeshwar.

Gurgaon, April 17
A resident was shot at by thieves when he resisted loot by them in his house in New Palam Vihar, in the wee hours today.

The victim, Mr Paramjit Singh, was with his mother when the incident took place.

First the thieves, five of them, attacked him with knives and then pumped gunshots in him.

He received two shots on his chest. He was first taken to a local hospital from where he was referred to AIIMS in Delhi. The accused, who were on foot, reportedly escaped after the incident. The police have registered a case in the matter, but no arrest has been made. No one was available at the residence of the victim. 

Noida, April 17
A seven-year-old girl was in a critical condition in a Noida hospital on Tuesday after allegedly being raped by her father’s tenant, who was thrashed by angry crowds before being handed over to the police.

The accused, Raju, 20, was arrested early on Tuesday for allegedly raping his landlord’s seven-year-old daughter at their residence in Noida’s Sector 58.

Raju, who had been living there for the last nine months, called the victim into his room on Monday night before allegedly raping her, police said.

The matter came into light when the girl complained to her parents, who immediately rushed her to a nearby hospital. Her condition is stated to be critical.

After hearing the girl’s story, crowds gathered and beat him up before giving him up to the police. He escaped with minor injuries. “We have arrested the accused and further investigations are underway,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Noida) Rajiv Sabharwal said.

Exactly two weeks ago on April 3, an angry mob lynched a man for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl in Noida’s Nithari village, from where at least 20 children were sexually abused and killed.—Agencies

New Delhi, April 17
Indira Gandhi National Open University IGNOU) will establish five zonal centres in the next five years with a view to decentralise its activities.

“IGNOU is being restructured on a major scale and five zonal centres in north, east, south, west and north-east regions will be established during the 11th Plan period,” IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai said in a statement here.