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Be it liquor or films, Punjab remained Ponty’s stronghold
Poll official to probe plaint against Rahul
Manmohan calls off dinner with BJP leaders |
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Pak, India must shift stance on K-issue, says Musharraf
Real estate investors jittery
The uncrowned king of business in Uttar Pradesh
TMC to move no-trust motion
4 more killed in Assam
Colony in Andhra village named after Suu Kyi
FIR against Gowda, Yeddy, Krishna
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Be it liquor or films, Punjab remained Ponty’s stronghold
Chandigarh, November 17 Though many considered Ponty Chadha to be a Congressman at heart, he enjoyed best of relations with other political parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh and the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. Insiders maintain the Chadha group flourished the most during the last BSP government in Uttar Pradesh. While Ponty Chadha hogged the limelight, Hardeep concentrated on paper and sugar mills. The family-run Wave conglomerate controls not only entertainment business in Delhi, Noida, Kausambi, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Moradabad and Haridwar, but also has an ever-expanding real estate empire.
Film venture
Before Ponty Chadha took over the dominant role in the Punjab’s liquor trade in the late 90s, he was a known player in the film distribution network (Ginni Arts). In partnership with Ludhiana-based Raju Narula, in whose association he later turned into a film producer, Ponty used to distribute films in the Punjab market with Jalandhar as his headquarters. In 2005, Ponty produced “Jo Bole So Nihal” featuring Sunny Deol.
Liquor monopoly
In 1997, when the SAD-BJP government started looking for a big liquor group that could break the monopoly of then all-powerful liquor conglomerates of Garchas in Ludhiana and Kairons in the Majha belt, it was Raju Narula who introduced Ponty Chadha to Capt Kanwaljit Singh, the then Finance Minister. Once he entered the Punjab market, he virtually monopolised liquor trade. Ponty was also closely related to the Sarna brothers — Paramjit Singh and Harvinder Singh — who hold key positions in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).
Foray into real estate
His first multiplex, Centrestage Mall, at Noida is spread over 3.50 lakh square feet. After Uttar Pradesh, he turned to Punjab where he forayed into multiplexes, real estate, industry and entertainment in a big way. Ponty owned 264-acre Fairlakes Country residential project in Mohali, besides Wave Mall at Ludhiana.
Other businesses
His company is also the bottler for Coca Cola in Amritsar, where besides Wave Beverages, the family runs Amritsar Crown Cap unit. Ponty also has two major industrial units in Punjab — AB Sugars at Dasuya and AB Grains Spirits in
Gurdaspur.
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Poll official to probe plaint against Rahul
New Delhi, November 17 Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had written to the commission on October 31 alleging that Rahul had “misrepresented facts” in his declaration filed before the returning officer. Swamy had also attached documents that he claimed were from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). In the list of shareholders of Associated Journals it is mentioned that Rahul held around 3 lakh shares. These had not been declared in the affidavit filed by him at the time of filing his nomination papers, Swamy had alleged. — TNS
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Manmohan calls off dinner with BJP leaders New Delhi, November 17 Veteran BJP leader LK Advani and leaders of the Opposition in the two Houses of Parliament, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, had been extended a special invitation by the Prime Minister to seek the cooperation of the principal Opposition party in the smooth running of the winter session commencing on November 22. As it braces for yet another stormy Parliament session in less than a week, the PM has hosted a series of dinners for political leaders even as a combined Opposition has sought a debate on the controversial policy on FDI in multi-brand retail which entails a vote. The PM had invited UPA allies for at his residence yesterday while Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati had been hosted earlier. The government has conveyed its willingness to debate the FDI issue but it does not want a vote on it for obvious reasons. It would create problems for the ruling combine as its key ally, the DMK, has opposed the FDI in retail while its outside supporter, the SP,is also not in favour of this policy. These parties will be hard put to vote with the government on the FDI issue given their stated positions. The DMK has, therefore, told the PM that the government should avoid a vote on the FDI in Parliament. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who is to take a final call on the notices given by the Opposition leaders, has convened an all-party meeting on November 21 to discuss all these issues before the winter sessions begins.
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Pak, India must shift stance on K-issue, says Musharraf
New Delhi, November 17 He was responding to a query from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who wanted to know whether Pakistan had the intention to resolve the Kashmir dispute. The matter came up for discussion at a function organised in the Capital today by a media house. Gen Musharraf, responding to Omar’s questions, including if the UN Resolution of Kashmir through plebiscite was relevant today, said, "Let me assure you it is a misconception that the Pakistan's military does not want a solution of the Kashmir dispute. Let me tell you with full sincerity and honesty that the Pakistan army wants a solution of Kashmir. We want a solution to Siachen also.” On the matter of UN resolution, the General said it stood on official fronts but there was a need to move ahead of that. “Of course, if you talk on an official basis, it (the UN Resolution) stands. But both India and Pakistan have to move forward from stated positions and go for resolutions.”
Dynasty politics
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said family inheritance was commonplace in every field of life and not just politics.
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Real estate investors jittery Mohali, November 17 The project, which is spread over 300 acres and comprises entire Sector 85, offers plots, commercial property and flats. The project is almost 50 per cent complete. Anil Bahri, who has invested in a flat, said they were worried about their investment. “I called up my real estate agent today to know about the fate of the project. We have been told that we will get the possession of our flat after six months,” he said. Shailender Anand, chairman, Mohali Property Consultant Association, said association members were getting anxious calls from investors. Vikram Mehrok, who has been associated with the project, said there was no need to panic as the project was being looked after by Ponty Chadha’s son Manpreet.
