New Delhi, April 20
The south district police has arrested a 22-year-old college dropout for allegedly duping thousands of youths of Rs 6 lakh on the pretext of providing them jobs with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The accused Yatender Yadav of Haryana was arrested two days ago near Lajpat Nagar.

The police said the arrest came following a probe into a complaint lodged by the Delhi Metro. The Delhi Metro alleged that an advertisement seeking applications for over 2,000 posts in the DMRC had appeared in ‘Uttarakhand Rozgar Darshan’. The advertisement was published in the name of DMRC Placement Agency, Kotla Mubarakpur. The DMRC said it had neither issued any such advertisement nor had authorised any placement agency to do so.

“Around 15,000 to 20,000 application forms with demand drafts or postal orders amounting to around Rs 6 lakh were received by Yadav. He has destroyed the documents to eliminate all evidence,” said DCP (south) HGS Dhaliwal.

Yadav had taken an office in DSIDC Complex, Bapu Park, on rent from one Rajpal. But another person was carrying out a business of screen printing from there. “Yadav induced Rajpal against a monthly rent of Rs 3,000. He asked him to receive letters delivered in the name of DMRC Placement Agency, a bogus firm floated by the accused. It was told that the accused would not occupy the premises and that he had obtained a contract from the DMRC. Therefore, a lot of correspondence would take place. Rajpal had to receive those letters only,” said Dhaliwal.

Yadav later contacted Negi Prakashan in Bulandshahr, which publishes a newspaper in the name of ‘Uttrakhand Rozgar Darshan’. He asked it to publish an advertisement for the recruitment of drivers, guards and supervisors in Delhi Metro through DMRC Placement Agency.

Yadav got thousands of forms printed by the same publisher and circulated them in UP and Uttrakhand.  Bank draft of Rs 100 and Rs 50 for general and SC/ ST candidate respectively were sought along with the application form.

“Yadav knew that the person living outside Delhi would not come to his office for enquiry.  So he published ads in newspapers having circulation out of Delhi,” said Dhaliwal.

New Delhi, April 20
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students today participated in a referendum on the proposed change in the university constitution, allowing the vice-chancellor an extension of term. The university’s present statute bars the extension.

Though the result was expected late in the night, the outcome holds little surprise as all student bodies have vigorously opposed any amendment in the constitution. Besides, the mood on JNU campus is overwhelmingly against any fresh term for vice-chancellor B.B. Bhattacharya, who demits office in June.

Nearly 1,600 students voted in the first round of what students’ bodies said was the country’s first-ever campus referendum and over 2,500 students are expected to poll.

According to sources, Bhattacharya has told teachers’ body, which has also opposed such change, that he is not interested in any extension and would not press for the proposed amendment in the executive committee meeting on April 25.

However, various students’ parties have pressed ahead with the referendum to make their voices heard.

“The response of students has been enormous. We are sure that they would vote against the move,” said Sucheta De, general secretary, All India Students Association (AISA).

During the class timings in the morning, stalls were put outside different schools of the university where students showing immaculate discipline came to cast their opinion.

The maximum rush was observed at the School of Social Sciences (SSS) where students were seen queuing up at the stall.

The call for the referendum was given by all organisations, excluding the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

“We are not part of the organising group, but our members have been asked to participate in the mass voting and vote against the change in statutes,” said Vineet Chaturvedi, secretary, JNU ABVP, adding that over 200 members of his organisation were voting.

Some students complained that the referendum was politically motivated and no secrecy of ballot was being maintained.

“They want us to vote before their eyes. Students who differ in their opinion should be allowed to cast their votes secretly,” said an M.Phil student.

“Most volunteers are known political activists on the campus. The organisers should have made sure that non-political students sat on the stalls,” said Chaturvedi.

The second round of the referendum started in the evening on Kendriya Vidyalaya grounds of JNU campus.

