The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood

	Woman interns father, court asks why Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 In a chilling reminder of ill-treatment of elderly parents by their children in the city, the Delhi High Court has sought an explanation from a woman accused of illegally keeping her father under confinement for three months. A bench comprising Justice R S Sodhi and Justice B N Chaturvedi issued notice to Neha Sharma, accused by her grandmother of illegally confining her son, to file her reply in the court. The court passed the order on a petition filed by Neha’s 71-year-old grandmother, Prem kumari Sharma. The grandmother contended that her son Sunil Sharma, on July 17, had gone to meet Neha at her Keshavpuram house in North Delhi and had not returned since then. It was further alleged in the petition that Neha abused and threatened the petitioner and other family members when they tried to contact her to inquire about the whereabouts of Sunil Sharma. “She has illegally confined her father at a place called Shafa Kendra on the pretext of getting him medical treatment. She is continuously torturing and harassing her father with an intention to grab his property,” said advocate Amit Chadda, appearing for her grandmother. The petitioner claimed that after failing to trace Sharma, they filed a complaint with the Delhi police but no action was taken against Neha.The police officials are not taking any action on the complaints and she is being prevented from meeting her son, the petitioner contended. The bench, after hearing the contention, directed the police to file its response on the allegation.
	Tenant murdered Parmindar Singh Noida, October 28 A house owner in Chaura village in Sector-22 Noida beat his tenant to death on a trivial matter. The police have taken the accused into custody and has sent the dead body for autopsy. Deena Nath Paswan, originally from village Sikorhva in East Chaparan district of Bihar, was living with his nephew Raju in Charan Singh Sharma’s house in Chaura village, Sector-22 Noida. Deena Nath Paswan and Charan Singh Sharma reportedly had an argument regarding the house rent. The argument soon took a violent turn with both of them coming to blows. Charan Singh struck Paswan’s head with a club, injuring the tenant seriously. Raju took his wounded uncle to district hospital in Sector 30 in Noida, where Deena Nath later succumbed to his wounds. Doctors said the blow on head had caused deep damage to the brain, which eventually caused Dinanth Paswan’s death. While Charan Singh denied that there was any clash between him and Deena Nath Paswan who, Sharma said, did not live in his house and as such was not his tenant. He would, however, often come to meet his nephew Raju in his house. But police have arrested Charan Singh on the statement of his neighbours. The police are, however, evasive as to the real cause of Paswan’s death. ASP, J. Ravinder has been entrusted with conducing a probe into the matter.
	Lakdawala lecture held Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 Paying rich tributes to India’s cosmopolitan culture, former director of London School of Economics, Anthony Giddens says its growth story has demolished the popular belief that authoritarian government is the singular condition of rapid economic development. India could be seen as a third moment in the great experiment launched by the American and French revolutions—democracy, Sir Giddens said here delivering the ninth D T Lakdawala memorial lecture last evening. “India is the most pointed challenge to those who say that authoritarian government is the condition of rapid economic development. India has always had a cosmopolitan elite — look at the manifold influences on the life of Gandhi,” said Prof Giddens The theme of Prof Giddens address was ‘the nation - state in the global age.’ The event was hosted by the Institute of Social Sciences. It was sponsored by the planning commission and the British High Commission. Sharing the dais with Prof Giddens was vice-president M. Hamid Ansari. The sprawling FICCI auditorium was packed with men and women from the world of academia, policymakers, political personalities and bureaucrats.
	Triple talaq not valid in some cases: court New Delhi, October 28 In a judgement with far-reaching consequences, the Delhi High Court has said the triple talaq pronounced by a husband in anger or not communicated to the wife within a certain period would not be valid. “If a talaq is pronounced in extreme anger where the husband has lost control of himself it would not be effective or valid. And if the pronouncement is not communicated to the wife, who is not present on the spot, it would also not take effect,” Justice B.D. Ahmed said in a recent judgement. The court was hearing a plea from Masroor Ahmed, an accounts professional, seeking the quashing of a criminal complaint of rape his wife Aisha Anjum had filed against him in the Preet Vihar police station here. The husband, in a fit of anger, had pronounced talaq in her absence in October 2005, but the two had come to live together again after that. Aisha had filed a first information report (FIR) with the police under the Muslim Personal Law alleging that Masroor had raped her during April 13-19, 2006, the period she was in her matrimonial home. The court said, “The purported talaq of October 2005 was invalid as the essential ingredients of pronouncement, communication and attempt at reconciliation, are absent. The petitioner and the complainant continued as husband and wife during the relevant period (i.e., 13.04.2006 to 19.04.2006).” The court held that since the couple’s divorce was invalid, the husband’s physical relationship with his legally wedded wife, subsequent to his pronouncement of a talaq, would not amount to rape. In October 2005, Masroor, who works in Bangalore, reached Delhi but his wife, complaining dowry harassment from the parents-in-law, had moved out and was staying with her daughter in a rented place. When Masroor came to know about the situation he pronounced triple talaq in anger though she was not present there and the pronouncement was not communicated to her. She came to know about it from her brother-in-law who was present on the spot at the time of pronouncement. Justice Ahmed said, “There was no attempt at reconciliation in the manner suggested in the Quran either before or after the purported pronouncement of talaq in October 2005. Consequently, the marital ties of the petitioner and the complainant subsisted during the relevant period. Therefore, the offence of rape is not made out even on the basis of allegations contained in the complaint. “It (triple talaq) is an innovation which may have served a purpose at a particular point of time in history but if it is rooted out such a move would not be contrary to any basic tenets of Islam or the Quran or any ruling of the Prophet Muhammad,” said Justice Ahmed. — IANS
