Sirsa, September 17
The “Queen’s baton relay” that arrives in the district on September 26 for onward journey to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games will be shown black flags by activists of the Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti.

A mahapanchayat of the samiti at Nathusari Chopta village in this district today decided to do so if the Jat demand for reservation was not met by then.

Contrary to claims and expectations of the organisers, the attendance at today’s mahapanchayat was very thin, though the authorities had made elaborate arrangements to counter any eventuality. The Jats from neighbouring villages, who assembled at Shiv Dharamshala, observed a two-minute silence as a tribute to Sunil Kumar who was killed in police firing at Mayyar village on Monday. Heavy police deployment had been made in the village in view of the mahapanchayat. As a precautionary measure, the authorities had closed several government offices. However, the mahapanchayat evoked a lukewarm response and went off peacefully.

The “Queen’s baton relay” is to enter Haryana from Chautala village on September 26 where Minister of Sports Gopal Kanda and others will receive it. It will then travel to Dabwali and arrive in Sirsa in the afternoon. Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar will flag it off on September 27. The announcement by the Jat Samiti has alarmed the authorities.

Hisar, September 17
The city is paying for the recent violence virtually through its nose. With the disruption in supply of essential commodities, prices have gone through the roof.

Onion which was selling at Rs 14 per kg, is now being sold at R 30 per kg. Apples that cost Rs 35 per kg till Sunday, now cost a whopping Rs 75.

There is an acute shortage of items of daily use. Milk is in short supply as no supplies have been received here for the past five days. Packaged milk is supplied here from the Jind milk plant. Curd, too, has disappeared from counters as refrigerated curd from Jind is not being supplied.

The city receives over half of its daily requirement of vegetables and fruit from Azad Market in Delhi. Since Sunday, not a single truckload of fresh vegetables and fruit has arrived here. The shortage of vegetables has led to increased demand for pulses and cereals. So, the prices of cereals have risen sharply. Unscrupulous traders are making a fast buck too. Eggs are costlier by Rs 10 per crate(of 30). The prices of broilers have shot up with supplies from Jind and Gurgaon having been temporarily stopped.

Hoarding is also fuelling prices. Most families have stocked more than a month’s requirement of essential items, fearing more violence. Bajrang Saini, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler, said traders from Delhi were wary of sending supplies fearing looting of trucks on the way. Transporters were not keen to send their vehicles to Hisar because of sporadic incidents of violence and road blockades, he explained.

The city has witnessed violence earlier too, but, supplies were resumed almost immediately after cessation of arson. This time, transporters and suppliers are not willing to take any risk. Nirmal Gupta, a transporter, said their trucks were looted and set on fire at Mayyar. “With looters on the prowl at several points between Hisar and Delhi, we will resume operations only after ensuring that transportation of goods is safe.” 

New Delhi, September 17
Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s sons, Ajay and Abhay, today contended in the Supreme Court that the disproportionate assets (DA) cases filed against them by the CBI were illegal as the investigating agency had not obtained sanction from the government for prosecuting them.

A Bench comprising Justices VS Sirpurkar and Cyriac Joseph, however, posted the matter for September 24 for further hearing as it wanted to have a look at similar cases, including that of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, decided by the apex court.

Senior counsel Mukul, appearing for Abhay, contended that his client was an MLA during the period (2000-05) when he was accused of having amassed wealth and he remained so till February 2 this year when the chargesheet was filed. Hence, the CBI could not have prosecuted him without sanction, Rohatgi said. “The CBI waited for five years to file the chargesheet - till the day he ceased to be a member.”

The brothers have challenged the trial court’s February 2 order summoning them in the DA case.

The Delhi High Court had dismissed their appeal on July 8.

Abhay is alleged to possess assets worth Rs 27.74 crore, more than three times of his known sources of income of Rs 8.17 crore during 1993-2006, while the assets of Abhay are estimated at Rs 119.69 crore, over five times of his declared income of Rs 22.89 crore during 2000-05. The investigating agency's FIR listed the movable and immovable properties belonging to Chautala or his family members that had been acquired between July 1999 and March 2005 when they were public servants. 

