Sonepat, October 17
A joint team of the Murthal police and the Delhi police today recovered the body of 10-year-old Vipul of Rohini in Delhi from bushes along the G.T. Road near Kumaspur village in the district. Vipul, a resident of Sector 13 in Rohini and student of fourth standard in a public school in Delhi, was allegedly kidnapped on Monday evening while he was returning home from school.

After a post-mortem in the Civil Hospital here, the body was handed over to his father Parvinder. The post-mortem report stated that he was strangled.

The Delhi police said when Vipul did not return home, his father lodged a complaint with the police. Later, he received a ransom call for Rs 1.5 crore from the kidnapper.

The father reportedly paid a ransom of Rs 33 lakh to the kidnapper. However, when the kidnapper did not release the boy, the police traced the phone calls and on the basis of suspicion of the boy’s father, the police took Sidharth Jaitely, a neighbour of Parvinder in the Bhagirath Place market into custody and during interrogation Jaitely confessed to having kidnapped Vipul and disclosed that the child had died due to suffocation after which his body was thrown in the bushes.

The police has reportedly recovered Rs 29 lakh of the Rs 33 lakh paid as ransom from the accused. Jaitely was brought to the spot by the police for recovering the body of the boy. 

Chandigarh, October 17
The Haryana Housing Board has increased the income limit for allotting houses constructed by it.

According to a notification issued to this effect, a person belonging to the economically weaker sections means a person whose monthly income does not exceed Rs 3,300; a person belonging to the low income group means a person whose monthly income is between Rs 3,300 and Rs 7,300; a person belonging to the middle income group means a person whose monthly income is more than Rs 7,300 but less than Rs 14,500; and a person belonging to the higher income group means a person whose monthly income exceeds Rs14,500.

Earlier, the monthly income limit for the economically weaker sections was Rs 2,500; for the low income group Rs 2,501 to Rs 5,500; for the middle income group Rs 5,501 to Rs 10,000; and for the higher income group over Rs 10,001. 

Faridabad, October 17
The police has booked five persons, including brother and mother of a girl, who had eloped with her neighbour’s brother, for allegedly manhandling the boy’s sister and stripping her.

The fault of the victimised sister, who is a complainant in the case, was that her brother used to visit her place in Agoanpur village, about 15 km from here, where she stays with her husband, om Bihar and the girl too is from outside the state.

The brother, Kajal, had eloped with the girl last Friday.

On a complaint by the family members of the girl, the police found out that the two had eloped to Betia in Bihar.

The girl and the boy stated to the police that they were adults and the girl said she had eloped with her lover on her own accord.

The police said the eloped couple was already married.

After the police expressed helplessness to the girl’s family in booking the boy, the enraged family members allegedly stripped the boy’s sister last Sunday at her place.

The matter reached the police today, following which a case was registered.

The sister further stated in her complaint that the girl’s family members had threatened to liquidate her.

District police chief Alok Mittal said the DSP headquarters had been deputed to investigate the case. However, no arrests have been made so far.

Sirsa, October 17
The mealybug attack on the cotton crop is more in Punjab as compared to Haryana and Rajasthan, a recent survey by the National Centre for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM) and the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) revealed.

The attack of the mealybug, which was considered a minor pest, has emerged as the most important insect problem in the entire zone.

In general, the invasion of the pest was observed in all types of cotton, including Bt hybrids, American varieties and hybrids.

It can also pose a threat to cotton cultivation in the next crop season if not prevented.

Cotton is sown in an area of around 15 lakh hectares in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The Bt hybrid cotton area has been increased to around 50 per cent in these states.

In Punjab, the damages by this pest were more in Muktsar and Bathinda followed by Ferozepur. However, the nondescript Bt cotton, which showed poor vegetative growth, suffered the loss most and farmers did not adopt proper management due to their expected low productivity status.

While cotton hybrids in Barnala, Mansa and Faridkot in Malwa region were more or less free from damage of mealybug.

