New Delhi, September 10
A large number of BJP workers under the leadership of Deputy Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Delhi unit chief, Harsh Vardhan courted arrest near Chandgi Ram Akhara today.

They gathered near Akhara and marched towards the Delhi Legislative Assembly in the morning chanting slogans against the Congress government. They said that the government was completely failed on all fronts. But they were stopped by the police where they courted arrest.

Prominent among those arrested were party’s national vice-president Anita Arya, national general secretary, Vijay Goel and Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly, Jagdish Mukhi, Pradesh vice-president Ram Bhaj, Abdul Rasheed, Neera Shastri, Pradesh general secretary Pawan Sharma, Leader of the MCD House, Subhash Arya, Pradesh secretary Vijender Gupta.

Addressing the gathering, Vijay Kumar Malhotra said that the UPA government is playing fraud with the people of the country. In the context of nuclear deal, he said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has mortgaged the sovereignty of India. There is also a question mark on the security of the country. Besides, India has come under the grip of America indirectly.

He said the Congress government in Delhi is also cheating the farmers in the name of compensation.

Pradesh president Harsh Vardhan said that the ten years’ rule of Congress in Delhi has been most disappointing and is a rule of betrayal. Every section of the people of Delhi is crying due to the misrule of Congress. The water crisis is becoming grave day by day. Sixty five per cent people of Delhi are not getting pure drinking water. The bungling in power privatisation is the greatest bungling during Congress rule, he said.

Another bungling allegedly committed by the Sheila Dikshit government is of Rs 1800 crore in the name of making the Yamuna free from pollution. Not a single colony has been regularised during the last ten years and now when the government has only a few days left, the poor are being cheated in the name of issuing provisional certificates, Vardhan pointed out.

The voters will dislodge the Congress government in the forthcoming Assembly elections and make the BJP victorious by a large majority. The participants shouted slogans like Sheila Dikshit Hay-Hay, Mehngai Ki Bhari Mar, Fail Hui Sheila Sarkar, Garibon Ko Flat Abantan Dhokha Hai, Dhokha Hai. 

Noida, September 10
With the Central Bureau of Investigation having failed to file the chargesheet in Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj double murder case in stipulated 90 days, the chances of Dr Talwar’s compounder, Krishna and domestic help of Dr Praful Durani, Raj Kumar getting a bail from the court have brightened.

Mandal, domestic help of Dr Talwar’s neighbour was released on bail two days ago by the CBI court for want of clinching evidence against him.

The investigations of the double murder case which had shocked the country had been ineptly handled by the Noida police, initially. But after three months, the country’s top investigating agency CBI has failed to arrest the killers. Not only that, the CBI has even failed to recover the weapon of murder and the equally important cell phones of the deceased.

Dr Rajesh Talwar, arrested by the Noida police allegedly for the double murder, was released by the court as the CBI said it does not have much evidence against him.

The CBI said that it would not file the chargesheet within stipulated 90 days. The agency, however, said that their focus still remained on the three accused.

The agency told the CBI court yesterday that a letter rogatory has been sent to Nepal for help in locating some witnesses and mobile phones of the victims.

The CBI, however, said it would file the chargesheet only after having completed its investigations in the case. Krishna was arrested on June 13, Raj Kumar and Mandal were nabbed on June 27 and July 11 respectively.

The CBI magistrate rejected Raj Kumar’s bail plea who is one of the three accused in the case. Now Raj Kumar can appear before the CBI judge to appeal against the CBI magistrate’s order.

It is understood the CBI had delayed filing the chargesheet as it was awaiting two critical forensic reports for pressing charges against the accused—one pertaining to blood stains on Raj Kumar’s T-shirt and the other on vaginal swabs to prove that the killers had sexually assaulted Aarushi. Otherwise, according to the CBI, it does not make sense why three men should enter the room of a young girl at midnight. The final reports are still awaited from Hyderabad’s Centre for DNA, it is learnt.

New Delhi, September 10
Taking note of the large number of complaints pertaining to dowry harassment and deaths, National Commission for Women (NCW) proposed amendments in the Dowry Prohibition Act here today.

The commission has also proposed a preliminary investigation undertaken by the police and counselling of the couple before registering cases under Section 498-A of IPC.

“After conducting wide consultations, we have observed that the Dowry Prohibition Act is not very effective in its present form. So, we are proposing a few amendments,” said Girija Vyas, chairperson, NCW.

The NCW said that the maximum complaints received by the commission comprised dowry deaths and dowry harassment.