Chandigarh, September 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today reversed the orders on repatriation of 16 HCS (Executive) officers. Declaring valid their appointment as HCS officers, Justice Permod Kohli ruled they had a right to continue in service. Appointed against additional vacancies, they were ordered to be repatriated after a reduction in the cadre strength, an order which failed to find favour with Justice Kohli.

Quashing the impugned order issued on August 5, 2008, Justice Kohli today directed: “The petitioners are deemed to have been validly appointed.”

The directions came on a bunch of four petitions filed by Devi Lal Sihag and others. Seeking the quashing of the orders, they had challenged the validity, legality and the propriety of the action. Justice Kohli took note that the petitioners were working in different capacities in the state of Haryana before being appointed to the HCS. On April 17, 2007, they were served a notice to show cause as to why they not be repatriated to their parent departments. They were told the state government had reduced the cadre strength of the service from 300 after re-determining it.

The state of Haryana argued the petitioners were appointed against additional vacancies. With the reduction in the cadre strength, the vacancies against which they were appointed stood abolished.

“The petitioners’ exit has to follow with the reduction in the vacancies,” it was argued.

Justice Kohli asserted: “Their appointments were not against particular posts created in a particular year or time. The petitioners’ appointments are against the posts in the cadre of service and not against a particular post of a particular year”.

Allowing the petition, Justice Kohli added: “The petitioners’ appointment was within the total sanctioned strength of vacancies and the very basis of the impugned order that the vacancies occupied by them stood abolished is flawed and is contrary to the established rules of service jurisprudence”. 

Jind, September 17
The Haryana Government has announced an additional financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to widows of soldiers who had died in action. This amount would be payable from August 1 this year.

Stating this a spokesperson of the state government said it was in token to the respect and regard of the government towards the families of the soldiers, who martyred their life in service of the nation.

“At present, there had been three beneficiaries in the district in this category, while two others have applied for such a benefit,” claimed the Deputy Commissioner, who is also the ex-officio head of the Zila Sainik Board. He said the funds in this connection had already been received by the board and would be disbursed to the concerned families soon.

He said the administration would accept applications if there was anyone who had been left out and who could be included in this category. The only condition for such a benefit was that the applicant widow should not have remarried.

The authorities also announced to provide free travel facility in the Haryana Roadways buses to those ex-servicemen, who had been suffering from the physical disability of 25 per cent or more. For such a facility the claimants will have to submit applications in the Zila Sainik Board office here, said the DC.

A total of 199 beneficiaries had been found to be availing such a facility till now. This facility was also available to the war widows in the district and the state.

Meanwhile, the local authorities have announced to observe’ Veer Sahidi Diwas’ on September 23 here. While tributes will be paid to the martyrs and 11 ward widows will be felicitated at the programme that will be held at the Arjun
Stadium here.

Hisar, September 17
A married youth jumped from the fourth floor of a residential complex on the Haryana Agricultural University campus here last evening after a tiff with his wife.

Identified as Amit (21), the youth is undergoing treatment for serious injuries in a local hospital. His condition has been described as serious.

He got married to Swati (19) in February this year. Swati has alleged that she was harassed by Amit and his parents because of which she came to live with her parents.

She had gone to the market last evening with her sister.

Amit followed them to their home on a motorbike and tried to forcibly take his wife to his home on the way. When the two sisters reached their fourth floor home, Amit suddenly jumped from there and fell on a Maruti car parked below. 

Rohtak, September 17
Three youths were killed in an accident in Civil Road area here last night as they were returning home after work.

Gaurav Singh from Bulandshar, Saurabh Singhal of Kurukshetra, Rakesh Panwar of the local Pada Mohalla and Jagat Singh of Hisar were on a bike.

The vehicle swerved at a sharp curve.

They four fell on the road after hitting a road divider. and the wall of a building. None of the youths was wearing a helmet.

Gaurav, Saurabh and Rakesh succumbed to head injuries on the spot while Jagat was admitted to the PGIMS.

The youths were employees of a shopping mall. A case has been registered.