The survey carried out by scientists from the NCIPM, New Delhi, and the CICR, regional station, Sirsa, revealed that the attack was observed in some pockets of these districts.

A senior scientist from NCIPM, P.J. Kumar, who was a part of the survey team, said here that besides Punjab, the three districts of Haryana, including the cotton belt Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar, is facing the mealybug attack.

In Rajasthan, the problem of mealybug is limited to patches only and a major area is unaffected.

The state agriculture department, Hisar, observed that 4,800 hectares of crop in Sirsa, 7-8 villages each in Fatehabad and Hisar districts had been affected by mealybugs.

He added that though the pest had been managed by insecticides, however, it could pose a threat to cotton cultivation in the future.

The area under ‘desi’ cotton has reduced considerably in these states and this particular species of cotton was relatively free from mealybug. The invasion of mealybug was observed in the beginning of April.

In the three districts, Ferozepur, Muktsar and Bathinda, though the infestation of mealybug was noted in all surveyed areas, the intensity of damage was negligible in many spots.

The mealybug damage could be effectively managed with 5-6 sprays costing approximately Rs 1,500 per acre, he added. 

Faridabad, October 17
The recently inducted minister in the council of ministers in Haryana, Mangeram Gupta’s remarks here that the the delay in making him a minister was an injustice with the people has raised eyebrows in political circles.

Gupta had stated this in his speech on Monday night during a public function in front of A.C. Chaudhary, who was also inducted in the council of ministers along with him.

The function was organised by councillor Nanak

Chand Goyal to felicitate the two leaders on becoming ministers.

Gupta said they (he and A.C. Chaudhary) were the seniormost members in the council of ministers and also in the Haryana Congress. Still they were made ministers after about two and a half years of the party coming to power in the state.

“This is grave injustice with the people of the state,” he added.

The remarks have evinced keen interest in political circles have generated a lot of discussion.

The move was considered a masterstroke of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to marginalise former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal. The two leaders had been for long identified as loyalists of Bhajan Lal.

However, Gupta and Chaudhary heaped praises on the functioning of the Haryana government. Gupta,who is minister for education and transport, said the government was taking all measures to raise the standard of education in the state.

Chaudhary, who is a minister for labour, said efforts were being made to ensure industrial peace in the state. Earlier, they were given a rousing reception. 

Hisar, October 17
The 26th annual Agroha Mela will be organised on October 28, chief organiser Bajrang Das Garg announced here.

The mela is organised annually to propagate the teachings of the founder of the Aggarwal community, Maharaja Agrasain. It attracts thousands of members of the community from all over India and abroad. Maharaja Agrasain’s capital was Agroha, a small village, about 20 km from here.

Garg said the mela organisers wanted to encourage community members this year to take part in active politics for greater representation in the country’s polity. 

Chandigarh, October 17
After taking note of “casual approach of officials in dealing with court cases”, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today stopped the interviews for filling the posts of school principals in Haryana. In all, 164 posts were to be filled up vide interviews to be held from today.

The Bench, comprising Mr Justice Jasbir Singh and Mr Justice Nirmal Yadav, also directed the financial commissioner and the principal secretary, department of education, to be present in the court on Friday - the next date of hearing in the matter.

Issuing the directions in an open court on a petition filed by a physically-challenged candidate for reserving a post, the Bench observed: “When the matter was taken up on October 16, senior deputy advocate-general, Haryana, Harish Rathee brought to our notice that despite letter written by him none has come from the department to supply necessary information. On request, the matter was adjourned to today.”

The Bench further observed: “He informs that he again wrote a letter yesterday to the financial commissioner and the principal secretary, department of education. The ADA of the department was also informed on the telephone to supply necessary information. However, nobody has turned up from the department to do the needful.”