“Most hostlers would turn up in the evening. This is so far the most massive exercise carried out in JNU. We hope the students have a consensus on the matter,” said Lenin, president, Students’ Federation of India (SFI).

New Delhi, April 20
Doctors here are facing a tough challenge in saving the life of a Côte d’Ivoire citizen, who was seriously injured when iron rods jutting out of a truck pierced his body, damaging the main artery of right arm, portion of his lungs and the thoracic valve.

Adoma, 22, and Cheick, 22, both information technology (IT) students, had a major accident when two iron rods pierced their bodies after a collision of their car with the iron-rod carrying truck near Savitri cinema in south Delhi early Monday. Doctors today said the condition of Adoma is critical even after infusing 48 units of blood and blood products.

“He is conscious now but is in a very serious condition,” M.C. Mishra, head of the AIIMS Trauma Centre, said.

“There was excessive blood loss. He was given 33 units of blood in the operation theatre Monday. He is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) under ventilation. At least 15 more units of blood have been given to the patient after surgery,” added Mishra, who is overseeing the situation.

Cheick is out of danger and may be discharged in two-three days. Mishra said there are several challenges before his team of doctors.

“The unclean rods have gone inside his body and this poses a major challenge. Tackling infection will be key challenge that we have to deal with in a couple of days.”

Adoma has already given nearly 50 units of blood and this is another challenge. Rejection or blood clot in legs cannot be ruled out, doctors said. He may also need another surgery if things don’t go well with his pierced lung.

“We are awaiting to see if he can breath normally. We will come to know about it within a week and if there is wind leak, then it will pose another challenge. He is extremely critical,” Mishra added. — IANS

New Delhi, April 20
The Delhi government’s recent order making it incumbent upon schools to seek the permission of the parents before hiking fees has upset private schools.

As per the government order, all schools in the Capital will have to take permission from the parent-teacher associations (PTAs) before hiking their fees.

A senior school teacher from Springdales School, Pusa Road, who did not want to be named, says, “How can the parents have a say in deciding something as critical as the fees? This is a ridiculous and unfair clause. Parents are not responsible for the running of the school or the expenditure that the school incurs. Only the principal and the school board are aware of this. Such a decision should not rest in the hands of the parents.”

“Now with the Right To Education (RTE) law in force, schools will have to handle the added influx of poor children. Who is going to pay for their education? How will schools manage this extra expenditure? We can balance this only by hiking the fees,” added the teacher.

Another teacher from Amity International School says, “This decree by the government is impractical. Parents have no idea of the kind of expenses schools incur and so they cannot decide about their fees. With the RTE Act making it compulsory for schools to admit students from the underprivileged backgrounds, who will pay for these children? The government will give only a nominal sum, which does not match the fees of our schools. We can only admit these children if we raise the fees. But with the new order making it compulsory to take permission from PTAs for any hike in the fees, it is going to be very difficult.”

Parents on the other hand are elated with the decision.

Prachi Aggarwal, a parent, says, “It is high-time that something was done for the parents’ plight. Most of us are helpless. Schools have been steadily increasing fees and parents are finding it difficult to afford private schools. The Delhi government’s move to make fee hike dependant on parents’ permission is a positive move. This should act as a curb on the schools which are senselessly hiking fees.”

Vandana Misra, another parent, says, “I am satisfied with the step taken by the government. Schools in the Capital have developed a mercenary attitude and have been hiking fees drastically over the past few years.”

Greater Noida, April 20
A 25-year-old Dalit woman from Mumrosepur village under Jahangirpur police station was allegedly abducted, gangraped and murdered on Sunday night.

Three persons are reported to have raped the woman, killed her and dumped the body in a well.

On Monday morning, the relatives of the woman created a commotion by placing the body of the woman on the road. The villagers have refused to hand over the body to the police for autopsy till the culprits are arrested.

The family of the woman has lodged a case of murder and rape and named three persons of the village.

