New Delhi, February 21
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit inaugurated ‘Sankalp Utsav-2009’, the annual Bhagidari mela, at Pragati Maidan here today.

“The objective of Sankalp Utsav is to channel citizens’ participation for the city’s welfare in the wake of Commonwealth Games 2010. Over 20,000 people representing various citizen groups associated with Bhagidari initiative have participated in the Utsav,” said Dikshit. Every year a mela is organised at Pragati Maidan to showcase the achievements under Bhagidari initiative.

“This Sankalp Utsav is different from the ones organised in previous years. The first element is sensitisation of the public on various issues. While the second is an exhibition mounted by different departments, and third is an exclusive area where departments handling Games-2010 project are showcasing their works in an aesthetic way,” said a senior official. The Chief Minister also inspected the stalls. The theme of MCD and NDMC stalls is ‘Clean Delhi’, while that of the Delhi Tourism is ‘Be Hospitable and Save Heritage’.

The Chief Minister exhorted bhagidars to make the Commonwealth Games a success. She also appealed to them to inculcate civic sense and etiquette in children. She called upon the agencies to work in tandem to overcome difficulties.

Dikshit later presented the Chief Minister’s Best Rain Harvester Awards for 2007. The first prize of Rs 2 lakh was awarded to Som Vihar Apartments, R.K. Puram, under the institutional category.

The second prize of Rs 1 lakh went to Mira Model School, Janakpuri, whereas three special commendation prizes of Rs 25,000 each were bagged by RWA J-Block Saket, Anand Lok Residents’ Association, Anand Lok and Mandakini Enclave Residents’ Welfare Association, Alaknanda.

New Delhi, February 21
Devotees visiting temples this Shivratri can expect an aesthetic feel along with spiritual as the MCD has launched a special sanitation and cleanliness drive.

The additional commissioners and deputy commissioners of all 12 zones of the MCD have been asked to ensure proper implementation of the sanitation drive in their zones. They will inspect the areas under their charge in the morning and record their observation after monitoring.

The sanitary staff have been particularly directed to ensure cleanliness around temples at Shivratri on Monday.

“Special emphasis will be laid on the areas around various temples. During the drive, it will be ensured that proper sanitation is maintained by the field agencies,” the MCD officials said.

He said efforts will be made to ensure that the spirit of cleanliness achieved during the drive is maintained for good. “We have asked councillors and chairmen of ward committees to co-operate and guide the municipal staff,” he said. 

New Delhi, February 21
Two key officials of the Delhi police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) probing the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scam were today transferred outside Delhi.

According to a source in the Delhi Police Headquarters, while the chief of EOW probe team, additional commissioner of police S B K Singh was transferred to Puducherry, another key member of the probe team, ACP Deepak Purohit was transferred to the Daman and Diu.

The transfers, which have been described as “routine”, raises an eyebrow, for they come nearly 24 hours after an internal probe by the DDA into the December 16 draw of flats gave its officials a clean chit.

Ever since the EOW team headed by Singh began probing the alleged irregularities in the draw, six people have been arrested in the case.

Highly placed sources in the DDA said the panel report did not point a finger to the involvement of any department or official of the housing agency, though it hinted at the involvement of some of the applicants.

The report is expected to be made public after the upcoming general elections, as it is being feared that any adverse report against any DDA official might result in a backlash towards the incumbent government. 

New Delhi, February 21
An assistant commissioner (ACP) of the Delhi police and his four colleagues were on the run today after being accused of corruption, extortion, theft and illegal detention of a goldsmith.

A case against ACP Chandra Hans and his four junior colleagues was registered yesterday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). According to N. Dilip Kumar, chief of the ACB, the bureau is collecting evidences against the accused before arresting the accused. “We are investigating the matter and gathering adequate evidence before we make any arrest. We wanted to interrogate Chandra Hans for his role, but e could not trace him,” said Kumar.

The ACB officials raided the residence of ACP and all other places where he was expected to be hiding.

Chandra Hans, an ACP in the special staff of Northwest Delhi police, and his juniors are accused of stealing 74 kg sliver, demanding bribe, extorting money and illegally detaining a goldsmith in January 2008.

The ACB took up the investigations following the complaint of New Seelampur resident Shekhawat Khan, who alleged that his brother Afzal was illegally detained by the accused. Khan alleged that he paid Rs 4 lakh in bribe for his brother’s release, but the officials were demanding more money.

