The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

COURTS

UT admn can acquire land in city’s periphery: HC
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the UT administration can acquire land in the city’s periphery for setting up projects.

Refusing to declare “Periphery Act” ultra vires of the Constitution, the High Court has also held that it was enacted to ensure future extension of the capital in a healthy and a planned way.

The assertion came while dismissing a bunch of petitions against land acquisition for development of Chandigarh Technology Park’s Phases II and III in the city’s periphery.

Also under challenge were the provisions of the “Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952”, also known as the “Periphery Act”.

Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Rakesh Kumar Garg asserted: “The argument of the counsel for the petitioners that the Act is arbitrary and discriminatory as the same denies the use of the land by its owners by putting restrictions upon them vis-à-vis, the administration which can acquire the land and use the same in any manner, is again without any merit.” “It is only after acquisition of the land that the Chandigarh administration is allowing the construction of new projects on such land.

“There is no restriction as per provisions of the Act for acquisition of the land within the periphery of the Union Territory and therefore, one cannot say that the Act gives unbridled and unguided power to the administration and provisions of the Act are discriminatory against the owners of the land or the administration itself is violating the provisions of the Act.

“The argument that the administration is using the same according to their whims and fancies for establishing commercial, industrial and other activities, is also liable to be rejected as the Chandigarh administration has acquired the land in the periphery only and thereafter, it is being used in a planned way.

The Bench added: “The argument of the counsel for the petitioners that under the changed circumstances, provisions of the Periphery Act have lost their significance and therefore, with the passage of time, the said Act is liable to be declared ultra vires, is without any merit.

“Rather keeping in view the present scenario of the haphazard growth and the scarcity of land and keeping in view the aims and objects of the enactment, which was primarily to keep the land reserved for future growth of Chandigarh, it has become much more important to preserve the area and every individual cannot be allowed to develop the same as per his own choice as the same will lead to chaos.”

The Bench added: “In order to achieve the planning of the capital city of Chandigarh, the restrictions against haphazard construction are absolutely necessary. The provisions of the Periphery Act do not restrict the use of the land in question by its owners, but have only put reasonable restrictions on the use of the same.”

8,300 cases disposed of in lok adalats

Chandigarh, March 26
The quarterly lok adalats held at the district courts in Sector 17 today evoked a huge response as over 8,300 cases of different categories were disposed of. These include a large number of traffic challans. The lok adalats were held under the leadership of Chief Justice Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, and presided over by Justice Jasbir Singh, Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority and Justice K Kannan, Administrative Judge.

Justice Gogoi took a round of various Benches constituted for deciding various cases. In all, a total of 20 Benches were constituted.

The cases that were disposed of included 1,235 cheque bounce cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1,100 cases at pre-litigative stage pertaining to bank or financial institutions were taken up and 45 of these were settled amicably today.

In addition, 28 accident claims were settled under the MACT and a compensation of Rs 49,65,000 was awarded.

In execution petitions, an amount of Rs 6,70,78,095 was disbursed to the large number of claimants.

Besides, a total of 6,250 traffic challans were disposed of and Rs 8,62,200 was imposed and realised as fine. 670 civil cases, rent cases, labour cases and other cases were disposed of. — TNS

CRIME

Youth’s body found hanging from tree
Tribune Reporters

Panchkula, March 26
The body of a 22-year-old youth was found hanging from a tree in mysterious circumstances near the busy Town Park in Sector 5 here this morning. The victim has been identified as Jagdish, a resident of Indira Colony. After getting information, the police reached the spot and informed the victim’s family. The body was later taken to the Sector 6 general hospital for post-mortem and later handed it over to the family. While the police prima facie claims it to be a case of suicide, the victim’s family members alleged that he had been tortured before being hanged. Jagdish’s sister Mayarani said her brother had gone to Dehradun along with a contractor, Gangadhar. Mayarani alleged she had received a call from her brother yesterday morning that the contractor and two other persons were torturing him and he wanted to return to the city. She again made a call to the contractor in the evening to know about her brother, who told her that Jagdish had already left for Panchkula in the evening, she said. The police has registered a case at the Sector 5 police station.

One booked for killing peacock

Mohali: The police has booked an unidentified person for killing a peacock in the fields at the rear side of a nursery of the agriculture department falling under the Mullanpur police station. The police said the case had been registered on the complaint of Mohan Singh, deputy ranger, Wildlife range, Mohali. In his complaint to the police, Mohan said he had received a call that a peacock was found dead in the fields. It was learnt that the bird was shot dead. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act has been registered against the unidentified person.