A manifold increase was observed by the commission in the number of cases of dowry-related violence in the last three years.

In 2005, total 490 cases of dowry death and 1556 cases of dowry harassment were reported to the commission.

The next year in 2006, almost 394 dowry deaths were reported and in 2007, the number of cases of dowry harassment reached 2767 out of 16000 total cases that were reported.

The main features of the proposal include taking away of the phrase “in connection with marriage” from the Dowry Prohibition Act.

The commission said, “The term of giving or taking dowry ‘in connection with marriage’ has been interpreted by the courts in a very narrow sense.”

The commission has proposed the replacement of the word ‘presents’ with ‘gifts’ everywhere in the Act.

A change is proposed to be introduced in the section of the Act that puts both the giver and taker of dowry in the same category.

“In our social scenario, girl’s family is at times forced or blackmailed to give dowry. It has, therefore, been proposed that the taker of dowry will have a more severe punishment with imprisonment up to five years, while the giver of the dowry will be subjected to a lesser punishment of one year,” said Girija.

The protection officer under the act against domestic violence is proposed to act as dowry prohibition officer as well.

“The seven year time limitation for the death of the bride should be removed as a condition for registering a case of dowry death, as we have witnessed cases of dowry death even after 22 years of marriage,” she said.

The commission said that all the three Acts dealing with violence against women should be used appropriately.

“There have been cases where women have come to us and expressed their choice to reunite with the husband after registering a case against the husband’s family under Section 498-A,” said Girija.

Section 498-A that deals with the cases of husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty has often been misused.

“We cannot do away with the section, however we believe that it should be used as a last resort. Awareness regarding the provisions in other sections and acts have to be spread,” she said.

Dr Vyas said, “We have looked at several cases of the Supreme Court and High Court. An advisory should be issued to all state governments that only where there is a prima facie case of harassment cases should be registered under Section 498-A.”

The commission also demanded 10 per cent of the gender budget of the central government to be spent on legal awareness programmes.

A pilot programme has been initiated by the NCW with the Crime Against Women Cell of the Delhi Police to have counselling of both husband and wife for reconciliation before cases are registered.

Greater Noida, September 10
The parents of a young married woman have accused their daughter’s in-laws of burning her alive as she had failed to bring more dowry. The police has registered a dowry death case against five persons including her husband.

The tragedy occurred at Mirzapur village under Rabupura police station area. The critically burnt woman had succumbed to her injuries while she was being rushed to hospital.

According to police circle officer Dev Karan Kain, Shyam Badan of Palwal in Haryana had got his daughter Anita married to Rinku son of Chanderpal of Mirzapur village on February 19 last year.

Shyam Badan had alleged that Anita’s in-laws had started demanding Rs 50,000 and a vehicle after a few months the marriage was solemnised. When Anita’s parents refused to comply with their demands, her in-laws started harassing and torturing her.

On September 7, she was thrown out of the house after being beaten up. She had to take refuge in the house of her neighbour, Jeevan. After being informed Shyam Badan came to Mirzapur with his son. In a panchayat, Anita’s in-laws were counselled to behave in a responsible way and the matter was sorted.

But on Monday her in-laws poured kerosene on Anita and torched her, Shyam Badan alleged. At that time he was present in the village along with his son and reached the spot immediately. They found Anita amidst flames.

They rushed the critically charred Anita to Noida civil hospital from where she was referred to a Delhi hospital.

But Anita had succumbed to her burn injuries on way to the Delhi hospital.

Dowry death cases have been registered against Anita’s husband Rinku, father-in-law Chanderpal, Chanderpal’s brother Puran Singh and Rinku’s younger brothers Ashok and Sunder.

New Delhi, September 10
The anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government has arrested the SHO of Sarita Vihar police station along with two constables for allegedly demanding money from a resident who had cut some trees.

SHO Rajender Singh Yadav and constables Ram Dayal and Duli Chand have been held for demanding bribe.

Additional commissioner of police N Dilip Kumar said one Sompal had cut some trees from his property within the jurisdiction of Sarita Vihar police station. The two constables Ram Dayal and Duli Chand approached him and allegedly demanded money for the illegal act.

They demanded Rs10,000 from Sompal to which he said that the money was too much. The duo told Sompal that they had taken Rs 30,000 from a person for similar case. Sompal then complained about the two to the anti-corruption branch which recorded the talks between Sompal and the corrupt constables.

