Jalandhar, August 24
The District Consumers Disputes Redressal Forum today passed an order to issue arrest warrants through the SSP against the tehsildar (sales) for his arrest and to produce him before the forum on September 10.

The tehsildar has to explain as to why he should not be sentenced to imprisonment under section 27 of the Consumers Protection Act for non-compliance of the order passed way back on October 9, 2001.

The order pertains to the possession of a plot measuring 10 marla and 1 sarsai near Lamma Pind that was purchased by Mohinder Singh of Patti in Tarn Taran at an auction on March 5, 1983.

The forum, comprising president M.M. Bhalla and member Surinder Mittal, said sufficient opportunities were already granted for compliance. “The tehsildar had even failed to produce a copy of any stay granted by the state commission, Punjab. Neither any counsel nor any representative appeared on behalf of the tehsildar even today,” they observed while passing the order.

On July 30, the tehsildar had filed an application pleading that the matter had been pending before the state commission and hearing had been fixed for August 3. The forum had then given the last opportunity to him to comply with the order or to get the stay order from the state commission, failing which action would be taken against him. A representative then appeared on August 20 but did not produce a copy of the stay order and the case was then fixed for today.

Mohinder Singh had filed a complaint on May 4, 2001, against the state of Punjab through the Revenue and Rehabilitation secretary, Punjab, the tehsildar sales-cu- managing officer of the rehabilitation branch at Jalandhar and the DC. His highest bid of Rs 16,300 at the auction of the plot had been accepted. He had even deposited with the teshildar (sales) Rs 4,075 as the earnest money. But the complainant failed to get possession of the plot.

Mohinder Singh pointed out that as per the rules it was mandatory for the respondents to communicate to him about confirmation or rejection of the sale and ask for deposition of the balance amount or refund of the earnest money, which did not happen. He had even asked for allotment of plot or refund of payment with 18 per cent interest on the earnest money deposited. The forum passed the judgement in the complainant’s favour. The respondents then moved the state commission on October 25, 2002, but their case was dismissed. Again they failed to comply with the order. The order of issuing of warrants for attachment of property of the respondent was passed. The property was put to auction on June 26, 2003, when Sakattar Singh gave the highest bid and hence amount in favour on October 1, 2003. But Mohinder Singh has since failed to get his dues.

Chandigarh, August 24
The Punjab health department will take up with the transport ministry the issue of free transport facility to AIDS patients on treatment at its anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres. About 2,162 patients in Punjab are on treatment at present.

Besides, the department has issued instructions to government doctors against denial of treatment to patients. The authorities are drawing up a list of doctors who have denied patients access to treatment after learning about their status.

The most significant development, however, is the decision of the health authorities to offer free transport facility to AIDS patients who are being lost to follow up. Enquiries reveal that 200 AIDS patients from Punjab on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at the PGI, Chandigarh, have been lost to follow up. At the Amritsar ART centre, 13 per cent and the Jalandhar centre 5 per cent of the registered patients did not return for treatment.

Confirming the news to The Tribune today, K.B.S. Sidhu, Punjab health secretary and project director, Punjab State AIDS Control Society, said most patients dropped their treatment because they were unable to afford the cost of travelling to the ART centres.

“We are proposing free transport for the AIDS patients, who must be tracked down on a regular basis, as also required by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). Adherence to ART is the key to treatment. But patients are lost either to death or to poverty,” Sidhu said.
The facility will be valid for the AIDS patients from Punjab on treatment at the ART centres at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Rohtak.

As on July 31, Punjab had 2,162 AIDS patients on therapy. Of these, 970 are under treatment at the PGI, Chandigarh, and Rohtak.

The rest are under treatment at the Amritsar and Jalandhar ART centres. The transport ministry under the previous government had turned down the health department’s idea of free transport for the AIDS patients on the ground that it was not viable.

If the proposal gets cleared by the state transport ministry, Punjab will become the third state after Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh to offer free transport to AIDS patients.

Jalandhar, August 24
Transport minister Master Mohan Lal paid a surprise visit to the bus stand here today. He went around the renovated building to make an assessment of the progress of work so as to make it functional. He met officials of the Punjab Roadways and Baroda-based contractors who are constructing the project on the BOT basis. He told the officials that since some work, including construction of a boundary wall and road repair was pending, he would visit it again for inspection.

The roadways officials said they were told that in case everything went on time, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal might re-open it on September 18.

Phagwara, August 24
Chaplain Rajan Zed, who read the historic first Hindu prayer in US Senate in Washington DC last month, was honored at New York Ganesha Temple during Hindu Sangathan Diwas celebrations for distinguished service.

NRI Zed, who hails from Kapurthala in Punjab, was given Award of Excellence by Hindu Sangathan Diwas Committee. The plaque read: “In recognition of selfless and invaluable service to Hindu Sanatan Dharma and Hindus in America”.

The 13 Hindu Sangathan Diwas was jointly organised by The Hindu Temple Society of North America (HTSNA), Indian American Intellectuals Forum (IAIF), and Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam, with the support of around 40 Hindu organisations.

