Dehradun, December 5
Deputy Inspector General, Dehradun Range, Sanjay Gunjiyal, has directed Senior Superintendent of Police Kewal Khurana to conduct an enquiry into the recovery of heavy cash from a vehicle by the Rajpur police on September 11. Speculation was rife that currency recovered from the vehicle was much more than what was counted before the media in the presence of the then SSP Neeru Garg to the tune ofRs 1.56 crore.

A police personnel who was transferred from Rajpur police station on account of indiscipline had later levelled allegations on various police officers of sharing this amount, which he said was around Rs 4 crore.

Gunjiyal has directed the SSP to gather detailed information with regard to the statement of convicts Tarak Nath Chatterjee, Vivek Goswami and Rakesh, who were coming from Delhi to allegedly drop the currency at Rakesh's house in Johri village. Station Officer Officer, Rajpur, had recovered two boxes full of currency, while checking the vehicle on a tip-off of an informer. One box was checked at the spot itself, while the other was checked at the Rajpur police station after calling the Circle Officer (CO), Mussoorie. The other box, too, carried currency. In the interrogation, it was found that the money belonged to Delhi resident Saurabh Chatterjee, son of Tarak Nath Chatterjee, and a case was registered on suspicion.

Gunjiyal said in view of the large amount, and the unusual manner in which Rajpur police conducted the entire matter, he did not deny the possibility of a scandal behind it, and asked Kewal Khurana to conduct an enquiry into it expeditiously, while incorporating important points. These are, who owned the money, from where he got it, why it was being brought into Dehradun city, and why was it planned to keep it at Rakesh's place.

Also, under what circumstances was the money recovered, whether the money belonged to Saurabh Chatterjee, and why was it being kept at Rakesh's place. He also questioned why were both the boxes not checked at the time of arrest. As per the report, one Hasan is said to be the informer, whereas the name of another informer emerged later on.

Gunjiyal has also asked about Firoz's role and the reason why he had not been interrogated till date. The DIG directed the SSP to scrutinise the call details of a day before when the money was recovered and of the next day of all police personnel who witnessed the incident.

He asked the SSP to take along a gazetted officer and Special Operations Group to enquire into the case. He suggested to him to hand over the case to the CID or any other investigating agency if he found it difficult to investigate. 

Dehradun, December 5
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain here today reviewed the preparations for President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Dev Sanskriti University’s fourth convocation ceremony at Haridwar scheduled on December 9.

The Chief Secretary directed the officers concerned to prepare three fleets and depute one at Jolly Grant airport, one at Raiwala Army helipad and to keep one in reserve at the airport.

Referring to the schedule, the Chief Secretary disclosed that Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, Director General of Police Satyavrat Bansal and Major General SK Aggarwal would welcome the President at Jolly Grant Airport on latter’s arrival at the airport from Delhi. The Army contingent would also give the Guard of Honour to the President at the airport. He will subsequently leave for Dev Sanskriti University. The President would visit Dehradun after delivering his convocation address at Dev Sanskriti University. At Dehradun helipad, he would be received by Mayor Vinod Chamoli. After lunch at Raj Bhawan, the President would leave for Delhi.

Jain directed Commissioner Garhwal Kunal Sharma and DIG Dehradun Sanjay Gunjyal to visit Jolly Grant, Raiwala and Dev Sanskriti University and ensure foolproof arrangements.

DGP Satyavrat Bansal, Principal Secretary, Civil Aviation, Rakesh Sharma, Commissioner, Garhwal, Kunal Sharma and Registrar Dev Sanskriti University Sandip Kumar were prominent who attended the meeting. — TNS

Dehradun, December 5
The Indian Military Academy today signed a memorandum of understanding with Uttarakhand Technical University at the IMA.

The MoU was signed by Commandant Lt-Gen Manvender Singh and Prof DS Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Technical University in the presence of all officers and Gentlemen Cadets of the IMA.

The IMA apart from training the Gentlemen Cadets also trains the cadets of the friendly foreign countries.

It was envisioned to provide a professional diploma in military studies and defence management to the Foreign Gentlemen Cadets (FGC) along with the military training imparted to them.

The signing of MoU was done in order to facilitate the award of certificates and diploma in military studies and defence management to the FGC undergoing training at the IMA.

Apart from the main stream, the IMA also has the Army Cadet College Wing which facilitates the training of the service cadets who are awarded graduation degree 
on the culmination of three-year degree course after which they join the mainstream. However, some of the service cadets are already graduates.

This MoU will enable such cadets to pursue professional courses like LLB and MCA. The MoU will also facilitate the award of PG diploma in Chinese, Burmese, Tibetan and Pushto languages to all these cadets.

"The memorandum of understanding is a vital step towards holistic development of the GCs”, Manvender Singh observed. — TNS

Mussoorie, December 5
Members of the Christian community, along with poor children from various schools, participated in a traditional cake-mixing ceremony here today. The ceremony marks the beginning of the Christmas celebrations.

Poor students from Nirmala Inter-College who were invited by Jay Pee Hotel to participate in the ceremony were very excited.

Brother Christopher from St George’s College and nuns from various schools offered prayers and blessed the gathered community members on the occasion.

During the ceremony, chief chef Anurag Mathur guided the invited guests about the procedure of mixing the array of ingredients that included black current, golden apricots, rum, soaked figs, raisins, dates, candied orange peel, ginger and dry cherries to make the perfect Christmas cake. The hotel staff also presented gifts to the students.