A case against Chandra Hans was registered on the basis of a sting operation carried out by Shekhawat. The operation purportedly showed that the officer had harassed the Seelampur jeweller and took bribe from his family.

Gurgaon, February 21
ACP Krishan Murari, who led a team of police comprising 40-50 members to the Jama Masjid and beat up poor rickshaw pullers, labourers and workers residing there, has been posted back to the city. He had been transferred to Karnal after the incident on December 23.

The move of police was criticised by political, social and religious leaders of all communities.

“Present move of the state government is likely to be disastrous for its candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” stated Rajesh Yadav, general secretary of Adhikaar-The Rights Path, an NGO working for the cause of civil, consumer and human rights.

“What happened to big promises made by Aftab Ahmad and other Congress leaders at the historical Jama Masjid that they would ensure suspension of ACP and lodging of an FIR against erring officials,” Yadav asks.

He added that now the NGO would approach the court to ensure justice for victims.

New Delhi, February 21
Youngsters in the age group of 20 to 25, in some cases school boys less than 18 years old have constituted the majority of obscene callers in the national Capital as per the Delhi police 24x7 Helpline.

The other interesting aspect which has come to light is that in 90 per cent of these cases, the obscene caller knew the complainant either directly or indirectly. “Although we do not have the exact break-up but boys between 20 and 25 have been involved in making obscene calls in more than 80 per cent of cases and they knew the complainant in almost 90 per cent cases,” said an official working with the Helpline.

He also revealed that cases of school boys engaged in harassing their classmates have also come to light. “In one case a boy from a prestigious school in the Capital was found to be sending obscene picture messages to his classmate while another school boy harassed a girl from his school using a public telephone,” said the official.

This dedicated cell of Delhi police engaged to take care of the complaints of harassed women is keeping

the officials busy with an average of 35 complaints (1,760 till February 16) pouring in every day.

“The Helpline which was started on December 27, 2008 for women harassed by obscene calls is getting huge response. As on date, we have successfully sorted out more than 1,062 cases,” said Y S Dadwal, commissioner of police earlier this week.

According to Rajan Bhagat, PRO, Delhi police, the identity of the complainant women is kept confidential and she does not need to come to the police station to lodge a complaint. “All that a harassed woman has to do is call the Helpline number and give us the phone number from which the obscene call has come. We would take the details of the call or SMS and keep the name and address of the complainant for our record. Thereafter, it is our problem to find the offender,” said Bhagat.

Actually, it is a simple process. The police official assigned the case gets the address of the caller from the service provider company and thereafter calls him to the police station. In case he refuses, the official threatens to come to his residence with the police party.

“Telling the offender where he lives works. Afraid of policemen coming to house, they come on their own whenever and wherever called,” said a police official from the women cell.

As of now the offender involved in making lewd calls is allowed to go with a warning and stringent action in future if he repeats the offence. 

New Delhi, February 21
A 31-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI) allegedly hanged himself at his home here because he was refused Canadian citizenship in spite of having lived in the country for 11 years, police said today.

Vijay Sherawat, married to a Canadian woman and a father of one-year-old daughter, was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his room on Friday, the police said.

Sherawat had gone to Canada 11 years ago. He was asked to return to India on some technical grounds and was unable to go back, according to the police.

The deceased, who held an MBA degree, had returned to Delhi one-and-a-half months ago and was staying at his father Colonel (retd) Karan Sherawat’s house in Paradise Apartments of Dwarka’s Sector-9.

DCP (South West) K. Jagdishan said Sherawat drank heavily on Thursday evening and then locked himself in his room. His family members found him hanging from the ceiling fan after they broke open the doors the next morning.

He was rushed to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

“The deceased was disturbed. In his suicide note, he mentioned that since he could not return to Canada to his wife and one-year-old daughter and also his citizenship application was denied, he was taking this extreme step,” Jagdishan said. — IANS

Ghaziabad, February 21
A 35-year-old married woman, mother of three children, eloped with her paramour who is 15 years younger to her. While leaving, she reportedly also took away all cash and jewellery from the house.

Woman’s husband Vijinder Kumar, a resident of Khora, has lodged a report in the Indirapuram police station about the incident. Brijinder told the police that he married Krishna 17 years ago and that their eldest son was 15 years old.