Participants included Subramaniam Swamy, former union minister of India, Dr. Frank Morales, president of International Sanatana Dharma Society; Dr. Uma Mysorekar, chief of HTSNA; Narain Kataria and Arish Sahani, president and vice president respectively of IAIF and Parveen Chopra, a well known spiritual writer.

Ganesha Temple in Flushing (New York) is said to be the oldest Hindu temple in US. Rajan Zed besides delivering the first Hindu prayer in US Senate during its 218 years history, has also read Hindu prayers in Nevada State Assembly and Nevada State Senate in March and May last respectively. He is reciting Hindu prayer in Sanskrit and English in California State Senate in Sacramento on August 27. Nevada Clergy Association, drawn from various religions, recently gave a reception in honor of Zed in Reno (Nevada) where he was garlanded and presented a certificate. City of Reno issued him a proclamation during the City Council meeting and presented him with a plaque. Rajan Zed, who grew up in Punjab, was a journalist in Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, before migrating to USA. 

Batala, August 24
In compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the local administration has initiated a major anti-encroachment drive. On Friday, as a part of drive, 41 kanals of land was cleared which was illegally occupied by the slum dwellers.

Similarly, two days ago a market site at Leakwallah Tank occupied by rehriwalas was also got vacated by the authorities from where the rehriwalas had been running their business illegally for the past five years.

SDM Sandeep Rishi said, “The site from where slum dwellers have been removed will be now allotted to the rehriwalas, whereas the site near Leakwallah Tank will be utilised to construct booths. These booths would be auctioned.”

This step has been welcomed by the public. In fact, the drive has helped to fulfil the long-pending demand of the residents. Besides, it has helped in generating a permanent source of revenue, the SDM added. This would also help set up a vegetable market in the town.

Talking about the order, Rishi said, “The orders were passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004, but due to political pressure no action could be taken.”

Jalandhar, August 24
They have been battling for almost eight years now to get back their hard-earned money invested with Incan Mutual Benefit Limited. The investors range from small shopkeepers to highly ranked retirees, including ex-Brigadiers.

Incan Mutual Benefit Limited, owned by Manjit Singh Aujala, was declared defaulter by the court which also passed an order to liquidate it

Capt M.S. Bajwa, who has been pursuing the correspondence with the judicial authorities and liquidators on behalf of investors from the Garha branch, said, “I invested around Rs 1.50 lakh with the company. The money was my savings which I had kept for my post-retirement requirements. I hope I get back my money before my death.” Similarly, M.S. Multani, a retiree from the Delhi police, had invested Rs 1.45 lakh with the company.

Incan Mutual Benefit Limited, owned by Manjit Singh Aujala, with its head office in Aliganj, Lucknow, had collected around Rs 72 crore from the depositors till December 1, 1998, and the amount on maturity worked out to be Rs 82 crore. The fraud was exposed and the company was declared a defaulter.

On August 31, 1999, the Company Law Board, Northern Bench, took a suo mottu notice and ordered Incan Mutual Benefit to repay the depositors’ money. Instead of complying with the orders, the company closed its offices.

The case was then taken to Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench and later to the Allahabad Bench. Both the benches ordered the company and its sister concerns to be liquidated and an official liquidator appointed to sell all their movable and immovable assets.

Incan Mutual Fund Benefit filed an appeal in the Supreme Court which was dismissed on June 3, 2004.

In a report of assets and liabilities submitted by Rakesh Agarwal and Associates, a Lucknow-based company of chartered engineers, adjusters and valuers, on September 12, 1998, the total value worked out to be Rs 1,40,36,000,00.

Talking about the process of liquidation, official liquidator B.K.L. Srivastava, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Allahabad, said, “Ex-directors of the company have not yet filed a statement of affairs, so the office was not aware of the complete assets of the company. Only a few of the assets came to the notice of this office and a few of them have been sold. The rest of the known properties are being processed.”

Srivastava said, “As the cases have been transferred from the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court to the Allahabad Bench, the transfer of records is still awaited.” He requested the investors that in case they had any knowledge about the list of properties belonging to Incan Mutual Benefit, they should inform the official liquidator.

Nawanshahr, August 24
With the arrest of three persons, including a woman, the police today claimed to have solved a blind murder case wherein the body of a 25-year-old man was found near the fields at Maqsoodpur village here. The deceased, Sarabjit, alias Sonu, was allegedly murdered by his sister Sunita and her two “lovers”.

Addressing mediapersons, SSP B. Chandra Shekhar said CIA in charge Hardeep Kumar conducted the investigations and found that Sunita had illicit relations with Ranjit Singh, alias Rana, of Khurampur village and Harjit Singh, alias Laddi, of Gujjarpur Khurd village. Sarabjit knew of it.

Also, it came to light that the deceased was a drug addict and was repeatedly harassing his family members who were apprehending danger to their lives. The accused murdered Sonu with sharp-edged weapons and later dumped his body near the fields of Satwant Singh.