New Delhi, January 17
The police here are questioning at least two more people in connection with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) flat allotment scam while looking for a chartered accountant who is also suspected to be involved, police sources said on Saturday.

“A chartered accountant Manish Kumar is being questioned here. Meanwhile an accountant, Alok Kumar, is being questioned at Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district from where the conspirators had acquired details of SC/ST people for filing applications,” the sources added.

“Manish allegedly helped in getting the loan applications cleared. Alok arranged forged documents for acquiring PAN cards,” they said.

The Delhi Police started investigating the case after a man who was allotted a flat in the draw of lots told the police that he had neither applied for a DDA flat nor had a PAN card.

Four people have been arrested in the case till now, including a retired DDA employee M.L. Gautam. He had allegedly filed around 1,200 application forms for flats earmarked for SC/STs and got 40 in the draw of lots.

Gautam had told the police that 10 more people were involved in fudging applications and manipulating allotments of flats.

Meanwhile, teams of Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing have gone to Jhunjhunu and Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh for further investigations. Sources revealed that following questioning of Deepak Kumar, who was a direct selling agent with two leading multinational banks, the police in an attempt to trace the chain of agents who could have supplied the conspirators with fraudulent ID and bank cards questioned agents belonging to three courier companies who have network across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. — IANS

New Delhi, January 17
A team of Delhi police’s special cell is in Mumbai to bring Mohammed Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy alias Munnawar (31), a software engineer who was arrested by the Mumbai anti-terrorist squad from Pune for his alleged role in the September 13 serial blasts that shook the national Capital.

Munnawar, allegedly a key Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative, was responsible for sending terror mails to news channels minutes before the blasts took place.

“Munnawar is expected to be brought to the Capital by Monday. He had expressed his desire to be an approver at a MCOCA court in Mumbai in the Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts cases,” said a senior police official.

The Delhi police is seeking Munnawar’s custody to find out more about his involvement in the Delhi serial blasts other than sending threatening mails to news channels.

According to sources, Munnawar has admitted to know Riyaz Bhatkal, a senior IM leader who was the in-charge of Gujarat module and one of the key conspirators in the Delhi serial blasts. 

Gurgaon, January 17
Patients coming to the government hospitals in Haryana will now get all medicines free. Besides, pregnant women will get free treatment during the gestation period till the birth of baby. This step has been taken by the Haryana government to cut people’s expenses on health care and build a healthy Haryana. Directions in this regard have been issued to the health authorities by the state government.

Stating this here today, deputy commissioner Deepti Umashankar said that the decision was being implemented in the city in a meticulous way and the doctors in government hospitals have been asked to prescribe the medicines available in the hospital.

“As per the policy of the state government,” she said, “328 types of medicines were being provided free to patients coming to the OPD in government hospitals. Similarly, 112 types of medicines at the Community Health Centre (CHCs) and 98 types of medicines at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) were being given to patients free of charge.”

“Doctors can also prescribe medicines to be purchased from outside the hospital if the treatment necessitated so but in that case, as per the policy, he should try to recommend the generic medicines which are cheaper than the branded medicines. The generic medicines are 40 to 50 per cent cheaper than the branded ones,” Umashankar clarified.

She said, “Pregnant women have also been provided with the facility of free treatment in government hospitals right from the stage of conceiving. All medicines would be made available free of cost and even the caesarean, if required, will be done without charging a penny.”

She added, “If the condition of woman becomes serious at any stage during delivery, the facility of ambulance for taking her to another specialized hospital would also be provided,” Umashankar added.

The deputy commissioner has appealed to people to avail the facilities at the government hospitals.

She has also asked them to bring to her notice if any doctor in the city does not adhere to these rules.

New Delhi, January 17
The September 13 serial blasts have brought over-night media glare and national attention for 12-years-old, Rahul, who today lives with an elevated status of being one of the 20 winners of National Bravery Award for 2008.

Rahul, who is being brought up by his grandparents, was the prime witness to a horrifying scene of that fateful day. He was on his daily task of selling balloons in the evening, when he saw two bearded men in black kurta pyjamas at Barakhamba crossing and one dropping a plastic bag into the garbage bin, which later on exploded.