	False income case: 2 doctors summoned Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 A local court has summoned a female dentist and the medical superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh Hospital in the Capital for allegedly producing a false account of her income in order to obtain higher maintenance from her NRI husband in a divorce case. Metropolitan magistrate Sandeep Yadav on May 12, 2007, summoned Dr Shalini Bansal and Dr G S Soin of Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, under Sections 193 (false evidence), 197 (issuing false certificate), 199 (false evidence in court), and 120-b (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Shalini Bansal’s husband Rajiv Tayal has accused her of ‘trapping’ him, an NRI; marrying him, living with him in the USA for nearly six months and, then, filing a divorce case, after returning to India. He has accused her of pressurising him for paying her a higher maintenance amount. Tayal is an aeronautical engineer in the USA. Shalini Bansal is accused of submitting a false certificate of her salary in the court. Medical superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh Hospital Dr GS Soin had allegedly issued a false salary certificate to Bansal. It stated that she had not received any salary for the last two months. Tayal’s counsel K K Jha has accused her of taking an oath before the court on August 8, 2005 that she had not received any salary from Guru Gobind Singh Hospital.
	4 let off in cab driver attack case Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 A year after a call centre cab driver was attacked by four men over a tiff, a court here has acquitted the accused after the prosecution failed to prove its allegations. Additional sessions judge Dinesh Dayal absolved K V Philip, Baby K V, Prasad and Suresh Kumar for stabbing Deepu, a cab driver with a Noida-based call centre. As per the prosecution, which had examined nine witnesses in the case, Deepu was attacked on the night of August 27 last year at a place near his house in Mayur Vihar phase-iii in the city. It was alleged that Deepu’s car was stopped by a vegetable vendor, when the four accused began to abuse him. When he resisted, three of the accused caught him while Philip stabbed him. Following the incident, Deepu called up his uncle who took him to a nearby hospital. A complaint was registered with new Ashok Nagar police station. The court, while exonerating the accused, noted that the prosecution had failed to bring in sufficient witnesses to prove its allegations. It expressed surprise that though the incident took place near to the victim’s house, there were no persons who had seen the incident taking place.
	2005 blasts Culprits still at large New Delhi, October 28 Monday will be the third anniversary of the pre-Diwali serial bombings in the capital that claimed 67 lives, but those behind the terror attack still remain at large. The absconding suspects include notorious Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Abu al Kama, who is now reportedly holed up in Pakistan but Delhi Police are unable to approach the Interpol for his arrest owing to the lack of knowledge of his exact whereabouts. In the three years since the Oct 29, 2005 explosions at Paharganj, Kalkaji and the Sarojini Nagar Market, police have also failed to trace three other militants involved in the attack. “There were a total of three cases registered in the wake of the serial blasts and the police were able to arrest three of the eight operatives involved in the blasts,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told IANS. “The operatives included LeT operatives Tariq Ahmed Dar, Mohammed Hussain and Mohammed Fazili Rajshah,” said Singh, adding that the three were presently facing trial in various courts for their roles in the bombings. The police had filed charge sheets against them under various offences including those for murder, attempt to murder, waging war and conspiring to commit various offences against the state. Probing the blasts, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police was able to work out the entire sequence of events to fund the operation for which it lodged a separate case and was prosecuting two others. A fifth terrorist involved in the blasts, Abu Ozefa, was killed in Srinagar Jan 17, 2006 in a joint operation of Delhi Police, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army. Senior police officers admitted that they have been unable to approach Interpol to have an international arrest warrant issued against Al Kama and other three absconding operatives owing to their failure in locating their exact addresses in Pakistan. — IANS
	Karva Chauth today Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 The Capital’s markets wore a festive look today as married women were shopping for Karva Chauth. The festival will be observed tomorrow. Resplendent with rows of colourful bangles and other Karva Chauth finery and delicacies, markets did a brisk business throughout the day. Karva Chauth is one of the most eagerly awaited festivals in North India. Though married women observe the festival, it is becoming increasingly popular among unmarried girls. Aastha Sharma, 19, who was waiting for her turn to get “mehndi” applied on her palm by a henna artist, said that she would observe the fast for her boyfriend. Mehndiwallas raked in the moolah with waiting lists growing from some minutes to several hours. Henna artists were sitting in many markets, with a long impatient queue of women waiting for their turn. Some beauty parlours remained open till late midnight to accommodate customers who wanted to be all set for the festival tomorrow. Married women for the long lives, prosperity and well being of their husbands observe Karva Chauth. The festival has a great social and cultural significance. The henna that a married woman applies and the colourful clothes that she wears to observe the festival signifies the happy married life. The festival has become popular in India due to the Hindi films and daily soaps on the TV. However, the increasing commercialisation and consumerism has ensured special gifts and cards for Karva Chauth. During the festival, markets get flooded with discounts and offers on sarees, jewellery and beauty products.