10-yr-old sodomised

Zirakpur: A 10-year-old boy was allegedly sodomised by three persons in Chhat village here last night. The police had registered a case under Sections 377 and 34 of the IPC against accused, which have been identified as Reetha, a resident of Milk Colony, Dhanas, Chandigarh, and his two unidentified friends on the complaint of victim’s mother Gurmeet Kaur, a resident of Chhat village. The investigating officer, ASI Shamsher said Gurmeet Kaur in her complaint alleged that her cousin brother, Reetha had come to her house, along with two other friends in an auto-rickshaw last night around 11.30 pm. After having dinner, the accused told her that her son, Manoj (name changed) could sleep with them. The complainant said after listening to his son’s hue and cry, she came to his rescue and found that they allegedly sodomised him, the investigating officer added. The police official said after the medical examination, the samples have been sent to a laboratory for report.

Jewellery stolen

Thieves decamped with jewellery and cash after breaking into a locked house at Swami Enclave, Dhakoli, last night. Monica, a resident of house number 3, Swami Enclave, stated that she went to Balaji, Salasar, along with her family members on Friday morning. Monica said when she returned this evening, she found that the lock of the main door was broken. The thieves also broke the lock of the rooms things were scattered on the bed and floor. He claimed that Rs 15,000 (approx), gold and silver jewellery of around 15 tolas were missing. The police has been informed about the incident.

Body found

DERA BASSI: The body of an unidentified man was found on the national highway near Bhushan Industry, Dera Bassi, last night. The police said the man was in his 40s. The body was taken to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, for identification. A case has been registered in this connection.

Two booked for cheating
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
The UT police today registered a case of cheating against a Delhi resident and her daughter for obtaining fake ration card and voter card.

A case was registered on the directions of the court. It has been alleged that the accused woman managed to get the ration card made with the connivance of officials of the Election Department and Food and Supply Department. The case was registered at the Sector 17 police station.

The police said Bhubneshvar Yadav, a resident of Bihar, filed a complaint in the court alleging that his employer, a woman, managed to obtain a fake ration card and voter card, and on the behalf of fake documents, she managed to purchase properties in Delhi.

The police said Yadav was employed as a servant in Sector 21-based house and the accused, Prem Aggarwal, was her employer.

Two more vehicle thieves nabbed
Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 26
Two more vehicle robbers, accomplices of whom were killed in an encounter in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan in a joint operation by the Panchkula and Rajasthan police, have been arrested.

Interrogation of gang leader Sukhwant Singh led to the arrest.

The police said a team, which was to return from Sriganganagar this morning, was still conducting raids. It was hopeful of arresting some more members of the gang.

The accused had hired an Indica car from Shimla. The car was being driven by a resident of Kalka. The accused had left for Ambala on March 1. After reaching Morni T-Point, the accused asked the driver to stop the car for a while and sat on the front seat. Meanwhile, the accused on the rear seat, trained a gun at the driver and asked him to alight from the car. However, the mobile phone of the accused fell on the ground. A case had been registered under section 392 of the IPC at the Chandimandir police station.

A team led by Chandimandir police station SHO Inspector Jangsher Singh traced the accused to Rajasthan border. Phone calls did the accused in. On seeing the police, the accused tried to flee, but were later nabbed. Viru and Jaggi were killed in the encounter, while gang leader Sukhwant Singh, received a bullet injury in his shoulder.

The police sources said the accused were involved in more than 19 cases of murder, attempt to murder and robberies. They had looted an Innova at gunpoint from Abohar (Punjab), along with Rs 4 lakh in cash. They had also snatched a car in Fatehbad, the sources added.

The accused were convicted in a murder case and were lodged in a jail there, however, the accused managed to flee from there, he added.

SPORTS

Kabaddi tourney from April 2
Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, March 26
The Sher-e-Punjab Sports Club will organise a kabaddi tournament on April 2 and 3 opposite AKM marriage Palace, on the Zirakpur-Patiala highway.

Former Chief Minister and president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Giving information about the tournament, Sarpanch Jaspal said more than 12 teams would take part in the tournament. Dashmesh Club, Nakodar, DAV Club, Jalandhar, Shaheed Bachan Singh Academy, Dirba, Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Kabaddi Club, Norway, BC Club, Samrala, Kotli Khan Singh Club, Jalandhar, Khughra Club Lahtra, Guru Nanak Academy, Nakodar, Nanak Shah Club, Gurdaspur, Malwa Club, Samrala, Azad Club, Muthada, Baba Ajit Singh Baba Jujhar Singh Academy, Chamkaur Sahib, have confirmed their participation in the tournament on April 2 and 3, Jaspal added.

He said the victorious team would be given cash prize of Rs 1.51 lakh, while the runners-up will be awarded Rs 1 lakh (approximately). Eminent Punjabi singer Gurdass Mann will perform at the occasion on April 3.