NEIGHBOURHOOD

Gang of robbers busted
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 20
A gang of robbers, which was active in Mandi Gobindgarh for the past few months, has been busted with the arrest of nine of its members by the local police today.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ravi Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Gurdarshan Singh, residents of Mandi Gobindgarh, Ramesh Kumar, Sukumar, alias Babu, Varinder Kumar, alias Chhakka, residents of Uttar Pradeh and Ajay Kumar, alias Ajay, a resident of Bihar.

Stating this to the media, SSP Hardyal Singh Mann said after receiving information the CIA staff headed by In-charge Buta Singh laid a naka at Mandi Gobindgarh and arrested the accused. The police has recovered .315 bore country-made pistol, three live cartridges, a knife, an air pistol with 30 cartridges, an iron rod, hammer and a Tata 207 truck with registration number PB-11W-9353.

Mann said during investigation the accused informed the police that they used to sell stolen steel items to one of its gang members, Arun Kumar, also a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh. The police recovered steel scrap worth Rs 2 lakh from his position. The police had also recovered 260 gm powder from the accused Ravi Kumar, who had been booked under the NDPS Act. He said the accused had revealed to the police that they used to pilfer steel scrap from a factory. They had stolen the electricity wires from 15 tubewell motors installed in the Sirhind area. 

Dera Bassi, September 20
A Pragpur resident was found unconscious near Sukhmani College here today. ATM card, Rs 40,000 cash and other things were found missing from his pocket. He was admitted to Sukhmani Hospital.

Police said Surmakh Singh, who is a retired from government college official, was found unconscious and important things were missing from his pocket.

The police suspects that someone had drugged him and stolen the cash and other things from his pocket.

Dera Bassi, September 20
After finding Aldrin and Atrazin pesticide in the groundwater in some villages near Dera Bassi, the officials of Pollution Control Board has started the continually checking of groundwater.

Following High Court orders, Punjab Agricultural University had taken eight samples from Issapur and nearby villages and after analysing the samples, Aldrin and Atrazin pesticides were found in two of the samples. This report was submitted in High Court. Now the Pollution Control Board is trying to find out the cause of the contamination. Officials of the Board said there was no industry in the area which could lead to the contamination.

However, residents of Issapur and other adjoining villages have alleged that some chemical industries were discharging effluents in the nearby drains.

Former Panchyat Samiti member Balwinder Kaur and other residents, including Amarjeet Singh, Ranjeet Singh and Udham Singh, alleged that crops were damaged due to contaminated groundwater. They said water of the hand pumps was not safe for drinking purpose. They demanded that thorough examination should be done of nearby industries.

Chandigarh, September 20
In a first, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Chandigarh Juvenile Justice Board to ascertain whether erring children, produced before it, were subjected to torture in police custody. The High Court has also ordered that their statements "be recorded in camera by the Board".

"If the Board is satisfied that a child has been subjected to torture, such a child shall be medico legally examined, for taking action in the matter against police personnel responsible for such torture," the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain ruled.

The directions came on a petition filed by young Punjab and Haryana High Court advocate Utsav Singh Bains. In his petition against the UT and another respondent, Bains had sought issuance of directions for dealing "with the children, who are in conflict with law, in a kind and proper manner and not to torture them in police custody".

Directions were also sought to the Juvenile Justice Board "to record statements of the children, whether any of them was subjected to torture while in police custody, whenever they are produced before the Board".

Disposing of the petition, the Bench asserted: "Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this case, we issue directions to the Juvenile Justice Board, Chandigarh, that as and when any child in conflict with law is produced before it by the police, an attempt be made to ascertain whether the said child was subjected to any torture in any way by the police while in custody".

The directions are significant as Bains, in his petition, had asserted that he interviewed children inside the Sector 25 Observation Home in April-May, last year, when he was in the final year at law school. "The interviewed children disclosed to the petitioner that they had been illegally detained, stripped naked and tortured with electric-shocks by police officers inside police stations in Chandigarh".

Chandigarh, September 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in its scathing order, has not only expressed suspicion on the involvement of Panchkula Police officials in contentious case where bail was granted to an alleged drug trafficker, but has also asserted “the means used were foul to achieve an unholy object”.