	Artscape Tibetan ‘Exile Web’ Ravi Bhatia Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 The Foundation For Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is holding a unique exhibition of paintings by Tibetan artists living in India at the Experimental Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre ,from November 19 to November 30. Appropriately called “Exile Web”, the exhibition will be inaugurated by artist Arpana Caur. The exhibition will showcase the recent works of the well known Tibetan artists living in India. The Foundation was established with the money from the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Dalai Lama in 1989. In the true spirit of the charter of the United Nations, the foundation brings together men and women of different faiths, professions and nationalities through a range of initiatives and mutually sustaining collaborations. The participating artists are Sonam Lhamo( selhatso ), Sonam Lhundup, Kalsang Dickyi, Tsering Gonpo and Tenzin Namgyal. All of them have exhibited their creations both in India and abroad. Poignant Aura The Shridharani Art Gallery at the Triveni Kala Sangam here is presenting “Poignant Aura” an exhibition of sculpture by Saroj Jain from November 14 to November 23. Engulfed by her experiences and committed to her imagination, Saroj Jain thrives in the tranquil environment of Triveni Kala Sangam where she heads the department of sculpture, inspiring the beginners while enriching her own experience and work. Having out grown her earlier phase, when she largely chiseled out geometric abstracts from blocks of stone and marble, delivering to all the message of a yearning restless soul struggling to break free of the bondage. Her later work has been described as architectural pieces in aluminum, while her creativity marks the emergence of new mediumistic appetites. Finally discovering her true calling in bronze, with her emotions as her muse, Saroj has been able to shape timeless masterpieces. With her latest series of works called “Poignant Aura” exuding a sentimental or romantic air varying with each of her ex-pressionist compositions. Possessing harmoniously intertwined curves and angles, each figurative form comes to life, breaching the metal barrier. Searching for utopia Delhi based artist, Anuradha Rajkumari held a solo show of her paintings at the Press Club Art Gallery here from October 22 to October 27. Entitled “Searching For Utopia”, the show had some of the latest paintings by the Dibrugarh, Assam , born artist. Anuradha, who has been painting for the last 10 years, excels in sketching the human form. The Gallery Espace here is presenting, “Form and the Formless” an exhibition of the recent works of artist Seema Ghurayya from October 23 to November 15.
	Time to tame killer trucks Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 28 After the killer Blueline buses, it is now the turn of speeding trucks to come under the Delhi High court’s scanner for endangering lives of road users in the capital. A division bench comprising Justice T S Thakur and Justice Vimla Birbal has referred it to justice Mukul Mudgal who is hearing the case against the rampaging blueline buses. This was on a public interest litigation against Delhi government’s alleged failure to tame overloaded and polluting commercial vehicles - including those coming from other states. Claiming that overloaded and polluting trucks had killed 800 people in the city so far this year, the petition filed by an NGO Paryavaran Avam Van Vikas Morcha seeks action against truck owners and drivers for making Delhi roads unsafe. Advocate Raj Panjwani appearing for the NGO said as many as 1,019 people were killed in 2005 in the capital due to rash driving of trucks. The PIL also pointed out that these trucks, coming from different states, were overloaded which is not allowed under law and the Delhi government had failed to prevent them from entering into the city. “The Delhi government has failed to discharge the obligation to prevent overloading of vehicles in particular goods vehicles which have resulted in deaths, caused environment pollution and damage to roads,” the petitioner said.
	Urban development panel revived Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 27 The Delhi Urban Infrastructure Development Committee has cleared five projects worth Rs 187.55 crore for the national Capital. Funds for the project would be given by the committee from the urban development fund. The beautification of Lajpat Nagar drain, underpass at Sarai Kale khan, additional clover leaves at Sarita Vihar, railway under bridge at the level crossing near Lajpat Nagar and an underpass near Nizamuddin railway crossing are to be undertaken within three months, state urban development minister Ajay Maken said. “The committee, which has not met since 2001, has been revived by us”, he said. Union urban development minister S. Jaipal Reddy is the chairman, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, union urban development minister for state, urban development secretary and vice-chairman of the DDA are members of the committee. Conversion fee from the lease land to free hold land goes to the committee. Currently, it has about Rs 800 crore from the conversion fees. “Since this has to be utilised for the infrastructure development of Delhi, our ministry has decided to clear the five projects to begin with. Later on more projects will be taken up in phases”, Maken said. Technical clearances have been given to the projects. While Rs 127.74 crore has been given for the Sarita Vihar flyover project for constructing additional clover leaves, approach road, footpath and cycle track, Rs 8.33 crore has been provided for the construction of the underpass at Sarai Kale Khan. Rs 24.75 crore has been given for the construction of railway under bridge near the Nizamuddin railway crossing towards Siddharth Enclave and a road near Rajdoot Hotel to connect Ring Road.