That night has changed young Rahul’s life and landed him with national acclaim, besides a cash prize of Rs 7000, certification and medal from the Prime Minister.

Rahul, who is thrilled though tired due to a dozen interview sessions, said, “I want to be a fearless police officer, and catch terrorists and criminals like those involved in the blasts. I had the least idea that my act of acting as a witness would be of so much help to the people.”

After repeated intrusions of the media, Rahul has been put under the charge of Apna Ghar and is studying at Salaam Balak Trust, an NGO, at present. 

New Delhi, January 17
The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), Delhi has cleared eight proposals amounting to Rs 66 crore for four projects of the PWD.

Three of them are irrigation and flood control department projects while one is related to environment and forest department.

The proposals were cleared yesterday in an EFC meeting presided over by Delhi finance minister A.K. Walia.

Walia said Rs 38 crore had been sanctioned for the execution of the projects. Rs 11.44 crore would be spent on strengthening Outer Ring Road no-26 and raising footpath from the junction of GT Karnal Road-Mukarba Chowk to road no-41-Madhuban Chowk.

Rs 11.64 crore has been sanctioned for widening and strengthening road no-13A from Mathura Road to Kalindi Kunj border. Rs 8.24 crore has been sanctioned for the reconstruction of concrete road no-56 A. While Rs 6.81 crore would be released for the construction of foot-over bridge on Outer Ring Road at Bhairon Road Mandir.

New Delhi, January 17
The All India Sikh Conference (AISC) (Babbar) today talked of raising the 1984 anti-Sikh riots on international forums saying that the Sikh community has lost confidence in government.

AISC president Gurcharan Singh Babbar claimed that nearly 10,000 of the 1984 rioters reside in Delhi, but even after 25 years of the massacre, they have not been punished. “The Sikh community will never forgive them,” said Babbar.

He appealed to the union government to form a time bound policy to take action against culprits in riot cases.

Babbar said that he would get books written on Sikh riots translated in different languages and would get it circulated in all states of the country so that people would know about the bloodshed. These books will be available on internet also, he added.

The AISC president has also written a letter to the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) demanding suspension of the officials of the investigating agency who leaked the statement of the two eyewitnesses – Jasbir Singh and Surender Singh- against Jagdish Tytler, one of the accused in the case.

Addressing a conference, Babbar said that the eyewitness now reside in USA. The CBI team had gone to USA to question them. The investigating agency was supposed to submit the sealed report to the court, but it was allegedly leaked to a news agency.

Babbar claimed that that he was called by the CBI four times and once a senior officer of the investigating agency told him that he was pressurized to close the case.

In his letter, Babbar appealed to the CBI to register his statement against Jagdish Tytler as without his statement the case cannot be completed.

New Delhi, January 17
To provide uninterrupted power supply during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) has set up a 66/11KW-grid sub-station near Akshardham Temple. The sub-station has been set up especially for the Games Village.

Laying stone of the power sub-station, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, “The 2010 Commonwealth Games would catapult Delhi on the world stage. Every country will be watching us. It will give us an opportunity to showcase our ccomplishments.”

BSES chairman Lalit Jalan said, “Rs 40 crore would be spent on the project. The grid will be Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) compatible and remotely operated from the central control room at Balaji Estate, Kalkaji. Hence, problems will be solved at a much faster rate.”

Jalan added though the grid sub-station was scheduled to be completed by March 2010, the BSES was confident of gifting it to the Commonwealth Complex by late 2009.

BSES CEO Arun Kanchan announced that the BSES would install two 25 MVA transformers to take care of any eventuality.

Therefore, even if the primary transformer fails for some reason, the back-up transformer will immediately take over and ensure uninterrupted power supply, he grinned.

A BSES official further explained precautions were being taken to ensure that landscaping and aesthetics of the grid get well with the architecture of the surrounding complex.

Other dignitaries present included Delhi finance and urban development minister A.K. Walia, MP Rajendra Kumar, Delhi power secretary, senior government and BSES officials.

Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa was also present. 

Gurgaon, January 17
Zahida Khan, daughter of Mewat in Haryana, created history by becoming the first women MLA from Meo community in the country. Meo Muslims are considered the most backward section of society. It is to be mentioned that a majority of the Meo population are poor and illiterate and constitute the most deprived section of the society.