In their detailed order, the Judges added: “Facts mentioned clearly reflect casual approach of the officials in dealing with court cases. Even in urgent cases, they are not supplying the necessary information to the courts and on account of that matters are being adjourned unnecessarily.”

The Judges further added: “In view of this, we have no option except to stop the interview for the posts in question, which is going to be conducted today.”

Harish Rathee was directed to inform the officials concerned on telephone with regard to the orders passed.

In his petition against Haryana and others, Prahlad Singh, working as English lecturer in Jatusana, Rewari, had earlier sought directions to the respondents “to reserve at least one post for him as physically challenged candidate out of 164 posts of principals”. Directions for interviewing him for that reserved post were also sought. He had added that five posts should have been reserved for the physically challenged. 

Chandigarh, October 17
A division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover, today issued notice to the State of Haryana on a petition filed in public interest challenging certain provisions of the Haryana Lokayukta Act, 2002.

Referring to the provisions contained in Section 3 (1) of the Act, petitioner advocate H.C. Arora contended it lays down that the Lokayukta shall be appointed on the Chief Minister's advice in consultation with Haryana Legislative Assembly speaker and the leader of opposition, along with the Chief Justice of India in case of appointing "a person who is, or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, or Chief Justice of a High Court". The Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is to be consulted in case of appointing “a person who is or has been a High Court Judge. However, a provision to the sub-Section declares: provided further that the result of consultation shall have persuasive value, but not binding on the Chief Minister”.

Rohtak, October 17
The issue of government officials not giving due respect to Congressmen is gaining momentum, with a number of party workers airing their dissatisfaction in this regard.

The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has decided to launch a campaign against those government officers who show scant regard for the members of the ruling party or adopt an indifferent attitude towards the grievances of the residents in general.

Talking to The Tribune here today, organising secretary (media) of the HPCC Surender Singh Hooda said due to the stubborn stance of certain officials, the full benefit of various welfare schemes started by the government was not reaching the residents at the grassroot level.

He appealed to the people in general and party workers in particular to freely send in their complaints against such headstrong officials so that they could be taught a lesson.

“All such complaints will be compiled and put up before the chief minister, so that appropriate action can be taken against the erring officials,” he added.

Hooda asserted that the workers were the spine of the party and the HPCC would ensure that they got due respect from the public servants.

Yamunanagar, October 17
The Haryana government will observe Haryana Day (November 1) as “bijli utsav divas” as the first unit of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram thermal plant will become operational on that day.

The thermal plant is one of the most ambitious projects of the Hooda-led Congress government and the Chief Minister will be inaugurating the unit.

Senior officials of the government and ministers are visiting the thermal plant to ensure that work at the plant goes on as per the new schedule which was advanced from November 19 to November 1.

Today, the chief parliamentary secretary, the adviser to the Chief Minister and the working president of the Haryana pradesh Congress committee inspected the plant.

Yesterday, officials of the district administration had held a meeting with officials of Reliance Energy Limited and the HPGCL. A few days ago Haryana minister for power Randeep Surjewala had inspected the plant. More senior officials and ministers will be coming here to inspect the plant.

"The government is committed to ending the power crisis in the state", said Dharmvir, chief parliamentary secretary, while addressing Congress workers here today. Like other Congress leaders of the state he,too, alleged that the interests of the state were ignored by Bhajan Lal in 1994 when the Yamuna water sharing accord was signed.

He said the second unit of the Yamunanagar plant would be commissioned as per schedule in February next.

"Work is in progress at two other power plants and the foundation stone of another plant in Jhajjar will be laid soon", said Dharmvir.

Prof Virinder Singh, adviser to the Chief Minister, told reporters that by August 15, 2010, the state’s power plants would be producing 6,500 MW as against the present production of 1,587 MW.

Working president of the Haryana pradesh Congress committee Kuldeep Sharma, who, too, was present at the press conference, claimed that the organisational structure of the party in the state was strong and efforts were on to further strengthen it.