The police has arrested one of the accused, who has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime.

On the day of the crime, the victim, Babita, 25, the wife of one Bhima in Mumrosepur had gone to feed her husband who was working in the field.

However, when she did not return home till late in the night, the family set out to look for her.

On Monday morning, her body was found in a well in the jungle. Her neck had been slit with a sharp-edged weapon. Looking at the state of her clothes, the family concluded that she had been raped.

On getting information, the Jahangirpur police reached the spot and arrested Sonu, a youth from the village, whom the victim’s family had suspected.

The police said Sonu confessed that he had abducted Babita along with his friends. After raping her, they slit her throat and dumped the body in a well.

Noida, April 20
With the excitement for the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches increasing virtually with each ball, stroke and catch, the craze for earning fortunes worth lakhs through betting has gone up sharply.

The Sector 39 police has nabbed four persons for allegedly betting in IPL matches near Great India Place mall in Noida.

The four arrested betting agents have been identified as Ashu, his cousin Dhiraj Kohli, Tarkeshwar of Muzzafarpur in Bihar and Deepak Sharma of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad. One car, four mobile phones and Rs 34,000 were seized from them.

The police is on the look out for Jai Prakash Sharma, alias Lala, the mastermind behind the gang. Lala is Deepak’s maternal uncle’s son.

The four were arrested on a tip off around 7:30 am yesterday.

Police circle officer Rajiv Narayan Mishra said that the four had set out to collect the betting money when they were nabbed. They had to hand over the money to Lala. The police said that Lala is absconding with the collection.

Ashu told the police that he had involved over a dozen of his friends in the business. For involving each member in the gang, he used to get 3 per cent commission. He added that the first session of betting comprised nine overs, after which the rates were hiked and the betting was opened after the 20th over.

New Delhi, April 20
Even the Mumbai school where suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative and key accused in 2008 Delhi serial blasts, Salman Ahmed, studied till class VIII has no document to support his age. The principal of the school said this before a Delhi court today.

“No document supporting his date of birth was submitted to the school as it is not mandatory under the admission process,” said Phillips Rita Mandal, principal of Municipal English Primary School, Kher Nagar, Bandra-east, Mumbai, while appearing before the court of chief metropolitan magistrate Kaveri Baweja.

Mandal presented before the court the admission form of Sheikh Salman Shakeel, alias Salman Ahmed. As per the form, Salman’s date of birth is February 9, 1992. The form was signed by one Noor Jahan Begum in Urdu, which the accused said was his grandmother.

On April 12, the court had recorded the statement of Raj Kumar Yadav, principal of the school in Azamgarh where the accused had studied. It had also asked Mandal to appear in person before the court.

While Yadav had brought with him documents like— school’s admission register which stated Salman’s date of birth as October 3, 1992. However, no affidavit or birth certificate was produced before the court.

Meanwhile, four doctors – Sanjeev Lalwani, Ajay Lalwani, Amit Lathwal and Manjunath, who were part of the medical board constituted on the court’s order to verify Salman’s age, appeared before the court today for recording their statements and cross examination.

The court has fixed the matter of cross examining Dr Sanjeev Lalwani and Dr Manjunath for April 21.

On March 15, the court had directed the medical superintendent of AIIMS to constitute a medical board that would verify Salman’s age.

On March 22, medical board stated in its report that Salman was aged between 25 and 27 years.

Salman who was arrested on March 6 by the anti-terrorism squad of the UP police from Siddarth Nagar, about 300 km from Lucknow, had claimed himself to be of 20 years, before the court.

New Delhi, April 20
A special court of the CBI today sentenced one Ashwani Kumar Sood, a real estate developer who in league with a senior official of the New Bank of India duped the bank of over Rs 71 lakh, to three and half years of rigorous imprisonment. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him.

Sood was convicted of corruption and bribery almost 17 years after the CBI had filed a chargesheet.