The lady was in the city for her personal appointments and we got a chance to talk to her.

She is not only the first Meo woman MLA, but is also the sole representative of her community in the Rajasthan assembly. She was elected from the Kaman constituency by a margin of about 8,000 votes.

Born on March 6, 1963, Zahida is a law graduate from Delhi University and is married to an engineering graduate, Jalish Khan. She is also an active social worker in the Mewat region of Rajasthan.

Zahida is no stranger to politics; it virtually runs in her blood. Her grandfather Mohammed Yasin Khan, along with Mahatma Gandhi, was instrumental in stopping the Meo community from going to Pakistan in 1947. He was elected as an MLA in the first elections held in the country in 1926 and remained a member of the Punjab assembly from 1926 to 1946 and then from 1952 to 1962. He was also elected unopposed from the Firozepur Jhirka assembly constituency in 1952. Yasin was the first advocate of Mewat and had promoted education among Meos and had even opened a school in Mewat which was later transformed as Yasin Meo Degree College by his son Tayyab Hussain. Significantly the college was by and large the only major educational institute in Mewat and is still the venue of major government and political functions.

Zahida has also served as the chairman of Panchayat Samiti Kaman in the year 2000-2005. She was nominated as assembly candidate by the Congress party after the sudden demise of her father Tayyab. Tayyab was the only person in country to hold the distinction of being minister from three different states i.e.  Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

With a literate woman of Mewat becoming an MLA and creating history, the demands of making her a cabinet minister have started to arise. The Meo community has raised strong objections to her not being made a cabinet minister in first list. They say that Meo’s, who are spread in several states, would vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls for the government which would give them their due share as they were fed up of promises and betrayal of promises.

While speaking to The Tribune, Zahida said, “It is ironical that in spite of promises made by several governments about looking into the welfare of the Meo community, Mewat not even has a government owned venue to hold government functions. Even the Republic Day and Independence Day functions are celebrated at Yasin Meo Degree College.” She further said, “Mewat was made a district by the present Congress government and it has also promised to take steps for promoting education among Meo community.”

Incidentally, Zahida’s brother, who contested the Rajasthan assembly elections on a BSP ticket from a neighbouring constituency lost by a narrow margin.

Zahida feels that she is lucky to be born in a family which was progressive in outlook and way ahead of others in thinking. “My family always believed education held the key to the upliftment of the community,” she retreated. Zahida promises to continue the work started by her grandfather. 

Gurgaon, January 17
A minor fire broke out here today at GMD Square on MG Road in DLF Phase 2. The fire started from a rest room on the fifth floor. According to the eyewitness, the cause of the fire was a burning cigarette which someone had thrown on a piece of paper in a shaft.

Three fire tenders controlled the fire within 15-20 minutes.

According to H.S. Sihag, fire officer, “Inexperienced people from security tried to control fire with cylinders and destroyed all wires on the floor causing smoke to spread to the entire building although the fire was very minor.” He added that now-a-days these colonels are opening security academies everywhere, but they don’t take care of hiring trained and qualified staff.

He said that one of the workers must have lit the cigarette, which otherwise is not allowed on any premises, and carelessly threw the same in the shaft containing waste papers. 

Noida, January 17
Three women were attacked by criminals on bike who deprived them of their purses and cash yesterday. Two loots took place near the office of district magistrate while the third incident happened near a police post.

The police did not take cognizance of women’s complaints nor registered a case. The first loot took place near the DM’s office when Seema, a designer, had gone shopping in Atta market. She was returning home on a cyclerickshaw at 9.50 pm when bike-borne bandits snatched her purse. Though Seema raised the alarm, the bikers sped away.

Her bag contained ATM card, cell phone, Rs 1,000 and some important papers. While she was narrating her experience to police, the same criminals targeted another woman a few steps from the first incident.

Abhilap, husband of the victim, filed a complaint with the police. He said his wife was to go out of station. The criminals snatched her bag containing Rs 10,000, he said.

The third incident took place a short distance from Sector-18 police post. Mamta, an employee of a call centre, had gone to Sector-18 with her friends. While she was talking with her friends, two bike-borne bandits snatched her purse at gunpoint. Mamta immediately informed the cops at police post. However, the police refused to register her complaint.