Yamunanagar, October 17
The Haryana police suffered a major setback when a local court discharged four persons, including a woman, booked on charges of sedition and under the Arms Act.

After their arrests in April, the police had said the four were Maoists and engaged in subversive activities against the state.

Two more accused - Sanjay, state president of the Jagruk Chatra Morcha (JCM), and Mukesh, district president of the JCM - have been declared proclaimed offenders in 
the case.

The state lost the case on technical grounds. The Kurukshetra police too had lost an identical case on similar grounds.

The police had booked the four under Sections 121-A, 122, 124-A, 212 and 216 of the IPC but had not taken the mandatory sanction for the same from the department concerned.

The accused were also booked under Section 25 of the Arms Act.

Interestingly, the police had taken sanction for booking them under the Arms Act.

Additional sessions judge Navita Singh discharged Jagtar of Thandro village of Kurukshetra, Jagtar and Poonam of Yamunanagar and Rinku of Ismailpur village (Chhachhrouli Block) of all charges.

The court, however, gave an option to the prosecution to file separate charge sheet against the four under the Arms Act.

Poonam, wife of Sanjay, is facing a similar case in Narwana district. Jagtar and Samrat are out on bail. Counsel for the accused, Charanjeet and Dinesh Tyagi, said Rinku too would be released from 
jail soon.

The police had arrested Jagtar and Samrat from near Bhurkalana village here on April 19 and claimed to recover firearms, including a 9mm pistol with ‘made in USA’ and ‘for Army supply’ engraved on it.

During the subsequent investigations, the police had arrested Rinku 
and Poonam.

The defence counsel had argued that the accused were liable to be discharged because no sanction for prosecution was obtained before filing the charge sheet.

They took the plea that a prior sanction was must for prosecution under Section 124-A of the IPC, which the police had not taken.

The counsel appearing for the state, however, informed the court that the superintendent of police, Yamunanagar, had applied for the sanction (for Sections 121-A, 122 and 124-A) before the DGP on October 9.

Additional sessions judge Navita Singh in her order said since no sanction to prosecute the accused for the main offence was obtained, no proceeding could be taken against them and they were 
discharged.

The prosecution had requested the court to file a fresh charge sheet after obtaining the requisite sanction.

The judge said if the prosecution had a legal right to the charge sheet again after obtaining the sanction, it might do so as per law.

Since sanction for prosecution of the accused under the Arms Act was taken, the police may file a separate challan.

Rewari, October 17
The Kosli police has arrested five persons - Jangsher, his two sons Bittoo and Raju, and Satish and Manoj - of Jakhala Ki Dhani village, 5 km from Kosli, on charges of rioting, abducting and thrashing Sube Singh, an assistant lineman of the Kosli sub-station of the DHBVN, and a villager, Vinod, near Gugodh village, near Kosli, on Sunday evening.

On a complaint filed by Sube Singh and Vinod, the police registered a case under Sections 332, 353, 365, 148, 149 and 186 of the IPC against Jangsher, his two sons and the others.

All five accused were yesterday produced in the court of Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate Virender Malik at Kosli who remanded them in judicial custody.

Sources said Jangsher and Vinod were engaged in a brawl at a place near the bus stand of Gugodh village on Sunday evening, when Sube Singh, who was on duty there, mediated and pacified them.

However, later both Sube Singh and Vinod were forcibly picked up by Jangsher and his men who took them to Guriani village, near Kosli, where they were closeted in a shop and then thrashed.

Bhiwani, October 17
A teacher was removed from the examiner’s duty while 25 students were caught copying on the first day of the examinations of private students of the Haryana Board of School Education today. A board spokesperson said 42,906 students were appearing in these examination which included 35,661 students of Haryana Open School.

She said 106 “flying squads” had been constituted in the state to keep vigil on examination centres.

She said a teacher, Padma Wadhwa, deputed at the “Hisar 33 examination centre”, was removed from her duty for dereliction by a flying squad.