Brother Christopher said the ceremony held here was the first step to usher in the Christmas festivities.

Anil Sharma, general manager of the hotel, said the cake would be put for baking and served to the guests on Christmas Eve.

Dehradun, December 5
The highest-ever 71 Gentlemen Cadets from foreign countries will be passing out from the Indian Military Academy in this year’s passing-out parade of 131 regular and parallel courses slated to take place on December 8.

These include 53 GCs from Afghanistan, amply hinting at the consolidating military ties between India and Afghanistan.

Apart from 53 Afghan GCs, there are 11 GCs from Tajikistan, four from Maldives, two from Mauritius and one from Bhutan. IMA sources reveal that more of Afghan GCs are getting trained at the IMA and figure is likely to increase in the future passing out parades.

With the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan expected in near future, the increasing admissions of Afghanistan GCs in IMA hints at Afghanistan’s constant efforts to strengthen its forces, particularly the officer cadre. The passing out GCs from Afghanistan will be serving as officers in Afghan National Army. The foreign GCs have to undergo the similar training as imparted to the Indian GCs.

Twenty one foreign GCs passed out from the academy in June 9. There were just eight GCs in the December 2011 passing-out parade. Since its inception way back in 1932, the IMA has trained 1,468 foreign GCs from friendly countries.

Dehradun, December 5
The city police has intensified it's drive against encroachments and issued challans to 28 offenders in the Kotwali area, including Clock Tower and Rajpur Road. The police tightened it's noose against those who drove without helmet and indulged in triple riding.

Those who had been selling goods on ground or in carts on roadsides were removed by the police around Tehsil Chowk, Clock Tower and Rajpur Road. As many as 23 were issued challans on the spot itself. Many fled, seeing policemen taking action on the road.

Meanwhile, those who flouted traffic regulations through triple riding, driving without helmets or overspeeding were also penalised on the same roads. Three riders of a bike were made to stay at Dhara police post from morning till evening. None of them had a driving licence. The father of the boy, who owned the bike, requested the police to keep the bike, saying that his son did not listen to the parents and endangered his and others' lives by resorting to over-speeding and multiple riding.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kewal Khurana has directed all the police station officers and those in-charge of police posts to send him a list of the men who were found guilty of forcibly occupying land or house owned by others in the next 15 days. Kewal Khurana said the people connected with land mafia who had repeatedly been indulging in crime such as intimidation through brandishing weapons, thrashing etc would be brought under the loop of Goonda Act. Under the Act, their entry into the city would be restricted. 

Mussoorie, December 5
Sports Minister Dinesh Agarwal, speaking on the sidelines of a cricket tournament in Mussoorie to the media yesterday, said that he had directed the Mussoorie Municipal Council to send the proposal of transferring land at the present Town Hall site, which was demolished a few years back, so that a multi-purpose complex could be constructed in its place in Mussoorie.

Dinesh Agarwal said that the multipurpose complex once built would not only serve sportspersons but would also double up as a theatre complex for the various functions, including autumn festivals, and become an important activity centre for the town in the future.

He said that the government was emphasising on promoting sports in a big way so that the hill state could be recognised as an important sporting hub of the nation.

He directed the MC officials to pass the proposal of transferring the land to Sports Ministry in the board meeting so that a multipurpose complex could come up at the present site as soon as possible.

He also said that the government was also planning to open mini stadiums in other hill district of the state. Dinesh Agarwal informed the media that the government was finding it difficult to run the ice skating hall in Dehradun due to high maintenance cost and was contemplating on sharing the expenses jointly with the government in the Centre.

The parent-teacher association of the government school in Buras Khanda demanded from the minster a playing ground for the poor children at the school so that they could enjoy sporting activity there.

Mussoorie, December 5
Mind Hunter Club and Kulri Boys won their matches on the second day of the Mussoorie Cricket League Tournament being held under the aegis of the Mussoorie Cricket Club at Survey Ground today.

In the first cricket match, Mind Hunter Club defeated Club Mahindra by 8 wickets. Club Mahindra batting scored 114 runs in the stipulated 15 overs. Bhupendar with 49 runs and Prakash with 25 runs were the highest and second highest scorers for the Club Mahindra. Mind Hunter reached the target with the help of 40 runs by Sachin and 21 runs scored by Ashish at the loss of eight wickets.

The second match was played between Kings XI and Kulri Boys. Kulri Boys batting first scored 160 runs in stipulated 15 overs. Rohit scored 32 runs and Anil scored 27 runs for Kulri Boys. Kings XI chasing the target could muster only 139 runs thus losing the match in process. Salim Ahmed, Amit Dhiman, Ravikant Nautiyal and Narendar Panwar were the umpires for the match.

Ajay Uniyal, Satish Dhaundiyal, Harish Rao, Lalit Verma, Prashant Rawat, Manuj Agarwal, Narendar Padyar and others were presnt on the occasion.

Dehradun, December 5
Doon Defence Academy won by 10 wickets against Everest Cricket Club in the 1st Beehive Inter-College Cricket Tournament match here today.

Batting first, Everest Cricket Club scored 153 runs at the loss of 10 wickets.

For Everest Cricket Club, Gaurav scored the highest 58 runs, followed by Sagar who scored 25 runs. As of Doon Defence Academy, Shekhar took 3 wickets.

Doon Defence Academy batsmen easily reached the target score without losing even a single wicket, ensuring a 10-wicket win for itself.

Pawan scored unbeaten 68 runs while Vijay contributed 56 runs to the Doon Defence Academy’s score.