New Delhi, January 17
It is going to be some powerful and evocative spectacle for the serious film buffs of the Capital courtesy the Fifth Tri-Continental Film Festival, which is presenting 28 documentaries from over 20 countries from Asia, Africa and South America.

The focus of this festival, taking up issues depicting the dreams and nightmares associated with war and border conflicts and dictatorships, lies in its thematic contours that support and strengthen the global campaigns, which aim towards rewriting happy destinies of nations and individuals in the global south.

The festival director, Alika Khosla, said, “This film festival, focussing on the human rights and public movements in the global south, is a perfect vehicle to take these cutting-edge films to mass audience, specifically youth across the country. Earlier, Breakthrough (an international human rights organisation) had called for entries for the film festival and received over 150 responses. Out of those, 28 were shortlisted, including five Indian films. The idea was having equal representation among the three continents.”

This festival, inaugurated by Nandita Das on Thursday evening at India Habitat Centre in the Capital, draws upon the essential concerns of right to live with dignity, free of torture and oppression, freedom of expression and non-violence as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A film artiste and social activist Nandita Das, stressing the significance of documentary films, said that the documentary genre should be encouraged, as it is a strong medium of telling narratives with a silent resonance.

Screening of “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” of Liberia (directed by Gini Reticker), set the ball rolling for this cinematic bonanza, which is showcasing 11 Asian premieres, 8 Indian premieres and 1 world premiere, and has four categories, namely Body-Public, Zones of war, The Line that Defines and Not All in Good Faith. The opening film, depicting mass movement by women for toppling the Charles Taylor regime in 2003, bagged the best jury award along with “Sari Soldiers”.

Among the groups mentioned above, the first entails four films from India and two from Spain/South Africa and Iran/Canada that explore how human body can act as a strong tool of expression and signifier of physical and psychological violence.

Pieces like “Is it just a Game” from India by Shakuntala Kulkarni, addressing the whole concept of gender and women victimisation, “Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame” from Iran by Hana Makhmal Baf, talking about the predicament of the Afghanistan’s female section in the context of right to education and “Forbidden Sundance”, chronicling the banning of dancing in Iran, are the main highlights of this category.

The second section unfolds seven pieces from nine nations, including “Brides of Allah”, from Israel and directed by Natali Assouline that narrates the real-life renditions of women who are imprisoned after the terrorist attacks on Israel and “Sari Soldiers” directed by Julie Bridgham that speaks about six women’s brave efforts to carve Nepal’s future amidst Maoist insurgencies.

Then, the third category presents four films from five countries that delve into the intricacies and stark realities of cross-border conflicts, tales of asylum seekers and consequently, the making of a refugee, an exile and an illegal immigrant in films like, “Infinite Border” from Mexico and “The American” from Bolivia.

And the last group showcases seven creations from nine nations that offer heart-rending perspectives on migration and displacement, eloquently captured in films like “Iron Eaters” from Bangladesh, “Rightful Place” from Kenya and “Under Construction” from Shang Hai.

The tri-continental film fest started in Latin America in 2002, then in Africa in 2003 and then Breakthrough staged it in India in 2004 for the first time, thereby making India a multi-focal frame for a wide ranging human rights issues trampling peace in the global south.

Meanwhile, this visual extravaganza after giving more than a mere cinema and real footage to Delhiites at Alliance Francaise besides IHC would travel to Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and Kolkata later. 

Gurgaon, January 17 
The loan proposals amounting to Rs 70 crore were received in the customer’s meet of Haryana Financial Corporation organized in the city-based corporation’s office here yesterday.

The meet was attended by 21 entrepreneurs. General manager S C Khandelwal and senior manager Dinesh Chatrath attended this meet.

Loan proposals of Rs 70 crore were received, out of which proposals of Rs 48 crore lie in the limit of corporation’s office in Gurgaon.

A majority of loan proposals were for setting up readymade garments, auto parts, hotels, commercial rented accommodation and miscellaneous units like power-coated units.

The corporation provides financial assistance up to Rs 5 crore at competitive terms for setting up industrial units and for expanding existing units.

The corporation also provide financial assistance for construction of commercial complexes, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels etc.

Such meet would also be held in Bhadurgarh on January 21.