A CBI spokesperson said a case against O.P. Bhatia, the then Branch Manager of the New Bank of India, East of Kailash branch and others, was registered after the CBI received a complaint that Bhatia had sanctioned loan to various people and firms to the tune of Rs 71 lakh against non-existent and fictitious LIC policies.

The CBI had filed seven chargesheets on August 10, 1993 against O.P. Bhatia and two beneficiaries Ashwani Kumar Sood and Rajesh Kumar Sood, both of Reliance Housing Development Corporation of India Ltd.

Bhatia and Rajesh Kumar Sood absconded during the trial. The court declared the two as proclaimed offenders and started prosecution proceedings against Ashwani Kumar Sood.

Ashwani was convicted of availing Rs 20,68,000 loan by using forged and fabricated documents.

Ghaziabad, April 20
Taking note of the massive felling of trees in the Sai Upwan forest area of Ghaziabad, the union ministry of environment & forest (MOEF) has lambasted the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation and the district administration for allowing the only forest area of the city to die.

Enquiring into the reports of destruction of over 70,000 trees in Sai Upwan, the MOEF has found irregularities on the part of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation and district forest department.

The trees that were chopped were healthy and 8 or 9 years’ old, the report said.

The report holds the administration accountable for the massive felling and transportation of trees in the 200-acre forest. According to sources, the ministry has also blamed the state for destroying its own forest area.

A large part of Sai Upwan has submerged into sewer water, while another huge part of it has been converted into a dumping ground, causing damage to the thick tree cover, the report states. Major fires have also been noticed in the forest due to the burning of plastic or polythene bags. The area has also been subjected to heavy biotic interference and grazing by cattle, the report states.

The report further says that the actual felling reason is that the tree products are consumed by residents of the area.

The report held the municipal officials responsible for tree felling and high pollution level in the area. It said that the “district forest department had no control over the area.”

Municipal councillor Rajindra Tyagi has demanded strict action against the officials involved in the destruction of Sai Upwan.

Tyagi said, “As per the country’s Forest Laws, an FIR can be lodged for cutting a single tree. In this case, thousands of trees have been chopped due to the laxity of officials. The officials need to be brought to the book.”

Accusing mayor Damyanti Goel and former municipal commissioner Ajay Shanker Pandey for getting a ‘bogus’ eco-park proposal passed in the forest area, Tyagi said, “First they converted a forest area into a dumping ground and then they came up with an eco-park proposal worth Rs 4.04 crore.”

The proposal, he said, was silently passed in Meerut commissioner’s meeting. It was never tabled before the municipal board or executive committee to escape public eye, he alleged.

“We want the old forest to be redeveloped. An eco-park can be built at 110 parks in the city,” the councillor said.

A senior MOEF official, on conditions of anonymity, said, “The damage in Sai Upwan is massive. Trees are destroyed by the local authorities in a planned manner. The precision in counting the exact number of trees is to be done by GIS or remote sensing.”

The municipal corporation had developed the 200 acre forest at Rs 4 crore from 2002-05.But a part of the area was converted into dumping ground that led to extinction of nearly 1,00,000 trees.

The area also comes in the vicinity of Hindan Air Force station, which violates the Supreme Court’s directives that prohibits setting up of any waste site within a radius of 8 km to an airforce station.

New Delhi, April 20
Around 13,000 trucks were prosecuted in the first 15 days of April for entering the Capital during prohibited times and violating other traffic norms.

“A total of 13,000 trucks were challaned between April 1and 15 for entering the city during prohibited times and other violations,” said joint-commissioner of police (traffic) Satyendra Garg while addressing a press conference on traffic arrangements made for the BJP rally against price rise on tomorrow.

The officer assured that the traffic police was taking strict action against errant truck drivers and other vehicles violating traffic rules in the Capital.

His comments came in the backdrop of the accident where two students hailing from Ivory Coast got injured in south Delhi when their car rammed into a truck.