The duo had mentioned that half the money which they are demanding will go to the SHO Rajender Yadav. Sompal then called the SHO and told him about the money being demanded by his subordinates and also that Rs 5000 is being taken for him. These talks too were recorded.

After these talks, Sompal was instructed by the anti-corruption branch to call the constables to take the money at a specific time. When Duli Chand and Ram Dayal came to collect the money from Sompal yesterday at a given time and place, they were arrested redhanded by the sleuths of anti-corruption branch. After the duo’s arrest, SHO Rajender Singh too was apprehended. 

New Delhi, September 10
A special court of electricity at Vikaspuri yesterday sentenced a factory owner, who disowned his own unit when it was caught stealing electricity, to one year rigorous imprisonment. He was found guilty when the court directed his mobile company to share its application form and supporting documents.

Nihal Singh Yadav, a prominent factory owner in the West Delhi area of Dwarka, has been sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment. The original application form and the documents furnished by a leading mobile company were enough to nail him.

In April 2005, a BSES enforcement team found Yadav’s steel fabrication unit stealing 5.3 KW of power from a nearby BSES LV main. No meter found on the premises. According to the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, a penalty of Rs 2.36 lakh was imposed on the accused. Thereafter, a power theft case under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, was filed in a special court.
But the special court granted a conditional bail to him after he deposited Rs 50,000 to BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL). Though Yadav tried to misguide the court, the BSES proved that he was very much the user of the raided premises.

During the course of raid, the BRPL enforcement team came across a mobile number that belonged to Yadav. To establish the identity of the owner of the mobile number, the BSES requested the special court to requisition the customer records from the mobile service provider. An official from the mobile company was asked to appear before the court with the original application form/documents submitted by the owner of the mobile number.

The original application form and supporting documents presented by the official pinned the accused to the raided premises. The accused had taken the mobile number from the company in 2003 on the address of the raided premises. This proved that Nihal Singh Yadav used the premises and he was involved in the power theft. 

New Delhi, September 10
Devender Kumar Aggarwal (47), chairman and managing director of Delhi-based real estate company Laxmi Vatika Ltd, was arrested yesterday from a hotel in Mumbai for allegedly cheating over 5,000 people to the tune of millions of rupees.

According to the police, Aggarwal had taken millions of rupees from thousands of people on the pretext of giving them luxurious apartments and land in Mumbai, Mohali, Dehradun and Patna.

Aggarwal, who was wanted in 13 criminal cases, has an office at Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place and is a resident of south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area.

He originally hails from Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh.

He was declared proclaimed offender by the Delhi High Court in 2006.

The Delhi police had announced a Rs 50,000 award for his arrest.

Aggarwal allegedly took Rs 51,000 to Rs 700,000 from over 5,000 people on the pretext of giving them apartments and land in Mumbai, Mohali, Dehradun and Patna

New Delhi, September 10
A debate on the issue of unauthorised colonies took place in three days’ assembly session of the Delhi government started from today. Two major parties Congress, the ruling party and the BJP, the main opposition party levelled allegations against each other.

Congress MLA from Hastsal, Mukesh Sharma, who is one of the patrons of ‘unauthorised colonies sammelan’ said that the Congress was always for the betterment of the poor. Most of the residents of these colonies are poor. They live a miserable life. To make their living better, the government announced regularisation of 1539 colonies, he added.

They are being given provisional authorization at present, he said and added that later after completing all formalities of civic amenities, the government would regularise them fully.

As far as BJP is concerned, he said that it did nothing for the citizens when it was in power in Delhi. It had no policy for development of the city.

He hoped that the citizens of Delhi would vote the Congress to power for the third consecutive term.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly, Jagdish Mukhi said that so far the government did nothing for regularisation of unauthorised colonies. It is making citizens of the Capital fool by registering colonies and issuing a slip claiming that they are eligible for regularisation.

Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government is going to complete 10 years in Delhi but it has never tabled any proposal in this connection, Mukhi said.

Now the elections are near and the government has announced regularisation. Voters of Delhi are well aware. They will not fall in the trap of the Congress. The same tactics were adopted during the MCD elections, but people voted against the party, Mukhi claimed.

He said that before regularisation layout plan is made. All necessary things like dispensary, school, post office, market, park etc are shown in the plan. But in case of 1539 colonies, this exercise has not been done.

The government had tabled a proposal in the last session when it was said that it would take development charge from the property owners in unauthorised colonies before declaring them regularised. But this is still not clear what would be the rate of development charges in these colonies, Mukhi pointed out.