Krishna had reportedly met Ankur, 21, a resident of Khora colony recently. Ankur used to visit their house frequently. On February 18, while Brijinder was away in office and the children had gone to their school, Krishna collected Rs 10,000 and jewellery from the house and ran away with Ankur. The neighbours said that they had seen her going with Ankur along with some belongings. 

Noida, February 21
The Noida traffic police has collected a revenue of Rs 2.5 lakh through fines.

More than 2,000 people have been challaned recently for driving without wearing seat-belts, helmets, overspeeding, using mobile phone while driving, drunken driving, using pressure horns, jumping red lights, crossing the stop-line and using black films on window panes.

The objective of the drive is to bring order to the city’s chaotic roads, say traffic police bosses. 

Gurgaon, February 21
Close on the heels of the topsy-turvy love-hate drama of former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan (now Chand Mohammad) and Anuradha Bali (now Fiza), another such episode involving a top corporate executive has surfaced in the millennium city.

Puneet Gulati, a resident of Sector 54 here, who has worked at senior positions in different companies in Delhi, Gurgaon and Mumbai, was arrested by the police from an apartment in the posh Vasant Kunj area of New Delhi yesterday.

The police action came after Puneet’s wife Supriya and her family lodged a complaint, alleging that he had been living away from his wife and children for the past more than a year.

After being arrested, Puneet was lodged in the lock-up of Sector 56 police station yesterday. On being approached there, he confessed to having a live-in relationship with a woman in Delhi.

Puneet, however, regretted having deserted his wife and children and promised to be a family man once again. He said he was serving as the vice-president of an apparel export company in Mumbai, but was made to quit in December last because of the economic recession.

The family members of Supriya and Puneet, as well as the officials of Sector 56 police station led by SHO Hawa Singh, tried to broker an agreement between the couple.

Exhibiting tolerance and generosity, Supriya and her family decided to give Puneet a second chance. “I am taking this step for the sake of my children,” said Supriya, attributing the whole downfall to the “corporate culture” prevailing in the city.

A compromise was finally reached between the two families, following which Puneet was granted bail by a local court where he was produced today.

Puneet and Supriya used to work for a garment company in Delhi, where they developed a liking for each other. They got married on March 10, 1997, and have two sons.

“All was well for the first few years, but then, something went wrong somewhere and differences kept on widening,” said Supriya.

However, all the bitterness that had crept into their relationship due to Puneet’s extra-marital affair notwithstanding, Supriya and her family decided to end the story on a happy note.

Having the blessings of Puneet’s family as well, the couple hopes to leave the unsavoury episode behind them.

Greater Noida, February 21
Brijesh Naggar was among the six thieves nabbed by the Bisarakh police two days ago.

He was the kingpin of a gang of little thieves. Four of the youngest thieves are just 13 years.

Brijesh had reportedly received Rs 4.5 crore as land compensation from administration and a car in dowry seven months ago.

His family always advised him to mend his ways, but he persisted in his waywardness and was finally arrested.

The gang used to break locks of shops and decamp with goods and cash.

SP Rural Surinder Verma said the gang used to strike after detailed planning and passed on the stolen goods to Raju, junk dealer.

The police has seized one countrymade revolver, four daggers, a Pulsar bike, 21 cell phones, four cameras, nine mobile recharge coupons, 10 mobile phone batteries and eight chargers.

About a dozen members of the gang have confessed to several thefts. They are between 13 and 19 years of age and half of them are already in jail, police said.

Ringleader, Brijesh Naggar belonged to Tilpatta village. His land, running into hundreds of bighas, was recently acquired by Greater Noida Authority for which family was paid Rs 4.5 crore as compensation. He was able to marry in a Bulandshahr family despite his wayward lifestyle. He joined a criminal gang and became its leader.

The gang committed dozens of crimes in Noida, Surajpur and Greater Noida area.

Another member of the gang, Roshan of Bihar ran away from home after being beaten by parents. Intelligent and scheming, he used to plan all crimes meticulously.

After his arrest, he requested the police to book him under gangster act.

When asked the reason for such an unusual request, Raju said the gangster act will enhance his prestige in the world of crime.

The youngest, Suraj passed 5th class in Surajpur when he came in touch with thieves. He used to perform recce of shops, houses to be targeted. He would carry all implements to be used by the team.

He was caught red-handed by Surajpur police recently, but cops let him off thinking he was too young.

Over 200 people are likely to participate in the run. Prakash Gupta, executive director of PepsiCo will also participate with his dog.