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The uncrowned king of business in Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow, November 17 He was in the news last week after his company - Great Value Food - bagged a Rs 9,000-crore contract from the SP government to procure nutritious food to feed malnourished children in centrally-supported ICDS scheme. It was in violation of a Supreme Court order that says that only self-help groups, mahila mandals and village communities can be given contracts for the supply of food. The previous Mulayam government, later Mayawati and now the Akhilesh government had tailored their respective excise policies to strengthen Chadha’s monopoly over the liquor trade in the state, making him the uncrowned king of liquor business, as he was the sole distributor of liquor in the state. Earlier this year, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India had indicted the BSP government for divestment of stake in 11 active sugar mills owned by the state sugar corporation. Chadha was the main beneficiary of the deal, which is believed to have caused a loss of at least Rs 2,000 crore to the state exchequer. After much criticism for brushing the matter under the carpet, the Akhilesh government had finally ordered a Lokayukt probe into the controversial deal last week. In the middle of the seven-phase Assembly election earlier this year, the Income Tax Department had raided Ponty’s 25 houses and business establishments across several cities as it looked for his role in the Rs 5000-crore NRHM scam. I-T officials also reportedly explored leads of possible funds from West Asia flowing through the Hawala route into Chadha’s businesses, now consolidated under an umbrella entity, Wave Inc. But no action was taken in the case. The Mayawati government went out of its way to give him lucrative mining contracts in Sonbhadra at reportedly Rs 1,500 crore.
Rags to riches
Ponty was born into a poor family of Moradabad in western Uttar Pradesh Used to sells snacks with father in front of a country wine shop Family’s fortunes changed after his father got licence of a liquor shop His business empire now constitutes distilleries, multiplexes, sugar and paper mills, real estate, poultry and films
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TMC to move no-trust motion
Kolkata, November 17 Mamata made an appeal and demanded that the UPA government should not be allowed to continue. After the party’s parliamentary committee’s meeting at the Writers Building, Mamata said she would welcome the BJP and all other Left parties, including the CPM, to support the no-confidence motion. She would also request Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad, Mayawati, J Jayalalitha, M Karunanidhi and all other NDA partners to come forward and support the move. The TMC leader said she would hold talks with BJP leaders LK Advani or Sushma Swaraj in this regards. — TNS
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4 more killed in Assam
Guwahati, November 17 Inspector General of Police (BTC) GP Singh said Brahma was arrested following recovery of two AK-47 assault rifles with two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition during an early morning raid at his residence at Tengapara under the Kokrajhar police station today. The raid was conducted at Brahma’s residence on the basis of a tip-off as part of the intensified efforts to seize illegal weapons available in the BTC area which has witnessed riots and continuing violence of late. A case was registered against Brahma at the Kokrajhar police station. Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen shot dead four persons of a family and injured one at Ziaguri village under the Kokrajhar police station in the violence-hit district on late Friday night despite the imposition of curfew. A group of gunmen fired indiscriminately at the house of a minority villager killing four of the family and injuring one. The slain persons included a woman and a 10-year-old boy. The incident occurred 10 km away from the district headquarter of Kokrajhar despite heavy deployment of security forces.
Leader arrested
The police has arrested an elected executive member of the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council, Mono Kumar Brahma, after
illegal arms and ammunition were recovered from his residence.
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Colony in Andhra village named after Suu Kyi
Hyderabad, November 17 The Nobel Laureate was overwhelmed by the public response in Papasanipalli, a sleepy village in the perennially drought-prone Rayalaseema region which rolled out a red carpet for her. Suu Kyi visited the village in Anantapur district, bordering Karnataka, to study the socio-economic transformation of the people brought about by various government welfare schemes and also to gain a first-hand account of the success stories of women SHGs. She was accompanied by Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. She interacted with the local women and enquired about their activities in the area of women empowerment. Moved by the gesture of the village authorities to name a colony after her, Suu Kyi said, “My name Aung San Suu Kyi means a bright collection of strange victories. I wish that the women of the colony named after me have all the victories in life.” The SHG women presented the visiting dignitary with a Dharmavaram silk
saree.
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FIR against Gowda, Yeddy, Krishna
Bangalore, November 17 The Lokayukta Court had earlier ordered a probe against the three. — TNS
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Ludhiana A pall of gloom descended on the house of Ponty Chadha’s sister in Sarabha Nagar on Saturday as soon as the news of the fatal shooting broke. The Sethi family rushed to New Delhi after receiving the news. Ponty frequented the city to meet his sister Nishi Sethi. He also owned a house in “F” block in Sarabha Nagar where he used to stay during his visits. Ponty had given the city its first multiplex - Waves - which changed the concept of watching movies in cinemas. — TNS Mohali Ponty Chadha’s killing has caused anxiety among local residents who have invested their money in his mega township project — Wave Estate — in Sectors 85 and 99, here. The project, which is spread over 300 acres and comprises entire Sector 85, offers plots, commercial property and flats. Vikram Mehrok, who has been associated with the project, said there was no need to panic as the project was being looked after by Ponty Chadha’s son Manpreet. — TNS
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Chandigarh, November 17
A Dalit colony in a sleepy village of Andhra Pradesh has been named after Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi when she visited the state for a glimpse of rural life. She also interacted with members of women self-help groups (SHGs).
