The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

COURTS

NRI kidnapping case
Court frames charges against six
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 31
The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal today framed charges of kidnapping against six accused in the NRI kidnapping case reported in April this year.

The court framed charges against the six under sections of kidnapping, robbery, wrongful confinement, receiving stolen property and forgery. The trial will now begin on September 7 when evidence will be recorded in court. Charges were framed against Pradeep Malik, Nitin, Sanjeev Kumar, alias Soni, Sukhdev, Anil Kumar and Ajit Singh. Soni was the owner of the farmhouse where the victim was confined.

Navneet Singh Chatha, a Canada-based NRI, was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 1 crore on April 10 this year. A team of the crime branch of the UT police had rescued him following an extensive operation in a village in Kurukshetra. The NRI's brother, who also resides in Canada, received a ransom call. The police laid a trap and arrested the six accused who kidnapped the NRI.

The police has recovered Rs 12.5 lakh, 300 Canadian dollars, the Honda Accord car of the victim, a Swift Desire car robbed from a person in Panchkula and two mobile phones. An investigating officer said the NRI was robbed off his purse and belongings at a gunpoint in confinement, following which the police added sections of robbery with attempt-to-murder under Section 397 of the IPC in the chargesheet.

CRIME

Two arrested in Naya Gaon murder case
Were accused of killing a Solan-based businessman on June 13
Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 31
The police claimed to have arrested two more accused — Harpreet Singh alias Tanda and Suresh Kumar alias Kapishiya — in the Naya Gaon murder case here today.

Tanda and Kapishiya were wanted in the blind murder case of Solan-based businessman Vikrant Verma who had been brutally killed by a gang of five persons, including a woman. Two other accused — Vikram alias John and Raj Rani alias Rani — had already been nabbed by the police while their accomplice Dheeraj alias Dheera is still at large.

The police claimed that both Tanda and Kapishiya were also history sheeters as Tanda (26) had been found involved in at least five loot cases (three in Mohali and two in Chandigarh) while Kapishiya's name (20) had cropped up in two loot cases in Chandigarh.

Both the accused are residents of Naya Gaon.

According to police, Tanda had been working as a waiter till 2006. All members of the gang were drug addicts, said the police.

Notably, Vikrant, who had set up his office at Sector 8 to expand his medicine business, was murdered on the night he shifted to his new residence in Naya Gaon on June 13.

The victim had asked the location of his new address from John and Rani. Rani had developed intimacy while accompanying the victim in his car on the pretext of showing him (the victim) his new address. She was left at the victim’s house by John purposely and later the other members of gang reached Vikrant’s house in the night and looted the valuables before murdering him, said the police.

The duo would be produced to the court tomorrow.

Sham mall case
Murder accused brought to city
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 31
The crime branch of the UT police has procured the production warrant of a notorious criminal Amar Singh, alias Sunny, from Himachal and brought him to Chandigarh on Tuesday. Amar is suspected to be involved in the sensational murder of the owner of Sham Mall, Amarjeet Singh, and he will be also be questioned in connection with other cases.

Police said involvement of Amar in the robbery of a car at gunpoint in the market of Phase-VII, Mohali, in August, 2011 has been established. Amar Singh was arrested in Solan district of Himachal when his car hit another vehicle on July 21. Amar pulled out his revolver, but overpowered by the public.

Amarjeet Singh was shot dead at point blank range outside his house in Sector 35 in May, 2009. When Chandigarh police failed to crack the case, the investigation was transferred to the CBI in October, 2010.

Six arrested for stealing vehicles
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 31
The Crime Branch of the UT police today arrested six persons for stealing vehicles. A former student leader of Government College in Ropar, Jarnail Singh, headed the gang of thieves. The police arrested Jarnail Singh alias Jaila, a resident of Chandpur Rurki village in Nawanshahar, and Sandeep Choudhary alias Sunny, a resident of Taprian village in Nawanshahar. The police also arrested their accomplices identified as Karan Anand, Tejbir Singh, Balwinder Singh and Hanif.

DSP (Crime) Satbir Singh said with these arrests the police has solved eight cases of motor vehicle thefts, including that of four cars and four bikes registered across different police stations of the city.

The police said Jarnail and Sandeep used to reside in the house of an NRI at Sector 37 who was a relative of Jarnail. Three of the gang members, including Jarnail, Tejbir and Karan, are also drug addicts.

Other than above mentioned vehicles eight motorcycles and five cars, including three SUVs, have been taken into police possession under Section 102 CrPC which were stolen from different areas of Punjab.

The police said the Delhi police had earlier arrested Hanif in vehicle theft cases in the 2006 and 2011.

Accused in police remand
Was wanted in 5 shootout cases involving PU groups
Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 31
Baljit Chaudhary, who has been involved in at least five shootout cases involving groups of Panjab University, has been sent to two days police remand here today.

Chaudhary (35), who was arrested yesterday, was produced in the court of local district and sessions judge today afternoon.

The police said that Chaudhary, who claimed to be state president of Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), was the main accused in three shootout cases in Mohali and two in Chandigarh.

Notably, two of the incidents had taken place in Sector 69 in a span of 20 days (on June 20 and July 10). The third shootout had occurred at the Phase 7 market in February. The other two incidents had taken place in Chandigarh.

Chaudhary was the personwho had shot fires in all these incidents, said the police.

SPORTS

PCA officials elected
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 31
In the 64th annual general body meeting of the PCA, MP Pandove, BCCI chairman, National Cricket Academy and special academies, was unanimously re-elected as the secretary of the PCA (Punjab Cricket Association). IS Bindra was also elected president for the next term.

Viswajeet Khanna, honorary treasurer, GS Walia Honorary, joint secretary, Justice SS Sodhi (Retd), SS Saini, DP Reddy and BK Mehta were elected as the vice presidents of the PCA.