The Congress is harping that the policy for regularisation was made by it and now it is being implemented. Actually it was formulated by the BJP when the NDA government was in centre. The NDA government asked for modalities of development in these colonies but the Congress government in Delhi did not react.

Again when the BJP was in power in Delhi, it tried its best to provide authorisation status to these colonies. But it was unlucky as at that time Congress was in power in centre, Mukhi said.

When Madan Lal Khurana was Chief Minister, aerial survey of 1078 colonies was made and submitted to the union government appealing for regularisation. But the Narsimaha Rao government put this file aside, Mukhi alleged.

Summing up his address to the House, Mukhi told the Chief Minister that 250 colonies had been excluded from the list of provisional authorisation of these colonies. Will the government table the list of these colonies?

At present the government has banned the registry in these colonies. Will the government allow registration after provisional authorization, Mukhi asked. 

New Delhi, September 10
Delhi University teachers and others from across the Capital as well as different states are highly upset by the UGC’s decision to give a one-month extension to Prof. G.K. Chadha commission on pay revision of university and college teachers. The pay revision issue has been a bone of contention between university teachers across the national Capital and the UGC for some time now.

FEDCUTA on more than one occasion has expressed “strong objection” to any such move by the UGC. Teachers from central universities have been sitting on hunger strike in the matter and have sent out numerous appeals, letters and held meetings on the issue with the UGC.

“Although FEDUCTA has been pursuing for an early submission of Prof. Chadha Committee’s report within its defined timeframe, nothing has come out so far. By extending the period of the commission for a month, it has exposed the commission’s non–seriousness on the whole issue of attracting and retaining talent in higher education,” says Prof Aditya Kumar Misra, president of FEDCUTA.

FEDCUTA has condemned Prof. G.K. Chadha’s attitude towards the whole issue. “We have urged the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter of pay revision. To express its resentment over continued delay in submission of the PRC report, teachers of central universities in Delhi and other parts of the country will organize a march from Ferozeshah Kotla Ground to University Grants Commission on September 17,” informs Misra.

Angered FEDCUTA members have decided to precipitate a targeted action programme against the UGC if nothing comes out as per the memorandum submitted by FEDCUTA on pay revision. 

New Delhi, September 10
The persecution of minorities in the country today found expression in an art show put together by the students of three leading colleges of the capital — Hindu , Venkateshwera and Lady Shri Ram College — and a group of foreign artistes. They brought to fore the painful realities of violence, its genesis, nature, cause and consequences.

The show was organised by Sanjiv and Sushila Alawadi under the title of “Let My Country Awake”.

It featured a host of activities, including paintings, dramas, music and poetry events, each one designed to showcase communal violence, as it has been played out in the recent past in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Kashmir, and most recently Orissa.

The show, at India Habitat Centre, was well-attended and left a deep impact on the audiences.

Theatre presentations by young artistes, who used communal violence as food for thought, were particularly impressive. Worth a mention here are the productions titled “Kardo Chakka Jam”, which literally challenged the people into action. Directed by the Hindu College Drama Society, the street play condoned the culture of silence surrounding sensitive issues of communalism, and dared the people to stand up for their right to life and peace.

Another powerful production came from the repertoire of the Venkateshwera College Drama Society. This one talked about the scourge of communal violence, which vested political interests breed and spread. The overall message of most presentations was “Speak up for yourself”, and “Don’t be mute victims.”

The Western Music Society Of Lady Shri Ram College also performed a song ‘Mother India’ to make the generation know about what’s happening in our country and to shake their patriotic feelings.

Foreign artistes like Stefan Eicher, Eunice Pamei, Tony Jhonson, Grace Church and Cheryl Philip also actively participated for the cause.

At the end of there was a slide show on some paintings that showcased the feeling of communalism and hatred that is developing in India.

Noida, September 10
The boundary wall of Maha Maya Inter Girls College in Sector - 44 here is being built at a cost of over Rs 3 crore.

The college authorities ensure that a strong and attractive boundary wall be built. Reportedly, red stones from Bhansi Paharpur and Karote are being used for the boundary wall of the college.

The main characteristic of this stone is that each year its colour will become deeper and it will change its hue each year. Maha Maya College will have facilities for education, sports, boarding and lodging for 16,000 girl students, sources said.

The work is expected to be completed in three months. Maha Maya Girls College is one of the favourite projects of UP Chief Minister Mayawati. All facilities for quality education are being made available in the institute.