Parveen Kumar was granted bail on July 27 in FIR number 10, dated January 26, registered under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at Police Station, Sector 14, Panchkula.

His bail plea was rejected by the Sessions Court on the ground that the quantity of contraband involved was “commercial” and he was allegedly involved in another case. But the High Court allowed his plea as he was in custody since January; and the trial was likely to take time. The order was passed without going into the merits of the case.

Soon after, Hakam Rai, a relative of another accused, complained that Praveen Kumar had told the accused that bail was “possible against a payment of Rs 37 lakh” and that he had procured bail “with the help of some persons, including police officials, who submitted false information to the Court and concealed true facts.”

Ordering Parveen Kumar’s arrest after canceling his bail, Justice Jitendra Chauhan asserted: “The bail was primarily granted on the ground that the quantity of contraband recovered was not commercial quantity, that no charge-sheet was laid in spite of the incarceration of the accused since January 26, and that no criminal case was pending against the accused as on that date”. The detailed order was procured by The Tribune today, a day after it was pronounced in the open court.

Justice Chauhan added the facts were not brought to his notice at the time of moving the bail petition. Referring to the news report carried in The Tribune and another newspaper, Justice Chauhan added: “Even if there is a smallest fraction of truth in the allegations as published in the newspapers, it is a very grave situation...”

“The accused has secured a favourable order by misrepresentation and concealment of facts, which ultimately culminated into passing an order, which ought not to have been passed if true facts had been supplied by the accused.”

“The allegation of payment of Rs 37 lakh is against some persons, including police officials, who submitted false information to the court and concealed true facts…. The enquiry relates to a very sensitive matter wherein, the involvement of some police officials, working at the same station is suspected.”

Handing over the probe to the CBI, Justice Chauhan added: “Considering the gravity of the allegations and the involvement of the police officials, the Court feels that the enquiry/investigation should be entrusted only to the premier investigating agency of the Country. Therefore, with a view to reach truth and to keep the fountain of justice totally unsullied and also to ensure that the offenders should not be allowed to go scot-free, this Court in exercise of its marks this case to Central Bureau of Investigation.

Chandigarh, September 20
A theft of Rs 5.5 lakh has been reported at St. Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, Chandigarh. 

Chandigarh, September 20
The UT police today arrested the third accused involved in the eve-teasing incident in which a college girl was assaulted at Sector 42 yesterday evening.

The police has arrested the absconding accused Karandeep Singh. The accused, Karandeep, was identified by the victim. Two others Lakhbir and Khushwinder have been arrested yesterday and released on regular bail.

A 20-year old BA-III year student of Government College for Girls (GCG) Sector 42, was attacked and hit on the head with a blunt weapon by three youths at Sector 42.

The injured suffered head injuries and was admitted in emergency ward of GMSH-16. The swift car of accused Lakhbir, who is a son of sweetshop owner, was impounded. The parents of accused, Khushwinder, are government employees in the public relation departments of Punjab and Haryana.

The incident occurred when the girl had resisted an eve-teasing attempt on her by a few youths who also tried to force her into their Swift car. — TNS

Chandigarh, September 20
The CBI Court today framed charges of corruption against an upper clerk in Chandigarh Forest Department who was arrested in a bribe case this January. The CBI Special Court of Vimal Kumar framed charges under various sections of Preventions of Corruption Act against the accused Vishnu Kant.

The case dates back to January 23, when Vishnu Kant, an Upper Divisional Clerk in Chandigarh Forest Department, was caught red-handed by the CBI sleuths while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000. The CBI court granted him bail on February 14.

Chandigarh, September 20
The Chandigarh Rifle Association will organise the 13th Chandigarh Inter-School Shooting Championship from September 22 to 23, at St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, here.

The competition will be organised in air weapon (Air Rifle and Air Pistol) category in both boys and girls category of junior (U-19) and sub-junior (U- 15) category. The participants obtaining qualifying score will represent the city in the upcoming 16th All India Kumar Surendra Singh Inter-School Shooting Championship, to be held in Hyderabad from October 16 to 21. The players can enroll themselves on the opening day of the competition.