B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Panel penalises Maruti
Ferozepur, August 16
The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has imposed an exemplary penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on Maruti Suzuki and its regional manager at Chandigarh on account of selling a defective Wagon-R car to an Armyman.

Newly-wed end life
Barnala, August 16
A newly-wed young couple today allegedly “committed” suicide by jumping before a train between Barnala and Sekha village, about 10 km from here. Both were killed on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Jasbir Singh (22) of Sekha village and his wife Ramandeep Kaur (21), who originally hailed from Farwahi village near Barnala.

Tax evasion of crores comes to fore
Bathinda, August 16
In a joint operation, the intelligence wing of the Punjab police and the excise department today unearthed tax evasion running into crores of rupees by a person who had registered five “fake” companies in Killianwali area bordering Haryana, in Muktsar district. One person has been rounded up for questioning.

Panel penalises Maruti
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, August 16
The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has imposed an exemplary penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on Maruti Suzuki and its regional manager at Chandigarh on account of selling a defective Wagon-R car to an Armyman.

As per the information, Havaldar Kulwinder Singh had purchased a Maruti Wagon-R car from its authorised dealer Tara Automobiles on September 10, 2010 under the Army Quota through the canteen stores department CSD), Bathinda.

After taking the delivery of the car, he proceeded to his destination but on the way, the car stopped abruptly near village Fifana in Sirsa. He telephonically informed the manager of the company from where the car had been purchased, who advised him to take the car to the nearest Maruti Suzuki dealer in Sirsa. The complainant took the car to Shakti Motors in Sirsa. However, the defect could not be rectified and he was told to bring the car back to Jalalabad only.

The complainant then requested the company as well as the dealer to change the defective car but they failed to do so following which he filed a complaint before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Ferozepur, which slapped a notice on the car dealer besides the company.

The company pleaded that the claim of the complainant was not covered under the warranty as he drove the vehicle in a flooded area due to which water had entered the engine which resulted into hydrostatic lock.  

On January 19, 2011, the Forum consisting of Sanjay Garg, president and Tarlok Singh, member, after considering all the facts concluded that the dealer and the manufacturer were guilty of selling a defective car to the complainant and ordered to refund the cost of the car (Rs 3,56,295) besides the insurance charges (Rs 10,775) and Rs 550 paid for accessories along with interest at the rate of 7 per cent per annum to the complainant.

The company, through its regional manager, Chandigarh, filed two separate appeals before the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh for setting aside the award passed against them. The state commission dismissed both the appeals with a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each to be paid to the complainant within one month.

Newly-wed end life
Sushil Goyal/TNS

Barnala, August 16
A newly-wed young couple today allegedly “committed” suicide by jumping before a train between Barnala and Sekha village, about 10 km from here. Both were killed on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Jasbir Singh (22) of Sekha village and his wife Ramandeep Kaur (21), who originally hailed from Farwahi village near Barnala.

The in-charge of the Barnala Chowki of the Government Railway Police (GRP) Jagjit Singh said Jasbir and Ramandeep had been married about six months ago.

The police has initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC in the case, as Jasbir’s father and the Panchayats of Sekha and Farwahi villages had stated to the police that the couple had “committed” suicide due to financial crisis, Jagjit added.

Tax evasion of crores comes to fore
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 16
In a joint operation, the intelligence wing of the Punjab police and the excise department today unearthed tax evasion running into crores of rupees by a person who had registered five “fake” companies in Killianwali area bordering Haryana, in Muktsar district. One person has been rounded up for questioning.

The joint operation was conducted under the supervision of the IGP (Intelligence) JK Jain and the assistant commissioner, excise and taxation, Jaspinder Singh.

The modus operandi was that the detained person had set up a “fake” factory on the inter-state border to sell iron scrap, sugar, mustard oil and other commodities in bulk in Punjab on bills of “fake” companies, thereby causing huge loss of taxes to the state government. The inter-state trading was shown as local supply on the basis of the bills of the “fake” companies.

Jaspinder said the tax evasion was detected when a truck carrying certain commodities sped through the taxation barrier at Killianwali and was intercepted by an inspector of the excise and taxation department.